I just had my official birding "coming of age trip."
Armed with a foolish sense of courage, a couple Helm's & Butler Guides and some very helpfull advice from John Cantenelo, I spent a month alone in Spain from early March to early April. It was, overall, an exciting and stimulating time. I was robbed, knocked the rearview mirror off my rental, was stranded in blizzards and rainstorms, and off course lost many times, but would be happy to do it all over again.
All in all nearly 250 species were recorded of which, more importantly, over 120 were life birds.
Highlights included Excellent to Jaw-dropping views of all of the following in no particular order:
Eight Lark Species, including Dupont's; Lammergeier; Black-winged Kite; Spanish Imperial Eagle, Eagle Owl, Black Vulture, Lesser Kestrel, Bonelli's Eagle, Egyptian Vulture; Great Bustard; Little Bustard; Black-bellied & Pin-tailed Sandgrouse; Close up spiritual experiences of Crane; Trumpeter Finch; Levantine Shearwater; Marbeled Teal; (REAL) Red-crested Porchards; White-headed Duck; Red-knobbed Coot; Purple Swamp-hen; Baillon's Crake; Little Crake; Marsh Sandpiper; Moustached Warbler; Great Read Warbler; Savi's Warbler; Stone Curlew; Alpine Accentor; Azure-winged Magpies and many others.
I was just too early for a lot of things (Roller comes to mind) but it gives me an excuse for going back. Anyone interested in a more complete trip report or advice should feel free to PM me.
It's nice to be back where the tea is delicious and the coffee is disgusting.
Blake
Oxford GB & Carmel CA
Nice one Blake, sounds like you really cut your teeth birding in (arguably) Europe's best birding location and you saw some of the region's most charismatic species. I'm off to Spain in a couple of weeks and will PM you for details. Now that you've got the taste for it, where to next?
E
[QUOTE=Edward] Now that you've got the taste for it, where to next?
E[/QUOTE]
The Highland Way!