The Flatlands

Weeks of never-ending heat in Cordoba meant I, like the birds, was in search of water. The obvious choice might have been to head for the coast but I decided to visit a wetland area in the La Mancha plain, the land of windmills in Don Quixote, called Tablas de Daimiel. The area was declared a National Park in 1973 and is one of the smallest, with an area of 1928 hectares. In 1988 it was made a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA). Tablas de Daimiel is the last remaining example of floodland wetlands which were once common in central Spain. The wetlands are fed with two types of water making an unusual ecosystem: the Guadiana contributes fresh water, while its tributary the Gigüela is brackish. Underground streams also used to surface in springs known as Ojos (eyes). The area is an important stopping point to a great number of migratory birds as well as a wide range of resident species. 

My friend Ron and I left Cordoba early and stopped mid-morning at a roadside bar in the Sierra de Despeñaperos, which is located at the eastern edge of the Sierra Morena. The decision to lift the binoculars out the car proved to be a good one, as before we had even sat down for our coffee we had spotted a Spanish Imperial Eagle soaring around the mountain tops. We were also able to observe it through the telescope when it landed on a electricity pylon. It was soon followed by another and four or five Griffon Vultures. Not a bad way to start the trip!

By lunch time we had arrived at Tablas de Daimiel and wasted no time in setting off round the park. Stopping at the first pond we watched Reed Warblers darting between the reeds. A little further along we had a Great Tit, Zitting Cisticolas, Reed Buntings, Stonechats and Moorhens. Every so often a Marsh Harrier would glide over the reeds search for its prey and bee-eaters would pass overhead calling loudly.

Zitting Cisticola

There were not many birds to be seen and worryingly much of the park was dry. Boardwalks over the marshes now passed over dry land. While August is one of the driest times of the year, it was hard not to wonder if the lack of water is a result of intensive agriculture in the surrounding area which has drained the water table and natural springs.

European Pond Turtle

Our luck seemed to change as we neared the end of the track. First we caught sight of a Bearded Reedling flying over the reeds. This was one of the birds we had come to see so it was great to catch sight of it even if it was only fleeting. Next we watched a Penduline Tit in a tree beside the path and a few Kingfishers zipped past. Sand Martins were swooping over the reeds and a Little Bittern hurried into the cover of the reeds as we approached. Then we heard a strange pig-like squeal coming from the reed bed. Ron told me that this was a Water Rail and after waiting for a while we were rewarded with the sight of one darting across the water. It certainly produced a strange noise for such a small bird. 

Water Rail

Rehydrating at a nearby bar we saw a flash of yellow as a Golden Oriole flew past and landed in a tree.

Golden Oriole

After our break we decided to look for sandgrouse. With no real idea of where to go we followed a track across the countryside in an area called Campo de Calatrava. It takes its name from the Order of Calatrava, a military order which held territory in the area from the time when it was on the border between Christian and Muslim Spain. We passed fields of watermelons, onions and others with grapes or olives. But what were looking for were bare muddy fields which we suspected would be more attractive to the sandgrouse. We drove for some time, our eyes starting to ache from scanning endless fields, without luck. After an hour all we had seen for our efforts was a Stone Curlew, Hoopoes, a few Crested Larks and some Magpies. Just before we reached the end of the road, Ron's bird-dar activated and he drove us up a side track. At first we saw a Griffon Vulture being mobbed by a smaller raptor and then we shouted out in unison as we saw what we were looking for - sandgrouse sitting together on the ground in the far end of a field. We had come across a group of about 30 birds and were able to observe them through the telescope despite the heat haze. They were Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse, a beautiful bird with its striking rufous breast. These birds were a lifer for me and a great way to end the day. 

Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse

On our second day we went to Laguna de Navaseca, a lagoon which never dries up due to the constant supply of water from a treatment plant. It is a great site with numerous hides offering different views of the lagoon. From the first hide we could see Flamingos, Greylag Geese, Black-Winged Stilts, Little Egrets, Little Grebes and Black-Necked Grebes. There was a large group of White-Headed Ducks in the middle of the lagoon. There are reported to be over 150 individuals here, which is a sign of the remarkable turnaround for the species since the late seventies when there were only 22 left in Spain and all of them in Laguna de Zonar in Cordoba. 

Juvenile White-Headed Duck

A little further along we had good views of some of the waders such as Little-Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Wood Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpipers, Curlew Sandpiper and a couple of Little Stints. Glossy Ibis arrived and there were also large numbers of Lapwings, Moorhens and Coots. 

Glossy Ibis

The second hide allowed us to get close to the water's edge. We watched a couple of Water Rails and a Purple Swamphen feeding along the edge of the reeds. Ducks were also present, with Teal, Gadwall and Red-Crested Pochard added to the list. A pair of Snipe briefly flew in and we watched a Bluethroat and Bearded Reedling come down for a drink. A Marsh Harrier would occasionally fly over the reed bed causing panic amongst the other birds. In the trees behind us we saw a Golden Oriole, Cetti's Warblers, Willow Warblers, Woodchat Shrike, Linnets, Goldfinches and Ron spotted an Olivious Warbler. 

Goldfinch

Our last stop around the lagoon saw us add Ruff, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits, Little Bitterns, Squacco Heron and Great-Crested Grebes to our day list. We also observed Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse flying in to drink.

Great-Crested Grebe

After lunch it was time to leave the flatlands behind us and head back to Cordoba. With over 80 species and all but one of our target species found (Black-Bellied Sandgrouse remained elusive) the trip was a resounding success. It would however be interesting to return in early spring to see the area when the water levels are higher and the birds are calling more.