Systematic List: Iberian Holiday May/June 2006
BIRDS
Little Grebe - most numerous around Donana, with small numbers on most pools. Also on the reservoir at Trujilo and at Santiponce.
Great Crested Grebe - small numbers around Donana, plus four on a reservoir near Aracena.
Black-necked Grebe - at least 10, perhaps many more, on Canada de Rianzuela.
Mediterranean Shearwater - one south past Porto Covo.
European Storm-petrel - about 20 lingering offshore at Porto Covo.
Gannet - about 10 lingering offshore at Porto Covo.
Cormorant - one at Merida was the only one.
Little Bittern - singles at La Rocina, Laguna de la Jara and Merida.
Night Heron - only noted around Donana, mostly at dawn and dusk.
Cattle Egret - widespread, especially around Donana, but also Alentejo, Trujilo and a large colony at Merida.
Squacco Heron - just one at Madre de las Marismas.
Little Egret - most numerous around Donana with singles also near Lisbon and Trujilo.
Purple Heron - small numbers around Donana and another at Merida
Grey Heron - lots around Donana and a few around Trujilo
Black Stork - about 10, including three juvs on a nest, at Monfrague, and two near Aracena.
White Stork - common and in some places extremely common, such as around Donana, near Ourique and around Trujilo.
Spoonbill - Donana only, with a flock of about 320 at Madre de las Marismas.
Greater Flamingo - Donana only, with hundreds at Canada de Rianzuela and Madre de las Marismas
Greylag Goose - one at Madre de las Marismas presumably left over from winter. Also feral birds in Seville and at Santiponce.
Gadwall - five seen at Laguna Primera de Palos.
Mallard - small numbers around Donana and in Trujilo area.
Shoveler - two at Laguna Primera de Palos.
Red-crested Pochard - small numbers at several locations around Donana.
Pochard - noted at several locations around Donana, especially Canada de Rianzuela.
White-headed Duck - two males at Canada de Rianzuela - European tick.
Short-toed Eagle - three birds together at Corgo do Pardieiro were the only ones
Red Kite - only six birds in total, at Donana, Trujilo area and Santiponce
Black Kite - common and widespread although strangely absent in some areas (e.g. much of southern Portugal). Most numerous at Donana and in Trujilo area.
Marsh Harrier - two singles at Donana
Montagu's Harrier - about ten near Castro Verde and similar numbers near Trujilo
Griffon Vulture - seen high overhead in Seville and in Donana, but much larger numbers in the Trujilo area, especially at Monfrague, and in the Sierra Morena.
Black Vulture - some fantastic birds on the Belen Plains, a few over the garden at San Clemente and a few at Monfrague. Western Palearctic tick.
Egyptian Vulture - five at Monfrague were the only ones
Common Buzzard - small numbers recorded widely
Booted Eagle - total of 17 recorded widely, almost all light-phase.
Bonelli's Eagle - single adults at Sao Marcos de Serra in the southern Portugal and by the Rio Almonte near Trujilo.
Spanish Imperial Eagle - a chick on the nest then a pair of adults at Portilla de Tietar, Monfrague. Lifer.
Osprey - a surprise bird seen at La Rocina, Donana.
Lesser Kestrel - small numbers in Seville, more around Trujilo and the Belen Plains, plus further birds in Llerena and Santiponce. My best ever views of this species.
Kestrel - only four seen during the two weeks
Red-legged Partridge - a few in southern Portugal, one near Trujilo and more on the hilly roads in the Sierra Morena.
Purple Gallinule - five at Laguna Primera de Palos were the only ones - Western Palearctic tick.
Moorhen - widespread in Donana with some also a Merida and at Santiponce.
Common Coot - common in Donana, especially at Laguna Primera de Palos. Also near Trujilo.
[Red-knobbed Coot] - single adults were found near Colinas (Donana) and at Laguna Primera de Palos but both were neck-collared released birds and so not deemed tickable. No more found, despite extensive effort.
Great Bustard - two or three near Castro Verde in southern Portugal, 28 on the Belen Plains and 12 on the plains west of Trujilo. Lifer.
Little Bustard - at least 12 on the Belen Plains and two on the plains west of Trujilo.
Black-winged Stilt - common in Donana, with smaller numbers near Trujilo and Merida
Avocet - small numbers in Donana only
Stone-curlew - one near Castro Verde and small numbers on the plains near Trujilo
Collared Pratincole - three over fields in Donana, plus five over rice fields near Madrigalejo
Little Ringed Plover - recorded at La Rocina (nesting), Rio Almonte near Trujilo and near Merida.
