Falcon watching in Barcelona
Come falcon watching at the Sagrada Família, Barcelona this Sunday 18th May. Plaça Sagrada Família with Thalassia, Galanthus and Iberianature. 10:00-13:00.
Noticias en ‘birds’
May 13th, 2008Spanish imperial eagle webcam
Here’s another great live webcam, this time on a Spanish imperial eagle’s nest in Cabañeros National Park (Ciudad Real). At the moment of posting this the chick is less one month old. The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of the conservation of the Spanish imperial eagle.
Spain currently has 234 pairs of imperial eagles, 34 more than in 2006, of which 73 are found in Castilla-La Mancha. The bird’s principal threats are poison and power lines; between 1990 and 2007 at least 95 birds were poisoned and a further 130 were electrocuted. The lack of rabbits is also a problem. More information from aguilaimperial.org
See also Bonelli’s eagle webcam in El Garraf
Bonelli’s eagle webcam 2
Update 02/05. The webcam has been up and working again for the last few weeks, and the new chick is growing fast. Click here to see webcam
It was decided to bring a chick from a nest outside the park. The new chick comes from a nest of two and its parents only managed to rear one of their two chicks last year. The pair on the webcam have been unable to rear any chicks successfully for seven years, and the two other pairs of Bonelli eagles in the park won’t be breeding this year as the two males have disappeared (one while its mate was incubating. Lucy
STOP PRESS 01/04: Sad news for everybody who has been following the Bonelli eagle webcam. The chick appears to have died. Follow up the discussion on this on the forum where Clive notes it might be early enough for them to make another attempt.
The live webcam of the pair of Bonell’s eagles (Hieraaetus fasciatus ) is up again. The nest is in El Parc del Garraf, near Barcelona. This is the best wildlife webcam in Spain that I know of. Yesterday I saw the chick, white, cute and fluffy, squeaking incessantly for food as it’s mother tore a rabbit apart, and gently fed it. There’s a limited number of visitors at a time so if it doesn’t work try again later.
- More details on the project here
- More on Bonelli’s eagle in Spain
- Information on the El Parc del Garraf here on Iberianature
- Follow up the discussion on the pair on the forum
Peregrines of the Sagrada Familia
Eduard Durany, of the Barcelona Peregrine Falcon Reintroduction Project, a scheme close to my heart, has sent me this photo of chicks in Guadi’s Sagrada Famila. Eduard notes that this year four chicks have hatched in the nestbox, a record for the site. In 2005, 2 chicks were hatched, in 2006, there were another 2, and in 2007 just 1 females. The father was released in Barcelona port in 2001 and the female was born on the Montjuïc cliffs in 2006. Photos here another BCN pair. + More info on Barna’s peregrines.
Thalassia and Galanthus are also organising a Peregrine Watching Day on 10th May from the Plaça del Sagrada Família, which is right in front of the nest. Telescopes will be available. I’m going. The activity starts at 10:00am.
Vulture feeding stations in the Sierra de Guara
Vulture feeding stations in the Sierra de Guara
Interesting article here from birdguide.com about Vulture feeding stations in the Sierra de Guara.
“The authorities have set up a number of feeding stations where carcases are provided especially for vultures. As a result, numbers of vultures, particularly Griffons, have increased rather than declined and birders are provided with wonderful viewing opportunities. In addition to substantial numbers of Griffon Vultures, it is possible to see Lammergeiers and, in summer, Egyptian Vultures at these sites….The biggest and most spectacular feeding site is at Alquezar.”
Stork village
I loved this photo in El País today Urbanización para cigüeñas. I think it’s somewhere in Extremadura. Someone correct me on this if I’m wrong.
- Live stork webcam in Avila (updates every 30 seconds)
Innovative breeding techniques for Lammergeier
Using a technique for the first time with this species, the Foundation for the Reintroduction of the Lammergeier hope to release a bird bred completely isolated from human contact. They’ve built a 6×6m platform at 1,500m in Ordesa which includes a heated nest with a “puppet” adult bird to feed the chick and, next to it, a cage which the chick will be moved into after 80 days to continue the natural imprinting process as in this area of the Pyrenees there is the largest population of the species in Europe. A feeding station next to the cage will provide opportunity for the chick (born in Feb.) to observe and learn natural adult behaviour. After 120 days the young bird will fly for the first time.
They say that this tecnique will be used in the “near future” for the release of three birds in the Picos de Europa, from which I guess will be next year, the only difference being that the birds will be relocated from the Pyrenees two weeks before their first flights in the Picos.
The conservation group are already using another technique of strategically placing caged adult birds in areas in which they hope to encourage the Lammergeier to return.
