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S PA I N Two-tailed Pasha Curlew, European Roller, Montagu’s Harrier, Little Owl, Calandra Lark and more all add a touch of class and colour to the whole experience. While in the area we can also do a spot of raptor watching at a site where species that are regularly seen include Golden, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Red and Black Kites, Eurasian Griffon and Egyptian Vultures and even an occasional Northern Goshawk. The birding is excellent, but this might be the day to finish at a reasonable time in order to be able to participate in an earlyevening guided visit and wine-tasting at a local wine cellar in this land of world-famous wines. For our fourth day we head southwards to look for the rare and declining Bonelli’s Eagle. Our search will take us past sunny slopes and lofty ridges where the likes of Black-eared Wheatear, Egyptian Vulture, Sardinian Warbler, Woodlark, and more can be found. Then we will make our way to another interesting limestone massif with sea views and good chances of seeing the attractive Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Red-billed Chough, Dartford Warbler, and Rock Bunting, among others. Days 5 to 7 Today we take leave of our friendly hotel and promptly make our way to the Ebro Delta where we can look for birds such as Slender-billed and Audouin’s Gulls, Whiskered, Gull-billed and Caspian Terns, Purple Gallinule, Squacco Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Bittern, Great and Cattle Egrets, Glossy Ibis, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Greater Flamingo, Zitting Cisticola, Great Reed Warbler, Red-crested Pochard, Collared Pratincole and Lesser Short-toed and Greater Short-toed Larks. We will fit as many of these birds as we can into the day in the Ebro delta before undertaking the hour’s drive to our hotel on the northern edge of the picturesque els Ports massif, where we stay for three nights. Our Common Nightingale els Ports accommodation is a renovated farmhouse in secluded and extensive grounds, just right for wandering around and exploring. The next morning we set about slowly discovering the marvels of the Ports massif, following the course of the River Matarranya upstream towards its source. An impressive gorge awaits us at the end of the itinerary, but we will take our time to get there. That is because we don’t want to miss any of the local wildlife, including the Spanish Ibex, perhaps a Golden or a Bonelli’s Eagle, Red-billed Chough, Western Orphean Warbler, and spectacular scenery. Another excursion is one which takes us past ancient olive groves, where we will admire the gnarled forms of olive trees which must be at least several hundred years old. We can entertain ourselves looking for amphibians and orchids and perhaps just one or two more interesting birds. On our last full day we plan to visit the Monegros steppes. It will be interesting to see the contrasts of this arid area with the Lleida plains and to compare the birdlife: here in the low scrub, open stony fields and patches of dry fallow land there are very good chances of seeing both Blackbellied and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Greater Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed Larks, Lesser Kestrel, Spectacled Warbler, and maybe an eagle or two flying overhead or above a distant patch of pines. We will also have the opportunity to investigate a stretch of riverside woodland along the banks of the river Ebro to look for birds like Penduline Tit, Common Kingfisher and Cetti’s Warbler. So there will rarely be a dull moment! Day 8 We take leave of our hotel and after some final exploration of the local area we transfer to Barcelona Airport to catch our flight to London or regional airports. Outline Itinerary Day 1 Fly to Barcelona and transfer to Montsant Days 2-4 Montsant Days 5-7 Els Ports Day 8 Depart Barcelona Party Size Maximum of 14 clients (two leaders with more than seven clients). Accommodation Comfortable accommodation in twin/double and single rooms with private facilities. Transport By minibuses driven by the leaders. Includes All flights, meals, accommodation, transport, entry fees, services of the leaders, VAT, airport taxes and tips. Gradings Very good 150 Warm Low Normal Relaxed Good Easy Scheduled Blue-spot Hairstreak To make a booking please call Ornitholidays on 01794 519445 107
S PA I N Spain – Catalonia – Photographic Tour Lammergeiers, Bonelli’s Eagles & Bee-eaters Tuesday 10 June – Tuesday 17 June 2014 Leaders: Richard Coomber and Steve West 2014 Cost £1,999 single room supplement £100 Madrid Boumort Montsonís Barcelona or the photographer one of those “once in a lifetime moments” must be to have a close encounter Fwith a Lammergeier. This Bearded Vulture is such a handsome creature close to, with its red rimmed pale eye, black facial markings and goatee beard, a tan head shawl and chest, and smartly streaked jet black upper body. For 2014 we are running a special photographic trip to Catalonia in Spain where we shall be using photographic hides as part of our holiday, to take photos of some of the special montane and steppe birds of this region. SPAIN In the Pre-Pyrenees of Lleida we have available a total of three different hides for Lammergeiers and other carrion feeders, which normally include scores of Eurasian Griffon Vultures as well as smaller numbers of Eurasian Black and Egyptian Vultures. Red Kites and Common Ravens are also regular visitors to at least one of the hides. When we transfer to our base near the steppes we will be in a privileged position for using smaller hides for taking photos of European Roller, European Bee-eater, Lesser Kestrel, Little Owl and other steppe species. Furthermore we have another marvellous photographic opportunity in the form of the Bonelli’s Eagle hide, where in the average morning session up to three photographers can enjoy unbeatable close-up views of