Black-headed Gull - a few over La Rocina, Donana, one morning were the only ones of the trip
Western Yellow-legged Gull - a few off Matalascanas, many on the beach at Mazagon, a large colony offshore at Porto Covo and a few around Lisbon.
Black Tern - one at Canada de Rianzuela
Whiskered Tern - very common Donana, otherwise just one over the Madrigalejo rice fields.
Black-bellied Sandgrouse - three seen in flight only over the plains west of Trujilo. Lifer.
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse - a stunning male with four females in a field on the Corredor Verde at Donana, one of the highlights of the trip. European tick.
Rock Dove - small numbers of (presumably mostly) feral birds daily
Woodpigeon - scarce, a little more numerous in Extremadura but not common.
Collared Dove - small numbers most days
Turtle Dove - only one in Donana and none in Alentejo but small numbers Lisbon, Extremadura and Sierra Morena.
Great Spotted Cuckoo - one seen along road between Trujilo and San Clemente
Cuckoo - singles on four occasions
Scops Owl - one calling incessantly each night at San Clemente, not seen
Little Owl - a few in Trujilo area only
Eagle Owl - two well grown chicks at Portilla de Tietar, Monfrague, but the adults could not be seen
Tawny Owl - two heard Corgo do Pardieiro, then nightly in Sierra Morena.
Red-necked Nightjar - one heard distantly near Villamanrique (Donana) and three heard San Clemente.
Common Swift - common and seen daily, mostly around human habitation and much more numerous than Pallid Swift.
Pallid Swift - only seen in Seville, Castro Verde and Trujilo. Usually reasonably obvious amongst Common Swifts.
Alpine Swift - only recorded around Monfrague and at Merida bridge.
White-rumped Swift - good views of at least one at the Castillo de Monfrague, but several sightings over an extended period so could well have involved more than one bird. Lifer.
Hoopoe - recorded most days in small numbers
Kingfisher - one in Donana near Dehesa de Abajo.
Bee-eater - recorded daily except for the day in central Lisbon. Most numerous in Donana and around Trujilo.
Roller - only seen around an isolated farmhouse on the steppes to the west of Trujilo, and near to the Madrigalejo rice fields.
Green Woodpecker - one seen in flight by the road near Alanis in the Sierra Morena, of the Iberian race (although not actually seen well enough to identify on anything but location).
Great Spotted Woodpecker - only recorded at Corgo do Pardieiro and in the Sierra Morena.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - singles heard in the Sierra Morena near San Nicholas and near Aracena.
Crested Lark - common in most areas except relatively few in southern Portugal.
Thekla Lark - one on the plains near Castro Verde and several in the higher parts of the Sierra Morena.
Woodlark - small numbers at Corgo do Pardieiro, San Clemente, Aracena and Santiponce.
Short-toed Lark - one on the Belen Plains was the only record.
Calandra Lark - common on the plains around Trujilo. Lifer.
Sand Martin - a few at Donana and at Madrigalejo.
Crag Martin - most common at Monfrague, but also at Trujilo, Aracena and at a few places en route.
Barn Swallow - common and widespread
Red-rumped Swallow - fairly common and widespread, less so at Donana and more so in Trujilo area.
House Martin - widespread and very common in some towns, with nests plastered entirely around some buildings
Tawny Pipit - one on a roadside wire near Messejana in the Alentejo.
Yellow Wagtail - a fine male Spanish Yellow Wagtail seen at El Rocio, with two females on the Corredor Verde.
Grey Wagtail - none in Donana but small numbers seen inland.
White Wagtail - scarce; only in Lisbon and a few in Trujilo area
Wren - small numbers Corgo do Pardieiro and Trujilo area
Robin - small numbers Corgo do Pardieiro and Sierra Morena
Nightingale - widespread and often numerous, especially at El Acebron (Donana) and Corgo do Pardieiro.
Black Redstart - a pair nesting on the cliff at Porto Covo, one by the road at Grandola and one in Lisbon
Stonechat - few in Donana but widespread inland
Black-eared Wheatear - four near Castro Verde, two Monfrague and four near Alanis were my first records in Europe and first of the western subspecies, having previously seen these in Turkey and Israel.
Blue Rock Thrush - singles at Monfrague and Portilla de Tietar
Blackbird - widespread in small numbers
Cetti's Warbler - a few around Donana and at Madriglejo
Zitting Cisticola - widespread but not abundant in the way that they were in Majorca
Savi's Warbler - none seen but heard at La Rocina and near Dehesa de Abajo (Donana) and at Madrigalejo.
Reed Warbler - small numbers around Donana plus one heard at Merida
Great Reed Warbler - singles at Canada de Rianzuela, Isla Mayor, Madrigalejo and Merida, the latter giving the best views I'd ever had of the species.
