Birded Extremadura for a week in early May 2016, based in Trujillo, spending most days exploring the nearby plains as well as making multiple trips to Monfrague throughout. Also, single trips further afield to the north just over in Castile y León (Sierra de Gredos Mountains) and to the south (Vegas Altas).
The weather was unseasonably wet throughout with blocking high pressure back home in the UK diverting low pressure systems over the western side of the Iberian peninsula. Only one full day of rain but most were showery with cracking late afternoon thunderstorms engulfing Trujillo. It was battered most days from 5pm and continuing into the evenings, you could set your watch by it! Never higher than mid teens (Celsius) meant for comfortable birding throughout, a fleece needed, but there was an increase in temperature on the turn of the weather on my last day.
Birding was fantastic, the crossroads half way from Trujillo to Monroy mentioned in the invaluable Gosney Guide (Site P4-4) was a must for raptors and grassland specialities. Nearby a Golden Eagle was unexpected yet most welcome site as it was pestered by a pair of 'tiny' Common Buzzards. However, the stars of the show were the territorial Spanish Imperial Eagles. Please see the full trip report for a day by day breakdown of the birding. The daily summaries were written at the end of each day, you might gather that I was getting a little fed up by the rain as the week progressed. The photos below offer a taster for the birding and the cracking scenery. Lots more in the report. Enjoy.
Please click on 'Birding Trip Reports - Other' - last report (pdf) in the Spain section.
A short video highlighting some of the fantastic birding is also available at my YouTube channel
The Spanish Imperial Eagles were breathtaking!
