MONFRGAUE NATIONAL PARK ALL DAY - WITH MANY STOPS THROUGHOUT THE PARK INCLUDING THE CASTILLO DE MONFRAGUE - SALTO DEL GITANO (GYPSY'S LEAP) - PUENTE DE CARDENAL - VILLAREAL DE SAN CARLOS - MIRADOR DEL PORTILLA DEL TIETAR
WEATHER: overcast to start with broken cloud and long sunny periods later. Very windy 30-35km/hr all day! Top temp 25C
We knew it was going to be windy today but we newver expected it to be so bad in the Park, we expected some sheletered areas, they were very few and far between, but we plodded on. It was better to be in the park than out on the open plains.
ARROYO (stream) DE LA VID
We met in the car park at 9am after a lovely breakfast, we watched a few species from the side of the bus. Griffon and Black Vultures drifted over with Black Kites, Barn Swallows and House Martins were blown all around us. In the nearest fileds we spotted two species of Magpies, the Iberian type being of most interest here. Stonechat, House & Spainish Sparrow, Corn Bunting, Spotless Starling were also seen.
My group of five women included two young ladies who had never travelled for birding before and their exitement and enthusiasm rubbed off onto the rest, Xanthe and Lauren, were keen as mustard and good spotters too.
On the edge of the park we made two stops, the first at Arroy de la Vid, where we watched Red-rumped Swallows and Crag Martins, next we stopped in a fairly open area and found our first European bee-eaters, thge girls went crazy after finding these!
Griffon Vultures on the Salto de Gitano rock face
Despite the windy conditions everyone opted to climb up to the Castle, don't you just love climbing over 100 steps to get reach the windiest place in the park? Nevertheless, we had superb views of Vultures, we added Egyptian Vulture to the list and got very close to them. A Rock Bunting made a very short cameo on the way up. From our high view-point we could see the confluence of the two Rivers, the Rio Tagus and the Rio Tietar, the scenery was spectacular, it was worth bursting a lung to get up there. Back at the bus we had excellent close views of a apir of Serins, to the delight of the group.
Blue Rock Thrush sheltering from the wind
At the mnirador over-looking the Salto de Gitano we found a few more species but not as many if the wind wasn't so bad. Blue Rock Thrush was the star, followed by Black Stork, Black Redstart and a Griffon Vulture nest site with chicks in it.
Salto de Gitano taken from the castillo
At the Neuvo Puente de Cardenal (bridge) we watched hundreds of House martins wiuth one or two Alpine Swifts, a Short-toed Eagle appeared to. Along the track we were found a few common woodland species but not much.
one of five species of Butterfly seen today: Small Heath
We sat and ate lunch in the village, Villareal de San Carlos, whilst watchinh more Bee-eaters, two pairs of Little Ringed Plovers, Crested Larks, Goldfinches and Linnets.
Short-toed Eagle taken by Xanthe
Two more stops produced good views of Woodchat Shrike, Corn Bunting and fleeting views of Sardinian Warbler. Tarja, found and photographed an Ortolan Bunting which none of the rest of us saw!!
The afternoon warmed up, we had unbroken sunshine but the strong prevailed. We found a couple of Orchids, the tiny, Dense-flowered Orchid proving to be the star, but we also saw many Tongue Orchids in the cork oak dehesa near the mirador Portilla del Tietar. In the open woodland (dehesa) we had more views Woodchat Shrike, glimpses of Iberian Magpies, but not much else, it was quite disappointing and due to the very windy conditions.
Dense-flowered Orchid
On the way back we saw our first Booted Eagle, spotted by Xanthe and seen by just the three of in the front seats!! Dinner was at 8:30pm and the chatter was vibrant with excitement. Everyone enjoyed the day despite the wind.