Melodious Warbler - noted at Donana, Madrigalejo, San Nicholas, Aracena and commonly around Corgo do Pardieiro
Western Olivaceous Warbler - two pairs of this recently split species seen by small pools along the northern edge of Donana, one at the Red-knobbed Coot pool near Colinas and the other a few km west of here (but east of Dehesa de Abajo). Initially thought to be a lifer but later realised I saw Olivaceous Warblers, presumably this species, in the Gambia.
Sardinian Warbler - not common, one at Acebron (Donana) and three in the Trujilo area
Subalpine Warbler - singles at Castillo de Monfrague and in the hills near Aracena
Blackcap - widespread in small numbers.
Iberian Chiffchaff - one heard at La Rocina (Donana) was not terribly convincing but in retrospect probably was one. However, about six different singing birds around Corgo do Pardieiro giving songs of varying quality and one seen very close up looked correct too. Lifer.
Long-tailed Tit - birds of the scruffy Iberian race noted at Corgo do Pardieiro, San Clemente, Castillo de Monfrague and Aracena.
Crested Tit - noted only in Portugal, around Corgo do Pardieiro and Lisbon
Blue Tit - none in Donana but small numbers elsewhere
Great Tit - small numbers seen, mostly Corgo do Pardieiro
Penduline Tit - one heard calling constantly by the metal pipe at Madrigalejo rice fields but could not be seen. European tick - only previously seen in Israel.
Nuthatch - none Donana but small numbers elsewhere, especially near Aracena where quite common
Short-toed Treecreeper - small numbers recorded widely
Golden Oriole - one seen near El Rocio and one heard at La Rocina but then no others
Woodchat Shrike - very common and widespread
Southern Grey Shrike - only recorded near Castro Verde, Trujilo and Madrigalejo.
Jay - small numbers at various sites inland
Azure-winged Magpie - common almost everywhere except not seen around Lisbon. Lifer
Black-billed Magpie - widespread, mostly less common than Azure-winged Magpie but more numerous in Trujilo area
Jackdaw - quite local but very numerous in some places, generally in towns
Carrion Crow - scarce, only a handful noted in southern Portugal
Raven - a few in Donana, southern Portugal (roadside Algarve) and in Sierra Morena, and more in Trujilo area.
Spotless Starling - common throughout
House Sparrow - very common throughout
Spanish Sparrow - about ten in a stork nest near Ourique, one at Corgo do Pardieiro, and small numbers in the Trujilo area
Tree Sparrow - one at Acebron (Donana) and a few at the rice fields at Madrigalejo
Rock Sparrow - two at the Castillo de Monfrague and about 10 nearby at the bridge over the Rio Almonte
Chaffinch - small numbers widespread
Serin - small numbers widespread
Greenfinch - small numbers in a few places
Goldfinch - small numbers widespread
Linnet - only noted San Clemente and near Alanis
Hawfinch - one Corgo do Pardieiro, two Castillo de Monfrague, one San Clemente and three near Alanis
Cirl Bunting - singles at Corgo do Pardieiro and Castillo de Monfrague
Corn Bunting - widespread and common; very common in southern Portugal and on the Trujilo steppes.
Common Waxbill - at least ten by the metal pipes at the Madrigalejo rice fields. Lifer (established introduced species).
[Red Avadavat?] - five small dark finches in flight at Madrigalejo rice fields were presumably this species but not seen well enough.
Lepidoptera
Ethmiidae
Ethmia bipunctella - Corgo do Pardieiro and San Clemente
Autostichidae
Symmoca species, perhaps S. revoluta - San Clemente
Tortricidae
Acleris variegana - San Clemente
Pyralidae
Euchromius cambridgei - El Rocio
Nomophila noctuella - Seville, Lisbon
Palpita unionalis - Corgo do Pardieiro
Pyrausta sanguinalis - San Clemente
Udea ferrugalis - Lisbon
Therapne obsoletalis - San Clemente
Asalebria florella - Corgo do Pardieiro
Ematheudes punctella - Aracena
Etiella zinckenella - San Clemente
Hesperiidae
Skipper spp. - some Grizzled-types in Trujilo area not saisfactorily identified - Trujilo castle, Rio Almonte
Papilionidae
Swallowtail Papilio machaon - Los Palacios y Villafranca
Scarce Swallowtail Iphiclides podalirius - Trujilo castle
Spanish Festoon Zerynthia rumina - larva at Corgo do Pardieiro
Pieridae
Cleopatra Gonepteryx cleopatra - Corgo do Pardieiro, Trujilo
Clouded Yellow Colias crocea - common, one of helice form noted at Merida
Small White sp. - only discovered there was another species rather late in the day
Bath White Pontia daplidice - La Rocina
Lycaenidae
Ilex / False Ilex Hairstreak - lots in Monfrague area, plus Aracena
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas - Corgo do Pardieiro
Blue (butterfly) spp. - generally ignored, one identified as Holly Blue
Nymphalidae
Two-tailed Pasha Charaxes jasius - singles in Seville town centre, Palacio del Acebron and right next to the Castillo de Monfrague.
