Wild Spain Part 37

Our short experience in Navarre is conspicuous more for what we did _not_ see than for what we did. Extensive forests, thickly-grown, without underwood, and in a mountainous region, are not favourable to bird-life. Such places lack rabbits for the raptores, and are deficient in insect-food for the warblers and other small species, while the absence of marshy ground explains that of aquatic birds. April is, however,--at any rate in such seasons as that of 1891--quite a month too early for ornithological research in Navarre.

SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES ON BIRDS.

(SOUTHERN SPAIN.)

The following remarks relate to certain species which have come under our observation in Spain, but which have not been included in the text:--

Black-winged Kite (_Ela.n.u.s caeruleus_, Desfont).--Rare: a pair observed near San Lucar in April. The male fell to a long shot, but rose again and escaped.

Sparrow-hawk (_Gavilan_).--Most numerous in winter, but some remain to breed.

Merlin (_Esmerejon_).--In winter only.

Lesser Kestrel (_Primilla_).--One of the commonest birds in spring and summer, nesting in swarms in the towns, on churches, &c., and on the ruined Moorish watch-towers.

Osprey (_Aguila pescadora_).--Frequently observed on Guadalquivir and other large rivers: breeds.

White Owl (_Lechuza_).--Abundant and resident.

Brown Owl.--Scarce in south: one shot in December.

Long-eared Owl (_Bujo_).--Rare in Andalucia: the young have been obtained near Granada. More plentiful in Castile and Biscay.

Short-eared Owl (_Carabo_).--In winter: often very numerous. While partridge-shooting on the plains, we have noticed five or six on wing at once. _Asio capensis_ we have not met with.

Kingfisher (_Martin pescador_).--Most numerous in winter: especially so in Portugal.

Wryneck (_Torce-cuello_).--In wooded sierras--March.

Mistle-Thrush (_Charla_).--Chiefly in winter, but breeds in higher sierras; have seen eggs taken near Tangier.

Dipper (_Pechi-blanco_, _Tordo de agua_).--Resident on mountain-streams, but relatively scarce in the south.

Hedge-Sparrow.--In garden at Jerez in January.

Wren (_Ratilla_).--Common and resident; nests in sierras in March.

Fire-crest.--In pine-woods; resident.

Tree-Creeper (_Trepaironcos_).--Resident; nests in the wooded sierras in April. It is also known as _Aranero_, _i.e._, "spider-catcher," a name it shares with the Wall-Creeper, which species we have not observed.

Nuthatch.--Common in Castile and the north, but not observed in Andalucia except in Sierra Nevada. This species is also known as _trepaironcos_.

Crested t.i.t (_Capuchino_).--Observed in the mountain forests of Castile.

Resident and common near Gibraltar.

Sand-Martin.--Breeds on Guadalquivir--April.

Woodlark.--In winter only; leaves in April. Not common. Our familiar Skylarks and t.i.tlarks swarm in winter in Spain, but leave the south in March. The Calandra, Crested, and Short-toed Larks, with the Corn-Bunting, are among the most abundant of Spanish birds at all seasons.

Rock-Bunting (_Emberiza cia_, Linn.).--Common in sierras, where it nests in April near clearings and cultivated patches.

White Wagtail.--Arrives in swarms in September, remaining till March.

The pied wagtail we have not identified.

Grey Wagtail.--Common in winter, and some nest on the mountain streams, even in Andalucia.

Serin.--This, with the goldfinch and three following species, the stonechats, bee-eaters, rufous, and black-headed warblers and nightingales, is among the commonest and most characteristic birds of Southern Spain.

Linnet (_Camacho_).

Greenfinch (_Verdon_).

Chaffinch (_Pinzon_).--All common; most so in winter.

Rock-Sparrow (_Gorrion montes_).--Common in the sierras, where it breeds in holes in May.

Lesser Redpole.--Rare and irregular; in severe winters only. Many in garden at Jerez in January, 1888.

Siskin (_Lugano_).--Irregular; in winter only. Several obtained in garden, March 15, 1891.

Rook.--Occasional flocks in winter.

Carrion Crow.--Rare; found a nest with five eggs, Sierra de las Cabras, March 23rd. B. is sure he has seen _C. corniz_ when shooting in winter.[80]

Sandwich Tern.--Obtained on Guadalete in March and April on pa.s.sage.

Gannets and Skuas.--Observed in Straits and Bay of Trafalgar in winter and early spring.

Red-throated Diver.--Several shot in winter.

Shearwaters.--In Straits: observed in hundreds off Malaga in March.

Stormy Petrels.--Common on the coast, and probably breeds on some of the rocky islands.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STORK'S NEST ON STRAW-STACK.]