Perhaps the most iconic birds for me were the White Storks<\/strong>. I had never seen one before the trip and ended it having seen well over 100. These big birds are apparently doing well in Europe. For centuries residents of many European countries have considered the presence of storks nesting on their houses, windmills or outbuildings to be a sign of good luck. Because of their favorable public image, and possibly also because they do not, I was told, taste good, they have managed to maintain a large population. How they manage to keep their great nests attached to the tops of utility poles and other high vantage points, I do not know. <\/p>\n Other birds high on my list were Great Bustards and Little Bustards. Our first sighting in this category was of a Little Bustard, flying across a green (winter wheat?) field at quite a distance. The white in its wings made it quite apparent that it was what it was. This was the only Little Bustard we saw. The Great Bustards<\/strong> were a different story. Surprisingly, they were fairly numerous and very visibile on the farm fields east of Madrid. We counted at least 35. I am surprised that these big game birds have survived the continuing encroachment of people into their habitats. <\/p>\n As we finished looking at our first flock of Great Bustards, two Red-legged Partridges<\/strong> came walking close by our car. The grass was a bit too tall to see their most prominent feature, their bright red legs, but they are a very beautifully patterned bird nonetheless.<\/p>\n A very plain bird that I have seen mentioned in English literature but never before seen, is the Corn Bunting<\/strong>. These tame little birds were present in great numbers, often singing along the fence rows or from exposed, weedy perches in the farm fields. <\/p>\n Although Rock Buntings<\/strong> were not new for me, they were colorful and very accommodating for my photographer.<\/p>\n Spain is home to by far the greatest variety of birds to be found anywhere in Europe. While early March was a good time for us to explore the excellent architecture, historical sites and art museums, it was not the best time to find the many migrating and summer resident birds of Spain. Moreover, the Madrid area is just one of several areas where many different species can be found. For those and other reasons, including the friendly people, fine food and wine, reasonable prices, beautiful and diverse scenery, and pleasant weather, I plan to return to Spain later this spring for a solid week of birding, with John’s guidance, outside the Madrid area. I hope to see 60 or so new species, which will, I think, be enough to satisfy my quest for birds in Europe. And who knows, I and my trusty mount, Rocinante, (did I mention that I plan to travel by rented horse?) may even tilt at a windmill somewhere in La Mancha.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On March 8, 2011 at the end of a two week self-guided tour of Spain and Portugal with my wife and 2 family members, I hired bird guide John Muddeford for one day of birding in the Madrid area. John … Continue reading ![\"white-storks\"](\"https:\/\/emptynestbirder.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/spainportugal-2011\/white-storks.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"great-bustard\"](\"https:\/\/emptynestbirder.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/spainportugal-2011\/great-bustard.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"red-legged-partridge\"](\"https:\/\/emptynestbirder.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/spainportugal-2011\/red-legged-partridge.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"corn-bunting\"](\"https:\/\/emptynestbirder.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/spainportugal-2011\/corn-bunting.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"rock-bunting\"](\"https:\/\/emptynestbirder.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/spainportugal-2011\/rock-bunting.jpg\")
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