NEWS

ORNITHOLOGICAL NEWS BULLETIN IN CUENCA PROVINCE

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    In this sub section a selection of the most interesting records from between 2002 and 2004 has been compiled. We will continue to add new interesting records to this list from other years as we receive them.  These will be added each time the website is updated. To send records fill in the records form.in as much detail as possible.  

    The facts about the different species of birds appear in order according to family and the year they were observed. The philogenetic order from "GUÍA DE LAS AVES DE ESPAÑA PENÍNSULA, BALEARES Y CANARIAS" by Eduardo de Juana y Juan M. Varela has been used.

PHALACROCORACIDAE-CORMORANES

  
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo  

2004

  • No records

2003

  • 18 June:1 youngster in one of the piers in Uña Lake, Uña, Cuenca.(S. O. Pinedo Valero)

 

    

ARDEIDAE-GARZAS

  
Purple Heron  Ardea purpurea  

2004

  • 7 April. Laguna del Pueblo, Pedro Muñoz (Ciudad Real). 1  adult amongst Tamarisks on the banks of the lagoon. (S. O. Pinedo Valero-Andrés Pinedo Valero).

 

  

CICONIDAE-CIGüEÑAS

  
White Stork Ciconia ciconia  

2004

  • 30 December. San Clemente (Cuenca). 1 White Stork seen gliding  over the inner city. (S. O. Pinedo Valero-Andrés Pinedo Valero)

  • 2 March. Chimenea Alcoholera de San Clemente (Cuenca). 2 White Storks sitting in an old nest on the chimney top.This new pair ended the breeding season successfully with a chick flying the nest.

2003

  • 2 May. Chimenea Alcoholera de San Clemente (Cuenca). A White Stork sitting in the nest, another brings back vine tree Vitis vinifera branches to the nest. (S. O. Pinedo Valero)

 

 

     

THRESKIORNITIDAE-IBIS Y ESPÁTULAS

  
Glossy Ibis  Plegadis Falcinelus  

2003

  • 31 May. 1 example in  Los Charcones de Miguel Esteban (Toledo).

 

  
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia  

2003

  • 25 July. Alarcón Resevoir(Cuenca) one individual  with a group of Grey Heron.(S. O. Pinedo Valero).

 

  • 23 April.  Hito Lagoon(Cuenca) 5 examples. (J.F. Fernández Baltanás)

 

  

PHOENICOPTERIDAE-FLAMENCOS

  
Common Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber  

2004

 

  

ANATIDAE-ANÁTIDAS

  
Greylag Goose Anser anser  

2004

  • 2 February. Laguna del Pueblo, Pedro Muñoz (Ciudad Real). One sample wearing a small black PVC neckband with the initials XJ written vertically and the letter G written horizontally in white. (S.O. Pinedo Valero).

 

  
White Swan Cygnus olor  

2004

  • 3 February. Alcazar de San Juan Lagoon(Ciudad Real). One solitary specimen swimming at the far end of the lagoon. Photos and videos taken by digiscoping. (S.O. Pinedo Valero)

 

     
Common Teal Anas crecca  

2003

  • 10 May. Laguna de Uña Lagoon (Cuenca). A solitary male with various Mallards Anas platyrhyncos.(S.O. Pinedo Valero)

 

  

ACCIPITRIDAE-AVES DE PRESA DIURNAS

  
Black Kite  Milvus migrans  

2004

  • 24 August. El Chantre (Cuenca). Group of 80 or more specimens flying very near the main road first thing in the morning. The same day a group of the same size looking for somewhere to sleep in a pine forest in Muela de La Madera (Cuenca). (S.O. Pinedo Valero-P. Martín Atance)

 

  

Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus

  

 

2003

  • 7 April. Villalba de la Sierra (Cuenca).An adult eating the remains of a hare  Lepus granatensis run over a few metres from the main road and the village. (S.O. Pinedo Valero)

 

  • 4 de abril. Hoz de Beteta (Cuenca). One reproducing pair at the edge of the rocky cliffs. (S.O. Pinedo Valero)

 

  
Griffon Vulture  Gyps fulvus  

2003

  • 9 June. Las Majadas (Cuenca) Group of 40 or more vultures eating a dead sheep next to the main road. (S.O. Pinedo Valero)

 

  
Monk Vulture  Aegypius monachus  

2004

  • 21 April.On the outskirts of the Enchanted City (Cuenca). I individual. (J.F. Fernández Baltanas)

 

  

FALCONIDAE-HALCONES

  
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo  

2004

  • 31 August. Cortados de Uña (Cuenca). One adult specimen flies over the cliffs at high speed and dives into the lake to fish. (S.O. Pinedo Valero-P. Martín Atance).

 

  
Eleonor's Falcon Falco eleonorae  

2004

  • 24 June.  Mariana (Cuenca).  3 specimens with light plummage hunting beetles and eating them in flight. We recorded them on video and took photos by digiscoping.  (J.M. Denholm, N.Cardo, S.O.Pinedo, P. Martín Atance).

 

     

RALIDAE-RALIDAS

  
African Crake Porzana porzana  

2004

2003

  • 5 May. Charcones de Miguel Esteban (Ciudad Real). 3 adult birds observed. (P.M. Treso y B. Herrero)

 

  
Crested Coot Fulica cristata  

2003

  • From 24 April to !4 May.Del 24 de abril al 14 de mayo. Embalse de Buendía, Villalba del Rey (Cuenca). One bird with PVC neckband was in the resevoir for the whole period. .(J.F. Fernandez Baltanás)

 

  

OTIDIDAE-AVUTARDAS

  
Great Bustard Otis tarda  

2004

  • 12 December. San Clemente (Cuenca). Group of 16 Great Bustards on top of the planned route for the new fture motorway. One of them limping. Possibly wounded by a gunshot.(J.M. Denholm, A. Pinedo Valero y S.O. Pinedo Valero.)

 

   

ESCOLOPACIDAE-ESCOLOPÁCIDOS

  
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus.  

2003

  • 23 April. Laguna del Hito (Cuenca). 2 specimens observed. (J.F. Fernandez Baltanas).

 

  

PSITACIDAE-LOROS

  
Burrowing Parakeet Cyanoliseus patagonus  

2004

  • 12 December. Gardens of the Provincial Council (Cuenca). One specimen sitting in a tree. The last sighting of this species in the wild in the city of Cuenca was at least 4 years ago.(S. O. Pinedo Valero).

 

       

STRIGIDAE-BÚHOS

  
Eagle Owl Bubo bubo  

2004

  • 7 de enero. Las Torcas, Sisante (Cuenca). At least 3 individuals reply to the call recorded on tape. Seen flying from one side of the ravine to the other. One of them sits in a holm oak and answers daringly to the recording and to the other owls. (S.O. Pinedo Valero).

 

  • 11 July .Las Torcas, Sisante (Cuenca). A fledgling chick flies overone of thr ravines. When it tries to land it loses control and smashes into the wall. It is forced to land on the ground on top of some dried grass.Stipa sp.(S.O. Pinedo Valero)

 

 

  

TICHODROMADIDAE-TREPARRISCOS

  
Wallcreeper Thicodroma muraria  

2004

  • 27 November. Portilla, Serranía de Cuenca. One specimen climbing a limestone cliff.  It feeds in the  cliff's hollows and holes.(S.O. Pinedo Valero).

 

  

CORVIDAE-CÓRVIDOS

  
Carrion Crow Corvus corone  

2003

  • 27 de mayo. Fuertescusa (Cuenca).One partially albino specimen. Its wings mainly white. It also has a white chest and belly. (S.O. Pinedo Valero).

 

  

FRINGILIDAE-FRINGÍLIDOS

  
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes  

2004

  • 9 February. In the Gorge of the River Júcar near the city of Cuenca. Found an injured male which had been hit by a car. The bird was taken to the Recuperation Centre of Ardal.(S.O. Pinedo Valero)

2003

  • 15 May. Huerta de la obispalía (Cuenca).3 specimens sighted.(J.F.Fernandez Baltanás)