ITINERARY: 

Day 1 – Pick up from Madrid – 14th May
Please aim to arrive on the morning of the 14th May to Madrid Airport as the tour will start in the early afternoon after we have picked everyone up. We will then transfer to Extremadura and our accommodation in Mérida. The city has a population of around 60,000 and is fairly low-rise. Huge village would be a better moniker! Nonstop, it would be a drive of approximately three and a half hours. To break the journey up, we will call in at Embalse de Valdecañas. It is a huge reservoir, so we will concentrate our efforts in the portion near the town of El Gordo on the northeastern border of Extremadura and the Castille La Mancha region. Here we will look for returning Gull-billed Terns and watch the close-up antics of a colony of Lesser Kestrels that share their home in a nearby ruined house with several pairs of White Storks. Soaring over their heads could be Booted Eagles, Black Kites and vultures.
Next, on the way through we will pop into the Embalse de Arrocampo in Saucedilla which is situated within the Monfragüe Natural Park. This area of reed-fringed reservoirs near the northeastern border of Extremadura is a brilliant place for hearing squealing Water Rail finding Western Swamphen, Eurasian Spoonbill and possible Ferruginous Duck. It is the only place in Extremadura with the possibility to find Bearded Tits. We may also hear the secretive reedbed dwelling Savi’s Warbler singing and might be lucky enough to catch sight of a Eurasian Bittern.
Overnight stay Merida.  D

Day 2 – Merida, Embalses de Proserpina, Montijo, Esparragalejo & Canchales
After breakfast, we will walk from the hotel to the nearby and world-famous Roman Bridge – the longest and oldest Roman bridge in the world at over 2,000 years old. It spans the Guadiana River where we will look out for Alpine, Pallid and Common Swifts that nest beneath our feet within the arches of the bridge. Hopefully there will be Purple Swamphen, Little Bittern, Penduline Tit and Cetti’s Warbler to watch and listen out for too. In the adjoining nearby park, we will look for Hoopoe, European Serin, Spotless Starling, White Stork, Glossy Ibis plus passing spring migrants. Later, we will drop into the various reservoirs previously listed. All are within 40 minutes drive from Mérida and will hopefully supply us with sightings of summer migrants like Woodchat Shrike, Western Subalpine Warbler, Iberian Chiffchaff and various shorebird species. Plus, more Eurasian Black and Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Black-winged and Black Kites, Booted Eagle, European Red-rumped Swallow plus many more. When we get back to Mérida, after freshening up, we will have an optional short private cultural walk of the city.
Overnight stay Merida. B,L,D

Day 3 – Alange and Sierra Grande de Hornachos
After breakfast we will take a look at the Valle de la Jabata which is only 30 minute drive from the hotel on the outskirts of the village of Alange. It is a rocky valley that is home to several rare orchid species. The birds here could include the usual vulture species, Golden and Short-toed Eagle, Common Kestrel, Dartford Warbler, Thekla’s Lark, Iberian Magpie, Blue Rock Thrush and Black Wheatear. We will then visit a nearby bird hospital run by the charity AMUS to see how they recuperate injured raptors. Just prior to that we will stop off at an innocuous area of olive grove in the middle of a massive olive grove estate to try to find one of Extremadura’s most elusive birds – the rare Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin. Fingers crossed! 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 Martin. It is also probably the best place in the whole of Extremadura to getting good close views of the nationally declining Black Wheatear. We will end the day at nearby Llera to watch for Red-billed Chough and Spanish Imperial Eagle. It is also a site for the ultra-rare Iberian Lynx. If Lady Luck is on our side, we may get looks at this gorgeous cat. 
Overnight stay at Merida. B,L,D

Day 4 – La Serena, Castuera and Cabeza del Buey
We will start the day heading west of Mérida to La Serena. This huge area of steppe land is singularly the best place in Extremadura, perhaps in the whole of Spain, to see both bustard and sandgrouse species. In Castuera, which is part of La Serena, we will have opportunities to search for the steppe specialities plus witness the colonies of Montagu’s Harriers. La Serena has the highest density breeding pairs of this graceful migrant raptor in the region. We will end our day in the mountains outside of the town of Cabeza del Buey to watch for raptors like Spanish Imperial Eagle and Egyptian Vulture plus chase down Blue Rock Thrush and Common Cuckoo. This will be a long day with a travel time of 1hour 50 minutes each way.
Overnight stay at Mérida. B,L,D

Day 5 – Transfer to Cáceres
After breakfast we will head north towards the historic medieval city of Cáceres. If we were to head straight to our accommodation situated near the cultural heart of this fabulous but small city, it would be a journey time of approximately 1hour. So, instead on the way, we will briefly call in at a couple of reservoirs and other spots where we will look for nesting White Storks. Soaring over their heads could be Booted Eagles, Black Kites and vultures. We will drop into the small village of Aldea del Cano to a small lake on the outskirts, Charca de la Atalaya. Here, we will peer through the fence (it is on private land) to sift through the duck and waders that often gather there – if the water level is not too high. We could hope to see Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Ruff and perhaps a late Northern Pintail. As we near Cáceres, we will pass through the adjoining town of Malpartida de Cáceres where we will stop for lunch at the Cafetería Museo Vostell with its resident Yoko Ono art installation, within the natural monument park called Los Barruecos. The general area features amazing landscape of rock formations together with artificial lakes that were once used by wool washers. It is also one of the locations for the filming of The Game of Thrones along with other sites in both Trujillo and nearby Cáceres. The birds here will include Black-winged Stilt, Iberian Grey Shrike, Thekla’s Lark and a White Stork breeding colony at the Humedal de la Cigüeña. There is also a good chance for migrant shorebirds like Common Greenshank, Common, Green and Wood Sandpipers. After lunch we will leave Malpartida de Cáceres to get to the city of Cáceres. We will briefly visit the city’s main park – Parque del Principe. It is apparently the most biodiverse and quietest urban park (in terms of traffic noise) in the whole of Spain! Here, we will look for the breeding pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers that frequent the park as well as Hawfinch, the numerous and melliferous Common Nightingale and possible migrants like Western Subalpine Warbler and Pied Flycatcher. Plus, we will enjoy the super approachable and utterly adorable Iberian Magpies. They are perhaps the most confiding in the whole of Spain! We will arrive at hotel close to the city’s historic centre. Looking up we will certainly be watching plenty of screaming Pallid Swifts overhead and the insect hunting Lesser Kestrels that breed in the picturesque Old City. 
Overnight stay Cáceres. B,L,D

Day 6 – Trujillo Plains, Embalse de Alcollarín and nearby rice fields
After breakfast we will head southeast to visit the plains and river valleys south of the historic town of Trujillo to get a good introduction to the landscape and scenery. We will be on the lookout for more Great and Little Bustards, Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Eurasian Griffon and Eurasian Black Vultures and hopefully eagle species like Booted, Golden, Spanish Imperial and Short-toed. We will watch displaying Calandra Larks plus see Crested, Thekla’s and returning Greater Short-toed Larks that are summer visitors to the region. We will also note parties of Corn Bunting and Spanish Sparrow plus possible glances at the unobtrusive Rock Sparrows. After lunch, we will spend the afternoon at Embalse de Alcollarín. It is a superb site that, itself, is worthy of a full day’s visit. During the winter the water’s surface can be coated with hundreds, sometimes thousands of ducks, plus plentiful Great Crested and Little Grebes. Most of these birds would have dissipated by our arrival but there may still be some left. The shoreline could harbour Black Storks, Eurasian Spoonbills, Great and Little Egrets and shorebirds like Wood Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilts. Its hinterland is good for Thekla’s and Crested Larks, Hoopoe, Iberian Magpie and Woodchat Shrike.  We could end our day, if time allows, searching through the nearby rice fields at Puebla de Alcollarín. It may be hit and miss as some of the fields may be drained and ploughed by the time of our visit. However, others may still be wet and frequented by Black-headed Gulls, Gull-billed Terns, Ruff, Common Snipe, Black-winged Stilts and other goodies including possible Whiskered Terns. We will play that visit by ear. 
Overnight stay Cáceres. B,L,D

Day 7 – Full day birding in Monfragüe Natural Park
Our final full day will be a day spent birding in the iconic Monfragüe Natural Park. This magnificent area is a must-see for any visitor to Extremadura. And, not too far from our accommodation, it is only a 50 minute drive. However, we will stop along the way for brief walks along rivers and through woodlands hoping for vultures, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Crag and Western House Martins, European Red-rumped Swallow, Mistle Thrush, Rock, Corn and Cirl Buntings, Hawfinch and Short- toed Treecreeper. The famous hotspot in Monfragüe is Peña Falcon (Falcon Rock). It is an impressive natural feature and a superb site for watching all three regular species of vulture (Eurasian Black, Eurasian Griffon and small numbers of Egyptian) plus other raptors like Peregrine, Black Kite, Golden, Short- toed and Spanish Imperial Eagles. We will check the nearby Monfragüe Castle for any signs of the very scarce White-rumped Swift that breed in the castle. They are late migrants from Africa arriving in May. Regardless, from that lofty point we will also watch the vultures drift pass at close quarters and look for rock dwellers like Rock Bunting, Black Redstart and Blue Rock Thrush plus for woodland species such as Hawfinch, Firecrest and Crested Tit.
Overnight stay Cáceres. B,L,D

Day 8 – Back to Madrid – 21st May
Please book your return flight to leave no earlier than 15:00 from Madrid airport as we are planning on arriving at the airport for around 12:30. If we have time we may make a few stops on our way to Madrid. B