the local pair of Bonelli’s Eagles that come down to feed. In between this flurry of bird activity it may be hard to find enough time to dedicate to the pool hide: a twoperson hide where a large number of songbirds come down to drink and bathe, and just a short walk from our home base at Montsonís. Throughout the tour you will have the expert guidance of Richard Coomber, Ornitholidays’ most experienced photographer and past winner of the BBC Wildlife’s Photographer of the Year “Dawn to Dusk” section. Of course, the scenery will be spectacular, the food and accommodation good to very good, and you will be with like-minded individuals all vying for those fantastic shots of some rarely photographed species. ITINERARY Day 1 We fly from London, or regional airports, to Barcelona where we meet our local guide, Steve West. From here it is approximately a two and a half hour drive to our first base at Boumort, in the Pre-Pyrenees. Days 2 & 3 Each morning for the next two days the group will be distributed around the three hides available for the photography of Lammergeiers, vultures and other carrion feeders. All of these hides have a silvered glass that does not allow the birds to see in, so they can come very close to the hide without observing what is going on inside. The photographic results are excellent, as the photos here show, as they were taken in this fashion. Lammergeiers will not be the only birds to be photographed, as there should also be scores of Eurasian Griffon Vultures, as well as small but unpredictable numbers of Eurasian Black Vultures and smart adult Egyptian Vultures. Then there are the beautiful Red Kites Lammergeier 108 For a previous tour report or further information please call: 01794 519445
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ORNITHOLIDAYS 2014 49 Our Forty-Nin
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49 Our Forty-Ninth Year ORNITHOLIDA
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I S O R N I T H O L I D AY S R I G
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L AT E 2 0 1 3 T O U R S Summary of
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T O U R G R A D I N G Tour Grading
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G R E E N TA X E S A N D C A R B O
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Bryce Canyon, Utah, USA
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U S A - U TA H & A R I Z O N A USA
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U S A - U TA H & W YO M I N G USA -
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U S A - N E W E N G L A N D USA - N
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U S A - F LO R I D A USA - Florida
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U S A - H A W A I I USA - Hawaii Ii
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M E X I C O Mexico Western Mexican
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C O S TA R I C A Costa Rica Classic
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C U B A Cuba Endemic Birds & Winter
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T R I N I D A D & T O B A G O Trini
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S T LU C I A St Lucia at Leisure Pi
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G U YA N A Guyana Rainforests, Wate
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C O LO M B I A Colombia Birding’s
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B R A Z I L Brazil Atlantic Forest
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B R A Z I L Brazil - Photographic T
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E C U A D O R Ecuador Tumbesian & A
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Waterhole at Etosha, Namibia
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S O U T H A F R I C A South Africa
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S O U T H A F R I C A & B O T S W A
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TA N Z A N I A Tanzania - Photograp
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G H A N A Ghana In search of Picath
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E T H I O P I A Ethiopia Undiscover
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U G A N D A Uganda Birds & Primates
Page 59 and 60: N A M I B I A Namibia Etosha & the
Page 61 and 62: T H E G A M B I A The Gambia A Tast
Page 63 and 64: E GY P T Egypt Birds & History Frid
Page 65 and 66: M O R O C C O Morocco High Atlas &
Page 67 and 68: M O R O C C O Morocco Atlantic Coas
Page 69 and 70: Sing-sing with Huli, Papua New Guin
Page 71 and 72: J O R D A N Jordan Birds & History
Page 73 and 74: K U W A I T Kuwait Birding in the G
Page 75 and 76: I N D I A India - Goa Birds, Beache
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Page 95 and 96: Boating on the Danube Delta, Romani
Page 97 and 98: G R E E C E Greece - The Island of
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Page 103 and 104: S PA I N Spain - The Canary Islands
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Page 109: S PA I N Spain - Southern Catalonia
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Page 127 and 128: I TA LY Italy at Leisure Birds & Wi
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Page 131 and 132: F R A N C E France - The Camargue,
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Page 135 and 136: I C E L A N D Iceland Winter Wonder
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Page 139 and 140: T U R K E Y Turkey Turkish Delight
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Page 149 and 150: R O M A N I A Romania Danube Delta
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Page 157 and 158: C A L E N D A R Calendar 2014 JANUA
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C O N D I T I O N S O F B O O K I N
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ORNITHOLIDAYS 29 Straight Mile Roms
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