For more info go to the discussion on Iberianature forum
Posted by Lisa
Dupont’s lark losing song
A study has found Dupont’s lark (Chersophilus duponti) is losing its singing range because numbers are falling. Spanish biologists have found that when male larks had fewer birds from which to learn new notes or ranges their repertoire decreased. The number of notes a male uses is vital in attracting females.
Dupont’s lark, is only found in Europe in Spain where just 2,000 birds are thought to remain, as their natural habitat has been relentless destroyed by changes in land use, particularly the spread of irrigated dry land so we can all have cheap tomatoes in February, reforestation and above all by the growth of wind farms.
The scientists recorded the singing range and number of notes of 330 male birds, mainly in the Ebro valley region in north-east Spain. Using hidden microphones in places the birds usually inhabited, they taped mating calls. Paola Laiolo, who led the research team, said: “The female birds are attracted by the complexity and range of the male’s song.
“We found that the lack of variation of notes or scales corresponded to the areas where the population of larks was smallest. The birds which lacked tutors - or other male birds to learn from - had the smallest range.” Dupont’s lark has a range of 12 singing sequences or phrases. It is smaller than the skylark and its brown colour makes it hard to spot, so censuses are carried out by counting birds by their songs. The Guardian
More on Dupont’s lark on Iberianature
Note: SEO made Dupont’s lark its Bird of the Year for 2006.
Lammergeyer in Cazorla
Good news for the Lammergeyer (quebrantahuesos. Less than two years after the release of the first individuals from the captive breeding programme of Cazorla y Segura where the bird became extinct in 1980s, the young birds have begun to disperse as far as the French Pyrenees and to areas such as Montes de Toledo, La Rioja, and Castilla y León.The first three individuals, released in May 2006, have flown 25,000 kilometres according to GPS system which is tacking them. However, all of the birds have returned home to Cazorla to breed. There are now 18 lammergeyers flying free in the Sierras de Cazorla y Segura, 12 of which were born in the breeding centre and the rest brought from Austria and the Czech Republic. More releases are planned to boost the population.
Los 25.000 kilómetros del quebrantahuesos (El Pais)
More on the bearded vulture on Iberianature
Bird extinction in Spain due to climate change
A new report (A Climatic Atlas of European Breeding Birds) has just been released by Birdlife on the effects of climate change on bird populations. As would be expected, the results are of serious concern. By the end of the century, the potential future distribution of the average European bird species will shift by nearly 550 km north-east. Specifically for Spain (SEO) the following species are likely to become extinct (13):
- Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus)
- Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)
- Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
- Common Guillemot (Uria aalge)
- Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
- Tengmalm’s Owl (Aegolius funereus)
- White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos)
- Dupont’s lark (Chersophilus duponti)
- Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
- Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia)
- Balearic Warbler (Sylvia balearica)
- Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)
- Rook (Corvus frugilegus) Leer
Barcelona peregrines
Eduard Durany of the Barcelona Peregrine Reintroduction Project has kindly sent me these photos of a pair of peregrines nesting in the Port of Barcelona. The photos were taken with an automatic webcam. More photos here on the forum
Breeding shags down 60% in Parque Nacional de las Islas Atlánticas due to Prestige
The breeding population of shags (cormorán moñudo - Phalacrocórax aristotelis) has fallen 60% in the Parque Nacional de las Islas Atlánticas as a result of the Prestige oil disaster. Numbers have dropped from 1500 pairs before the slick in 2002 to 350 (2003-2007) in the
Imperial Eagle population up in Doñana
Demand for cereals in Spain threatens birds
The increasing demand for cereals in Spain and the EU is threatening birds associated with farming habitats. This has been heightened by the Ministry of Agriculture following the decision of the EU to eliminate temporarily the rule requiring EU farmers to leave 10% of their land fallow. Fallow land plays an essential role in preserving bird biodiversity. Much of the rise in prices is due to the demand for biofuels, bad weather and soaring demand. SEO/BirdLife has asked national and regional authorities to respect fallow areas at least in the high value natural areas such as those of Red Natura 2000. (SEO)
Red partridge in wheat stubble from here
Santander swallow migration
SEO report today here on the annual gathering of thousands of swallows in the Bahía de Santander in Cantabria before setting off for Africa. Between 5,000 and 6,000 swallows have been gathering since the end of August in the Marisma de Alday (Camargo) before flying off en masse in mid September. They spend the night in the reedbeds of these marshes and feed during the day off the huge numbers of insects flourishing on the post harvest stubble. Most of these birds are from the British Isles and stop off on the Cantabrian Coast to “refuel” before continuing onto Africa. SEO stresses the importance of the conservation of this type of wetland for bird conservation at a European level and notes the role played by the councils of Camargo, Astillero and Santander in helping to protect them.
