Wednesday 15 May – Embalses de Guadiloba and Valdesalor plus, Charca de la Atalaya

We will leave our accommodation after breakfast and head towards, Mérida, the capital of Extremadura. ‘Capital’ is a term to be used lightly as it has a population of around 60,000 and is fairly low-rise. Huge village would be a better moniker!

If we were to drive non-stop it would be a 90 minute journey. Instead, we will pause along the way to visit two reservoirs on the outskirts of Cáceres, a larger (120,000 inhabitants) medieval city. We could even stop for a cuppa and walk around its historical centre, if you so desired. We will certainly be watching plenty on screaming Pallid Swifts and hunting Lesser Kestrels overhead in the picturesque Old City.

Embalse de Guadiloba is a large reservoir in the Plains of Cáceres. There is usually not too much to see on the water itself bar a few Coots and Mallards. The shoreline should harbour waders like Little Ringed Plover, Common and Green Sandpipers. In the scrub around the reservoir we may sight Great Spotted Cuckoos but certainly Crested and Thekla’s Larks plus plentiful Hoopoe, Corn Buntings, Iberian Magpies and Iberian Shrike. In the surrounding steppes we could be hopeful for both bustard species, both sandgrouse, Calandra Larks, possible Tawny Pipit, Little Owl and migrants.

At Embalse de Valdesalor, we will be looking for waders along its northern shores. We should hope to expect Spoonbill, White Stork, Black-winged Stilts plus Dunlin and other waders. Last year, the site played host to a vagrant Pectoral Sandpiper.

Finally, on the motorway to Mérida, we will pop in the small village of Aldea Del Cana to visit their small lake, Charca de la Atalaya. Here, we will peer through the fence (it is on private land) to sift through the duck and waders that gather there. Last year, I found Extremadura’s only record for Bar-tailed Godwit in 2021 plus, in the past the site has hosted a long staying Ring-necked Duck. We could hope to see Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Ruff and perhaps a late Pintail.

Dinner in Mérida. Overnight stay at Hotel Ilunion Mérida Palace your tranquil base within Mérida.

Thursday 16 May – urban birding Merida, Embalses de Proserpina, Montijo, Esparragalejo & Canchales

After breakfast, we will walk from your hotel to the nearby and world-famous Roman Bridge – the longest and oldest Roman bridge in the world. It spans the Guadiana River where we will look out for Alpine and Pallid Swifts that nest beneath our feet within the arches of the bridge. There will be Purple Swamphen, Penduline Tit and Cetti’s Warbler to watch and listen out for too. In the park nearby, we will look for Hoopoe, Serin, Spotless Starling, White Stork, Glossy Ibis and Little Bittern.

Later, we will drop into the various reservoirs listed. All are within 40 minutes drive from Mérida and will hopefully supply us with sightings of migrants like Woodchat Shrike, Western Subalpine Warbler and various wader species. Plus, Black and Griffon Vultures, Black-winged and Black Kites, Booted Eagle, Red-rumped Swallow plus many more.

Dinner in Mérida. Overnight stay at Hotel Ilunion Mérida Palace.

Friday 17 May – Alange and Sierra Grande de Hornachos

We will start the day heading south of Mérida to Alange, which is only 30 minutes drive from the hotel. We will visit several sites in the area ranging from a rocky valley to the shores of Embalse de Alange looking for species as varied as Greater Flamingo to scouting for Black Wheatear and Rock Bunting. On the way to Alange we will also pop into a couple of sites along the River Guadiana to look for migrants like Western Bonelli’s Warbler and Western Subalpine Warbler.

If we have the time, and the desire, we will then visit a nearby bird hospital run by the charity AMUS to see how they recuperate injured raptors.

We will then journey to the gorgeous Hornachos region. After lunch in the town we will explore this mountainous sierra for Spanish Imperial, Golden, Bonelli’s and Booted Eagles plus Rock Sparrow, Rock Bunting and Crag Martins. It is probably the best place in the whole of Extremadura to get good views of the nationally declining Black Wheatear.

Dinner in Mérida. Overnight stay at Hotel Ilunion Mérida Palace.

Saturday 18 May – Montijo area and Cornalvo Natural Park

After breakfast, we will head west to the Montijo area to visit a few sites notably looking for nesting Eagle Owl and signs of the Moustached Warblers that were heard singing there last month. The general area is good for migrants and I hope that we get to see some Bee-eaters there too.

After lunch, we will back east to Cornalvo – a huge park on Mérida’s doorstep. It is a mixture of farmland, dehesa, reservoirs and scrub. It is home to Woodlarks, Woodchat Shrikes, Quail and breeding Black-winged Kites. We will spend the remainder of the afternoon traversing its varied terrain seeing whatever we find.

Dinner in Mérida. Overnight stay at Hotel Ilunion Mérida Palace.

Sunday 19 May – back to Madrid and eventually, home…

After breakfast we will go on a guided walk around historic Mérida before transferring to Madrid.

Happy days!