Great Bustard (Otis tarda)

This is an upland plain/steppe area in Castilla-La Mancha, just south-east of Albacete, mentioned in Rebane/Garcia (page 157, 2008 edn). From Los Alcazares on the Murcian coast, where we sometimes stay in winter, travelling time to Petrola is about 1 hour 50 mins. Not in the same league as parts of Extremadura scenically or in sheer numbers of species, but compact, not without charm, and generally easy to do. The wetlands, both permanent and ephemeral, can be good.

INFO

BirdLife factsheet 'Pétrola-Almansa-Yecla' BirdLife

The Plains Of Petrola (Costa Blanca Bird Club)

ambientea

Where to Watch Birds in Northern & Eastern Spain. Michael Rebane & Ernest Garcia. Helm, 2008

GALLERY

Spain; Petrola steppes in winter


BIRDS - 59 species

Greylag Goose Anser anser - 3 Coral Rubio 24/12/12.

Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna - 500+ 24/12/12. 9 Laguna de Petrola 10/12/17.

Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope - 1 Laguna del Salobrejo 10/12/17.

Gadwall Anas strepera - 50+ 24/12/12.

Eurasian Teal Anas crecca - 250+ 24/12/12.

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos - 500+ 24/12/12.

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata - 1000+ 24/12/12.

Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina - 50+ 24/12/12.

Common Pochard Aythya ferina - 60+ 24/12/12.

White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala - 3 24/12/12. 20+ Laguna del Salobrejo 10/12/17.

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis - 20+ 24/12/12.

Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo - 3+ 24/12/12, 1 20/12/17.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus - 80+ Laguna de Petrola 24/12/12. 10 Laguna de Petrola 10/12/17.

Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus - 2 24/12/12.

Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus - 1 24/12/12. 6+ 10/12/17, 5+ 20/12/17.

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus - 3 males 24/12/12. 1 male 10/12/17.

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo - 3 24/12/12. 3+ 10/12/17, 3 20/12/17.

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

Eurasian Coot Fulica atra

Common Crane Grus grus - 9 10/12/17, 29 Laguna de Petrola 12/12/17.

Great Bustard Otis tarda - 21 at three separate sites 24/12/12. 15 Coral Rubio 10/12/17, 31 there 20/12/17..

Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus - 500+ 24/12/12.

Little Stint Calidris minuta - 2 Laguna de Petrola 10/12/17.

Dunlin Calidris alpina - 10 24/12/12. 2 Laguna de Petrola 10/12/17.

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus - 1 20/12/17.

Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus - 1 24/12/12.

Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis - 1 24/12/12. 6+ 10/12/17, 2 20/12/17.

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus - 2 adults 10/12/17, c20 20/12/17.

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata - 20+ 10/12/17.

Feral Pigeon Columba livia domestica

Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

Little Owl Athene noctua - 1 20/12/17.

Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops - 4+ 24/12/12.

Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra

Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens

Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis

Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta - 1 Laguna de Petrola 10/12/17, 2 there 20/12/17.

White Wagtail Motacilla alba

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

European Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

Eurasian Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus - 10+ Laguna de Petrola 24/12/12.

Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis

Common Magpie Pica pica

Carrion Crow Corvus corone - 10+ 24/12/12.

Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor

Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus - 1 24/12/12.

Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia - 200+ 24/12/12.

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina

Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra