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| Bird Tours Programme: Spring 2011 and November 2011 |
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Spring 2011: 4 Bird Tours. All offered tours are budget tours
Duration: 9 nights - 10 days Price: 815 € pax  Main features Itineraries and more
Duration: 8 nights - 9 days Price: 1190 € pax Main features Itineraries and moreBirds of Rio Guadiana and its irrigated flatlands (Spain and Portugal) When: June 10th to June 16th Duration: 6 nights - 7 days Price: 870 € pax Main features Itineraries and moreNovember 2011 Wintering Cranes and culinary routes in Extremadura When: Nov. 27 th to Dec. 3th. Duration: 6 nights - 7 days Price: 512 € pax Main features Itineraries and moreMain features - Extremadura tours These tours are half board tours. Breakfast and dinner are included, take-away meals are not included. The tour organisation will happily take care of midday meals upon request. Following a regular schedule, the tour leader will drive participants to small grocery shops. This works well and won't affect observation time on the field. Accomodation in rural cottage located with comfortable rooms (all are en suite). Excellent value lodging. Pick up of participants in Madrid airport (Any airport other than Madrid or Valladolid incurs extra charges) Ground transportation in a comfortable 7-seated vehicle Supplement 90 € for single bedroom. Daily tours with professional guiding service. Each observation day concludes with a return to the accomodation place in the rural cottage, which is a renowned Birding Centre located in a Special Area of Bird Protection. Tour leader could also be your driver depending on group size. Weather: average daytime temperatures ranging 8C - 16C in mid November and 16C - 24C in early Spring. Risk of adverse weather: Statistically, there should no more than 2 1/2 days of rain or strong winds in a row, odds are around 25%. Last day: breakfast, drive back to Madrid airport. Hail and farewell to participants. top  Main features - Navarra tour and Rio Guadiana tour These tours are full board tours. Breakfast, take-away (cold) meals and dinner are price inclusive. Accomodation in hotels or rural cottages of good quality (comfortable bedrooms). Good value lodging. Pick up of participants in Madrid airport(alternatively: San Sebastian or Bilbao for the Navarra Tour) (alternatively: Lisbon for the Guadiana Tour. (any airport other than Madrid or Lisbon incurs extra charges) Ground transportation in a comfortable 7-seated vehicle Supplement 125 € for single bedroom. Daily tours with professional guiding service. This is a semi-itinerant tour. There are 3-4 different accomodations in total. Tour leader could also be your driver depending on group size. Weather: average daytime temperatures ranging from 16C to 26C (Navarra and Pyrenees) , from 21C to 31C (Rio Guadiana). Precipitations are irregular from one region to another (Navarra and Northen Spain receives more rainfalls). Risk of adverse weather: Statistically, there should no more than 2 days of rain or strong winds in a row, when tour is scheduled, the odds are respectivelly 34% in Navarra and 16% around Rio Guadiana . Last day: breakfast, drive back to Madrid airport. Hail and farewell to participants. top Bird Tour 1 and 4: Extremadura Respectivelly Wintering Cranes - Autumn 2011 and Big Birds - Spring 2011 Extremadura is the region of Western Europe with the highest percentage of important Bird Areas in its territory. Much of its landscape has remained largely unspoilt. Why visit Extremadura? See here! Itineraries and routes include: Monfrague national Park, peneplains of Caceres-Trujillo-Zorita, Malpatida de Caceres, Alcantara, Sierra de San Pedro, Sierra de Gata, Southern slopes of Sierra de Gredos, Saucedilla, Ramiro and Ladronera, Valley of Ambroz. Due to shorter tour duration and less ornithological interest, the routes and itineraries for the wintering Cranes tour (Tour 1) are reduced to about 60% of above routes. Ornithological interest: Birdlife is exceptional in this area: the five eagle species (Spanish Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Short Toed Eagle and Booted Eagle), the two big European Vultures (Monk Vulture and Griffon Vulture) plus the smaller Egyptian Vulture and an amazing population of smaller birds of prey: the Red and Black Kites, the Black-shoultered Kite, the Eagle Owl and the Peregrine Falcon. The region also prides itself with the most important population of Black Storks in Western Europe. All three Harrier species (Montagu's Harrier, Marsh Harrier and in winter, the Hen Harrier). This area harbours one quarter of Spain's Great Bustard sendetary population, together with a significant population of Little Bustards, Black bellied, Pin-Tailed Sangrouses. Wether we are in the peneplains steppes, crossing some rugged mountains or in the countryside neighbouring the Birding Center, European Bee-eaters, Hoopoes, Lesser Grey, Woodchat Shrikes, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Eagle Owls can be spotted with not much difficulty. Even Black storks fly overhead from mid April onwards (We have spotted a nest in a nearby tree from the main accomodation ). As we approach vast pasture lands, in the plains of Caceres, Great and Little Bustards, both (Black Bellied and Pin-Tailed) Sandgrouse are regularly seen. We will explore meadowlands, complexe and rugged mountains with granite ridge, many other wild territories, using unconventional itineraries to observe much more species... Other environmental and cultural interest: Monfrague National Park, Silver Road (Via de la Plata), World Heritage City of Caceres, Roman Bridge of Alcantara, Trujillo, Hervas, Caparra, Granadilla . Last but not least, the many culinary routes.This Bird tour in Extremadura will lead us through vast steppes, rugged mountains (sierras), traditional meadows (Dehesas). top Bird Tour 3: Navarra and Spanish Pyrenees Navarra region is located in Northen Spain, in the Western limits of the Pyrenees mountain range. Despite its small extension, it harbours very diverse landscapes and its geographical location makes it one of the most important route for migratory species in Europe. Together with the permanent breeding species, this ensures the observation of a great variety of birds. Itineraries and routes include: Pamplona, Senorio de Bertiz, Olite, Ujué, Tudela, Desert of las Bardenas Reales, Sierra de Aralar and Valley of La Ulzama, Reservoirs of las Canas, Laguna de Pitillas, Foces de Lumbier y Arbayun Ornithological interest:The four eagle species (Golden Eagle, Bonelli' Eagle, Short Toed Eagle and Booted Eagle), the two big European Vultures (Monk Vulure and Griffon Vultures) plus the smaller Egyptian Vulture and an amazing population of smaller birds of prey (Accipitridae and Falconidae species) together with an important population of water birds (Anatidae, Ardeidae species), Great Cormorans are easily seen too. An incredible population of Passerines, and among them Warblers, Goldcrests, (Sylviidae family) or Blue Rock Thrush (Turtidae). Other environmental and cultural interest: Pamplona (Cathedral and Citadel), Estella, Tuleda Cathedral, the Orgi Forest (not orgy pls.), Aqueduc of Noaim, Las Canas Reservoir, Alloz and Yesa Reservoirs. Last but not least: Gastronomy and wines of Northen Spain. top Bird Tour 4: Rio Guadiana and irrigated flatlands This area is located in the province of Badajoz, neighbouring with Portugal. The territory to cover is reasonably limited (ca. 370.000 ha) however the birdwatching interest is high due to the important population of bird species. The vast irrigated plains and the rivershore along the Guadania river habour a diverse population of water birds (some of them with the highest population in Western Europe) together with an important population of birds of prey. Itineraries and routes: San Vicente de Alcántara, Alburquerque, Villar del Rey, Puebla de Obando, La Roca de la Sierra, Carmonita, La Nava de Santiago, Olivenza, Cheles, Valverde de Leganés, Almendral, Torre de Miguel Sesmero, , Alconchel, Táliga, Barcarrota, Villanueva and Fresno. In Portugal: Telheiro, Monsaraz, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Alqueva Ornithological interest: About 290 avian species are recorded in this area. There is an amazing population of Storks (Ciconiidae) together with a huge population of water birds (particularly Anatidae). Easily observable Great and Little Bittern, Night Heron, Grey Heron, Purple Heron and Little Grebe, Greast Crested Grebe (resp. Ardeidae, Podicipedidae). Great Cormorans (Phalacrococidae) are an increasing population. Ospreys (Pandionidae) other birds of prey (Accipitridae and Falconidae species) together with a good number of Eurasian Spoonbills on their migratory route. The population of Passerines is remarkable too (especially in the Sylviidae family). Other environmental and cultural interest: Badajoz, Alqueva and nearby reservoir, Villanueva top |
