HOLIDAYS HIGHLIGHTS Genet in Valencia and Steppes of Albacete 17-18 November 2016

Guide: Pau Lucio Guests: Susan and Colin Groves Day 1. After greeting Susan and Colin at the Hotel in Gandia beach, we set off to Bicorp for the evening/night encounter with the Genet. After a coffee/facilities stop, we took the 10-kilometer track to reach the cottage where we would wait for the Genet. After parking the car, Pau spotted a couple of Spanish Ibex, one of them a nice male which allowed some distant pictures. We waited until Javi arrived from surveying Polecat near Villena and prepared everything to attract the Genet. As soon as it was dark, the Genet ‘Algarrobo’ showed up! At the beginning was a bit shy but soon started to show more confidence and got closer. Pau and Javi followed him with the torch while everyone took pictures. Once the Genet was confident enough, we took few shoots with flash. We decided to move few meters away to the olive tree orchard to have a different setting. There we got the genet climbing the trees and balancing with the tail. Just amazing! In the back we could hear Tawny owl and Common toad. Once the genet left, we took the car and drove back to Gandia, arriving around 10:00. It was a perfect timing to enjoy some drinks and have a rest for tomorrow trip. Day 2. We left the hotel at 9:30 and approximately around 11:00 we were enjoying the first group of Great bustards in Higueruela. The fields were packed with Linnets, Skylarks and Crested Larks. We continued driving to the next stop finding on the way Marsh Harriers, Iberian Grey Shrike and a

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superb Golden Eagle! It was flying over the ridge and being bombed by a Kestrel. This autumn has been very dry so instead of visiting the temporary lagoons, we headed off to a permanent lagoon near the railway. In a nearby field there was a Merlin on the ground which soon flew off. There were a very good numbers of birds in the lagoon: Showeler, Teal, Gadwall, Common Pochard and about 20 White-headed ducks. We tucked into lunch in Pétrola before visiting the lagoon beside the village. There we got Corn Bunting, Greater Flamingo, Water Pipit, Sanderling, Ruff, Snipe and other waders. We headed back to the motorway following tracks and found 8 Great Bustards, a Little Owl on the top of a pile of stones and a Siskin feeding in a line of thistle. Our last stop was in an old farm where we added Rock sparrow. Many thanks to Susan and Colin for such a wonderful day. Guys see you in few weeks in the Lynx quest!

Mammals

Marsh Harrier

Spanish Ibex

Common Buzzard

Genet

Golden Eagle Common Kestrel

Birds

Merlin

Mallard

Moorhen

Gadwall

Coot

Teal

Great Bustard

Shoveler

Little Ringed Plover

Pochard

Lapwing

White-headed Duck

Common Sandpiper

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Sanderling

Long-tailed Tit

Ruff

Coal Tit

Common Snipe

Crested Tit (heard)

Western Yellow-legged Gull

Great Tit

Black-headed Gull

Penduline Tit (heard)

Feral Pigeon

Iberian Grey Shrike

Common Wood Pigeon

Eurasian Magpie

Eurasian Collared Dove

Carrion crow

Tawny Owl (heard)

Spotless Starling

Little Owl

House Sparrow

Crested Lark

Rock Sparrow

Skylark

Chaffinch

Eurasian Crag Martin

European Goldfinch

White Wagtail

Eurasian Linnet

Meadow Pipit

Siskin

Water Pipit Eurasian Blackbird Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Cetti’s Warbler (heard) European Robin Black Redstart Common Stonechat

Birdwatching Spain / Pau Lucio

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