Storms cut imperial eagle chick numbers
The Junta de Andalucía have recorded 47 imperial eagle chicks this year, compared with 70 for the previous year. Agustín Madero, head of the conservation programme of the imperial eagle in Andalusia believes the reason lies in the spring storms, and despite the negative news says that the bird’s recovery is clear. A total of 210 pairs of imperial eagle were recorded in Spain in 2007, with 54 in the Sierra Morena in Andalucia. El Mundo
Imperial eagle chick being tagged in Doñana
imperial eagle chicks in Spain
Blue chaffinch threatened by Gran Canary fire
The pine forest habitat of the sub-species of the blue chaffinch (Fringilla teydea polatzeki), found only on Gran Canaria has been decimated by this week’s fire. Until several days ago just 250 of these birds survived on the island. 95% of these birds lived in the Pinewoods of Inagua, Ojeda y Pajonales, precisely where the blaze first broke out. In fact the first people to evacuated were the researchers studying the bird. These researchers have stressed the importance of rebuilding drinking holes. The healthier population of the blue chaffinch on Tenerife seems to be less affected. SEO and follow sub links.
Blue chaffinch photo from SEO
Tellingly, the EU Action plan for the Blue chaffinch warned several years that “Forest fires have in the past played an important role in the destruction of Gran Canaria’s pinewoods. At present, a fire in one of the critical Blue Chaffinch areas could have catastrophic results due to the small areas and population involved.”
They also note “The Blue Chaffinch Fringilla teydea is endemic to the Canary Islands and comprises two subspecies, one found on Tenerife (F. t. teydea) and the other on Gran Canaria (F. t. polatzeki). Its habitat is Canary pine Pinus canariensis woodland which is listed in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive. Although there has not been a census of the Tenerife population, its situation is thought to be stable, while the estimated population on Gran Canaria is 185–260 birds (Moreno 1991), which means that the latter subspecies is classified as Endangered both nationally and internationally.”
Scops owl chick
Derek of the forum has sent me this photo of one of this year’s batch of scops owl chicks from his hideout somewhere in the Sierra de Madrid. He notes “I’m pretty certain from past clutches that although this is the biggest of the three scoplets a first-hatched fourth had already flown”
This one was the last to leave the nest, much later than other years, perhaps because of the mild temperatures this July in Spain. Read more about Derek’s scops owls here.
Birding in Cadiz
John C. has posted this excellent trip report on the forum on his birding trip to Cadiz
He notes on crested coots:
It soon became apparent that we had a problem with this coot; JC advised that a lot of the Crested Coots had been neck collared, so all we had to do was find a Coot in a collar and bingo!. No one seems to have noticed an obvious aspect of Crested coot physiology, however. After extensive field work it is apparent that Crested Coots are actually invisible under ultra-violet light, so in daylight, you simply cannot see them. All you see is a sort of shimmering in the reeds. That is why the clever Spaniards put collars on them: find the collar, find the crested coot. Sadly, evolution being what it is, the coots take off the collars during the day and hide them in the reed beds ( or possibly in the mud?). So the best time to look for Crested coot is a moonless dark night, when these all-black birds would be easy to see on account of the white triangular, square-topped frontal shields. As mentioned in the very beginning, JC had identified it as a bright, sunny night, so we had no cooting chance!
Birding Trip Report to Cadiz Province + Here for forum thread
Barcelona’s parakeets to be culled
I received this email this morning. It’s based on this article http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/260758/0/autorizan/caza/cotorras/ . Although I have grown to love this pesky fellows I myself have no intention of signing this petition as potentially monk parakeets could cause big problems in the surrounding countryside to farming and wildlife. I hope they are only going to reduce numbers. If you don’t agree with me, please sign their petition. More on monks here: http://www.iberianature.com/material/barcelona_birds.html
“Dear Mr Lloyd,
A contact e-mailed me yesterday about the planned wild parrot hunt in Barcelona. I am based in Brooklyn and the monk parakeets live here peacefully with other wildlife. I am shocked and discouraged by this planned action and am organizing a protest. But there is not much I can do on this side of the Atlantic. What’s needed are voices in Spain that are against it.I have written about this issue and have an online petition. If you could spread the word in Europe, I’d be grateful”
Full story here:
http://www.brooklynparrots.com/2007/07/very-bad-news-from-spain.html
Thanks,
Steve Baldwin
The Brooklyn Parrot Society
