Truly, Eliza Doolittle could be happy to realize it doesn’t all the time keep simply there. Once I drove to Xábia on the finish of April to go to my brother at his new home the rain was just about all over the place in Spain. After an extended drought this was welcome information for the Spanish folks, however for me it was a bit bitter grapes. Lastly going out to seek out me a Moustached Warbler and it’s raining. It could possibly be worse, I assume, with hurricanes in Hertford, Hereford, and Hampshire.
Dwelling nearly on probably the most westerly level of the Iberian peninsula and having to go to the furthest easterly level makes for a little bit of a drive. I cut up my journey into two days. I used to be going to Ciudad Actual first (midway) after which could be taking it simple the subsequent day. The drive was nice with the occasional Black Kite crossing the highway and lots of smaller birds on the roadside, like Crested Lark, Frequent Swift, Barn Swallow, even a Hoopoe and an Iberian Magpie.
I had ready for the journey studying Ernest Garcia’s The place to observe birds in Northern & Jap Spain. From this glorious e-book I discovered that close to Ciudad Actual lies the Parque Nacional Las Tablas de Daimiel. Tablas de Daimiel is seemingly the smallest Spanish nationwide park, nevertheless it does have fairly a couple of Moustached Warblers, so measurement doesn’t matter, for as soon as. The park consists of part of the unique Guadiana floodplains. It’s open from daybreak until nightfall.
I drove to the park after checking in at my resort. It was now later within the afternoon and whereas driving from Ciudad Actual I grew to become conscious of the chances of staying a lot nearer to the nationwide park, in Daimiel. Psychological notice made, I parked the automobile and walked to the customer centre. I checked whether or not the girl on the data desk spoke English (in your behalf, expensive reader) and she or he informed me she didn’t. Nevertheless, she proceeded by telling me the park was open one year a yr as if I mustn’t blame her for one such tiny blemish. I wholeheartedly agreed! The park has signposted walkways, very clear data leaflets and the bathroom blocks are luxurious. It’s all spotlessly clear. Solely drawback with a go to on a weekend afternoon: screaming folks. This created lots of problem to find the skulking birds by ear, not helped by the truth that it was very windy. The Whiskered Terns couldn’t care much less and did their very own good bit of screaming. After three or 4 downpours I made a decision to name it a day however not earlier than stopping on the data centre as soon as extra. I requested for some intelligence on the warblers and a sort gentleman overheard and instantly joined the dialog. He identified his personal favorite spots for seeing the Moustached Warbler – invaluable intel because it turned out the subsequent day.
The following morning, I got here again properly earlier than daybreak. It was 1oC and a dense fog rose from the river. The boardwalks had been frozen, however the wind had gone. I used to be on their own in a nationwide park! Take into consideration that assertion subsequent time you might be in a bear jam in Yellowstone or surrounding a lion in Tsavo with 16 minibuses. I headed straight for the areas my newfound buddy had informed me about. My greatest buddy, I ought to say, as a result of though the warblers took some time to seek out, the reeds at his spots had been stuffed with Frequent Reed Warbler, Nice Reed Warbler and two singing Savi’s Warblers.
The encompassing scrub and woods had been so chock-a-block with Frequent Nightingales that for as soon as the phrase “frequent” was acceptable. The in any other case infamous skulkers Cetti’s Warbler and Backyard Warbler had been posing extra completely than your common Instagram influencer. And naturally, all this as a result of I didn’t carry my digital camera… I managed to take some photos of doubtful high quality utilizing my scope and telephone.
After an excellent morning I walked again to my automobile and met my new greatest buddy once more. He requested if I had seen the Carricerin Actual (the Moustached Warbler) and he was genuinely happy I had. He then proceeded by grilling me on all of the specials. Sure, I had seen the Marbled Geese, the Ferruginous Geese and no, I had not seen the White-headed Duck… What? Return and observe the purple path to the top, there will probably be dozens of them. No alternative however to return (how can one disappoint such an awesome buddy?) and he was proper, after all.
With my quarry within the bag and a few bonus geese I drove on to Xábia. The following couple of days had been extra about household than birding. The stress was off anyway so I did just one extra tour although I had deliberate to go to fairly a couple of extra websites. Accompanied by my nephew Max I visited the Marjal de Pego-Oliva, reputed to have about 15% of Spain’s Moustached Warblers.
The Mediterranean coast is clearly hotter than the Spanish inside as a result of the reeds within the Marjal stood three meters excessive, a lot larger than in Las Tablas. As a consequence, we noticed little or no motion. We did hear a number of warblers singing and Water Rail squealing, however the reeds had been simply too thick and tall. Late March and early April might be a greater time. There’s a watch-tower, a conceal and a cycle path by way of the park. To achieve the conceal, take the CV-678 from the N-332 and switch left instantly after the bridge over the A-7. That is the precise reverse of the directions in Garcia’s e-book, in all probability as a result of the conceal has been moved.
The way in which again to Lisbon: a full day, simply driving. I can strongly discourage you from doing that. Nevertheless, the previous couple of hours had been completely definitely worth the hassle as I drove by way of springtime Extremadura and southern Portugal. The dehesas/montados had been all freshly inexperienced and the wildflowers had been blooming. I noticed a kettle of Griffon Vulture close to Trujillo with a pair of Raven and some Black Kites combined in. Very good to look at such spectacle alongside the motorway. Might is simply a wonderful time to go to Spain and Portugal. You’ll be able to go to the seashore or you may go birding – I’m positive the birders may have a greater time and fewer melanomas.