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta - not many
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui - common
Large Tortoiseshell Nymphalis polychloros - Corgo do Pardieiro
Cardinal Argynnis pandora - identified at Trujilo castle but suspected previous day at Castillo de Monfrague
Spanish Marbled White Melanargia ines - Corgo do Pardieiro
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria - Palacio del Acebron
Southern Gatekeeper Pyronia cecilia - Corgo do Pardieiro
Spanish Gatekeeper Pyronia bathseba - Corgo do Pardieiro
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina - Corgo do Pardieiro
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus - Corgo do Pardieiro
Lasiocampidae
Phyllodesma suberifolia - Corgo do Pardieiro
Drepanidae
Watsonalla uncinula - Corgo do Pardieiro, San Clemente
Geometridae
Blair's Mocha Cyclophora puppillaria - Corgo do Pardieiro
Bright Wave Idaea ochrata - Corgo do Pardieiro
Idaea calunetaria - Corgo do Pardieiro
Idaea ostrinaria - Corgo do Pardieiro
Idaea eugeniata - Corgo do Pardieiro
Mullein Wave Scopula marginepunctata - San Clemente
Scopula submutata - San Clemente
Small Blood-vein Scopula imitaria - Sierra Morena near San Nicholas del Puerto
Portland Ribbon Wave Scopula degeneraria - Lisbon
The Vestal Rhodometra sacraria - El Rocio
Rhodostrophia calabra - Corgo do Pardieiro
Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata - Corgo do Pardieiro
Lime-speck Pug Eupithecia centaureata - Lisbon
Lydd Beauty Peribatodes ilicaria - Corgo do Pardieiro
Rhoptria asperaria - Corgo do Pardieiro
Adactylotis gesticularia - Corgo do Pardieiro
Tephronia codetaria - Corgo do Pardieiro
Itame vincularia - Corgo do Pardieiro
Sphingidae
Striped Hawk-moth Hyles livornica - Corgo do Pardieiro
Notodontidae
Drymonia querna - Corgo do Pardieiro
Lymantriidae
Ocneria rubea - Corgo do Pardieiro
Arctiidae
Paidia rica - Corgo do Pardieiro
Apaidia mesogona - Corgo do Pardieiro
Noctuidae
Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum - Corgo do Pardieiro
Hecatera weissi - San Clemente
Recoropha canteneri - Corgo do Pardieiro
Guernsey Underwing Polyphaenis sericata - Lisbon
Small Mottled Willow Spodoptera exigua - Corgo do Pardieiro
Platyperigea proxima - San Clemente
Goldwing Synthymia fixa - Corgo do Pardieiro
Bordered Straw Heliothis peltigera - Lisbon, Trujilo, Merida
Purple Marbled Eublemma ostrina - Corgo do Pardieiro
Pale Shoulder Acontia lucida - Corgo do Pardieiro
Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni - Lisbon
Silver Y Autographa gamma - very common Trujilo castle and Merida
Raphia hybris - Sierra Morena near San Nicholas del Puerto
Oak Yellow Underwing Catocala nymphagoga - San Clemente, Monfrague
Scarce Blackneck Lygephila craccae - Sierra Morena near San Nicholas del Puerto
Parascotia nisseni - Corgo do Pardieiro
OTHER WILDLIFE
Praying Mantis sp - one at light at Corgo do Pardieiro, another netted by Tom by day there
Black-tailed Skimmer - or similar
Scarlet Darter - or similar
Egyptian Grasshopper - La Rocina
Nemoptera bipennis - La Rocina
Toads/frogs - heard
Moorish Gecko - El Rocio, Monfrague
Small lizards - widespread
Small snake - two at Corgo do Pardieiro - perhaps Southern Smooth Snake?
Horseshoe Whip Snake - one in tree by bottom car park for Castillo de Monfrague, another nearby by the Rio Almonte bridge.
Terrapins - Palacio del Acebron; Rio Almonte (where "Spanish Terrapin" apparently)
Small bat spp.
Red Squirrel - Lisbon campsite
Rabbit - very scarce - only two seen on whole trip!