Day 1.- Meet you at Zaragoza airport. Few minutes after meeting Josele you will be searching For Eagle Owl near Zaragoza airport. Birding on route looking for few specialites such as sandgrouse, larks or raptors. Welcome dinner and overnight at Boletas Birdwatching Centre in Loporzano.
Day 2, 3.- The Pre-Pyrenees : A bird paradise - In the surrounding areas of Loporzano, the nearby Sierra de Guara and in the spectacular Mallos de Riglos, we will find one of the most exciting and varied concentrations of bird species : Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Lammergeier, Golden Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Thekla Lark, Black Wheatear, Alpine Accentor, Dartford Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Wallcreeper, Penduline Tit, Southern Grey Shrike, Spotless Starling, Red Billed Chough, Rock Sparrow, Cirl Bunting, and Corn Bunting.
During the last weeks of February and November, we can observe great flocks of Cranes on their migratory journeys in the areas close to Huesca. As members of local Ornithological Associations, we collaborate in the census of the Cranes as they rest and feed during their annual flights to Northern Europe. Overnight in Loporzano.
Day 4th.- French Border: The elusive alpine birds. Drive to several ski resorts where we will look for species that never leave the cold and snowy mountains: Lammergeier, Snow Finch, Alpine Accentor, Golden Eagle, Citril Finch and Alpine Chough. Overnight in the area.
Day 5th.- Lammergeier feeding point. Without doubt, the star day of the tour as we will visit a former Lammergeier " artificial feeding station " where we should be able to observe these impressive and unique birds as they fulfil the task of vital sustenance during the harsh climate of winter. Overnight in Loporzano.
Day 6th,7th.- North and south Ebro Valley steppes. Our journey will begin early in the morning to Los Monegros where we can see Pin Tailed and Black Bellied Sandgrouse in good numbers. It would not be unusual to locate Great Spotted Cuckoo and we will attempt to find the small population of Great Bustard that still remains in the North East of Spain, among the other birds that we are likely to see are; Little Bustard, Stone Curlew,Lesser Short-toed Lark, Thekla Lark and Calandra Lark. Just before dinner we shall familiarise ourselves with the nesting area of Dupont's Lark. Before dawn on the following day we will visit Belchite, the impressive steppe area where the spectacle of sunrise coupled with the mysterious song of Dupont´s Lark creates a unique magical ambience. Although this area boasts the highest population density of Dupont's Lark in Spain, it is important to apply maximum concentration and skills of vigilance in order to observe this very difficult and elusive bird. After breakfast, we will visit the spectacular red sandstone hills that crown these steps to find Black Bellied and Pin Tailed Sandgrouse as well as Golden Eagle. Finally, we shall visit nesting areas of the majestic Bonelli's Eagle, a bird that over the years has become very scarce. Overnight in Belchite.
Day 8th.- Return to Zaragoza airport. Time permitting we will do some birding on the way to Zaragoza with very good chances for raptors and both sandgrouse, at this time of the year forming big flocks ( we were lucky to spot 120+ Pin-tailed Sandgrouse in 2006). Drive to Zaragoza airport to take your flight home.
Extensión to the Ebro Delta
Day 9th , 10th.- Drive from Belchite to the Ebro Delta, birding on route with chances for many migrants before arriving to the delta. Littoral wetlands, the third most important in the western Mediterranean, after La Camargue in France and "las marismas del Guadalquivir " (Coto de Doñana). It is an alluvial plain of about 32,000 hectares , which goes out 20 Km . into the sea. A large part of this surface is cultivated, with predominance of rice fields ( 20,000 Hectares ). The rice fields are of great importance as a feeding area for many waterbirds, and there are still large surfaces of natural environments (beaches, wide expanses of sand, bays, flood marshes, salty surfaces, small littoral lakes and riverside woods) with a rich, diverse birdlife; HERONS, EGRETS BITTERNS , WADERS on migration etc. It's not only important as a breeding area (about 28,000 pairs of waterbirds) but also has a wintering population of GULLS. Eleven species of GULLS and TERNS nest here regularly. For some species (SANDWICH TERN), the breeding colonies at the delta are the only ones in the Iberian Peninsula . For others they are of great importance (SLENDER-BILLED GULL, AUDOUIN'S GULL), this last one has here the most important colony in the world. In recent years, a large population of GREATER FLAMINGO has been nesting again in this area, and the Delta has become its third most important breeding site in the western Mediterranean . Very good chances for , Glossy Ibis and Whitethroat. Overnight in
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