Spain 2000

Jeremy Barker
Introduction

13th of July to the 29th of July. Stayed in the edge of the Pyrenees at Usana, just outside Ainsa. 13th-15th July in Barcelona city, leaving for Ainsa on the 15th.

13/7 Barcelona airport to hotel - train journey. The only birds seen were from the train between the airport and Barcelona city centre, so no great surprises as to the diversity or abundance of species. Of most interest were a singing Zitting Cisticola at the airport and a female Little Bittern which was flushed across a pond by the train. Otherwise, the species seen were: House Sparrow, European Magpie, Common Swift, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Barn Swallow and Spotless Starling: these are some of the typical peri-urban birds of the area.

The stay in Barcelona produced few birs of real interest, although visits to the Gaudi park yielded Short-toed Treecreeper and feral Monk Parakeet, whilst Alpine Swift occasionally passed high overhead amongst the ubiquitous Common and Pallid Swifts.

The 15th was spent pottering around the Ainsa area, learning some of the typical birds and animals for the locale.

The 17th was spent at Añisclo.

18th was spent at Benasque

19th: San Juan de Plan area

20th: Valle de Boi

21st: Añisclo again.

22nd: Sierra de Guara

23rd: Usana area

24th: Los Monegros.

25th. The Graus area.

26th. A return to the Benasque area, crossing into France in the afternoon.

27th: Ordesa NP

28th: Usana area

29th: return to Barcelona. The drive back produced the inevitable bee-eaters, a flyover Stone-curlew (Eurasian Thick-knee, if you prefer), Booted Eagle and European Roller.

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