Have you ever gone birdwatching from a boat? I have been doing it for more than 10 years, since I am not only a wildlife lover but also a fisherman, and I assure you that it is an incredible experience. In the reservoirs I frequent, the birds are used to the traffic of fishing boats and they are hardly bothered by their presence. You can observe them quietly, without disturbing them, make use of binoculars, telescope … even take pictures of a certain quality if you have a good lens. In this article I will show you some of the keys to birding in Extremadura from a boat.
Birding from a boat. What do I need?
First of all a boat. Logically it is not something that is within the reach of everyone and for that reason I offer my services as a nature guide from my own boat. Currently there are also other boats offering a birding service in Extremadura, but with a different approach. These boats are larger, more comfortable and in them you can also enjoy the wildlife and landscapes offered by the Extremadura reservoirs. However they are focused for groups, if you are a group of 5 people or more, I recommend you el barco de la Siberia from my friend Carlos.
It is important to come well equipped, both for the cold and the heat, because on a boat we will not be as protected as in a car.
In our case, the boat has only 3 seats, but I offer a much more personalized experience. It is a smaller boat, faster, more discreet and has a great autonomy so we can sail several tens of kilometers in a single day without investing too much time in travel.
In winter it is advisable to wear thick pants, preferably waterproof, or thermal tights underneath. Also warm clothes, a good jacket, gloves, hat and a warm jacket. Although we do not reach high speeds (normally we will sail at about 50km/h) on the boat you will be fully exposed to the wind and it is important to have warm clothes to enjoy the day. In summer you will need sunscreen and comfortable and light clothing, preferably long sleeves and UV protection. Extremadura reaches high temperatures and the water has a mirror effect, so it is necessary to protect yourself well. Finally it is also advisable to wear comfortable, light footwear and, if you come in winter, warm boots.
Advantages of the boat, birding in Extremadura
In the previous point I talked about the differences between hiring a big boat (more recommended for a relaxed ride with family or a big group of friends) and using a small boat like mine for a more “wild” and personalized experience. Both are very interesting services but totally different, below I will describe the features of Top Birding’s boat. Anyway, the best way to understand it is to live it, so I invite you to live the experience, I am sure you will not regret it.
Autonomy and speed
Large boats usually have established routes of a few kilometers, which are usually done at low speed to enjoy the ride. The boat’s own displacement will be at low speed so that you can enjoy the ride. With a fishing boat you will be able to go directly to the “hot” spots for wildlife watching and enjoy it in a relaxed way. To give you an example, in a single day we can cover the entire navigable section of Orellana lake (about 25km in a straight line plus all its bends) without any problem.
Discretion, birding in Extremadura
The boat has a powerful electric motor, with which you will be able to move relatively fast and in a silent way once you are in a wildlife hot spot. The boat will move without emitting any noise, so we will not disturb the wildlife and will allow us to get much closer than with any boat with the gasoline engine on.
Peace of mind and comfort
With a fishing boat you will be able to reach quiet areas, secluded bays where only you are sailing. The autonomy allows us to reach areas far away from the boat docks where both you and the wildlife can enjoy a great tranquility. On the other hand, being a small boat, we will be able to disembark practically in any shore to be able to taste the Extremadura gastronomy and a very fresh drink.
Nevertheless, there will be enough space on the boat for you to carry a backpack with your camera, binoculars, telescope… And of course also for a good picnic in the form of typical products from Extremadura. Last but not least in the summer, there is a cooler compartment which will allow you to have cool drinks all day long.
Different lakes, birding in Extremadura
With Top Birding’s boat you can access any reservoir, as long as it is navigable. It is transported quickly and comfortably on a trailer, pulled by an all-terrain vehicle, so whatever the reservoir you want to visit, we can go there. Alcántara, Alqueva, Cíjara, García Sola, La Serena, Orellana or Zújar are some of the best destinations to do so!
Access to private areas
The reservoirs are often located in the middle of large private estates, to which access by land is logically restricted. From the boat we will be able to access in a totally legal way to the heart of these estates, since the navigable waters are of public domain. Many times they are true paradises for the fauna. Of course when we enter these areas, our maxim will be to behave in a responsible manner, to avoid disturbing both the wildlife and the owners of the lands.
Possibility of seeing several ecosystems on the same day
Extremadura is the region with more km of freshwater coastline in the Iberian Peninsula. Its reservoirs are located in the heart of different ecosystems. Dehesas, steppes, forests, canyons, mountain ranges… From its banks we can observe practically all the fauna present in the community, except only the fauna associated with the high mountains. However, in the canyons of the rivers that form part of the Alcántara reservoir, for example, we can observe many species associated with rocky environments such as the Blue rock thrush, Peregrine falcon, Griffon vulture or Bonelli’s eagle.
Birding in Extremadura, a wide variety of fauna
As we have indicated above, the Extremadura reservoirs occupy a large percentage of the surface of the community and therefore cover the vast majority of ecosystems. Here we will talk about the most interesting fauna that we will be able to observe.
Waterfowl, birding in Extremadura
Obviously from a boat we will be able to see a great number of waterfowl birds. We will be able to see large winter concentrations of ducks such as teals, pochards, ducks, shovelers and red-crested pochards. Of course, fishing birds like the black-necked grebe, great crested grebe, great cormorant…. I have even seen loons! Of course also white and black storks, all species of herons, highlighting spoonbills, great egrets or purple herons.
On the other hand we will also be able to see most of the waders: sandpipers, plovers, redshanks, collared pratincoles, stilts…. Birds associated with the aquatic environment such as kingfishers, coots, moorhens, large concentrations of gulls and terns. Except for birds associated with mountain rivers, practically all birds associated with the aquatic environment of the region can be sighted on the lakes from a fishing boat. As with all birds, but perhaps even more so with these, we must approach with extreme care so as not to disturb them. When we sail we are “entering their home” and it is important to leave a prudent distance so that they do not take flight and have to look for another quieter area.
Steppe birds
We might think that steppe birds are always associated with large plains, and of course the shores of reservoirs are often not the ideal habitat for them… But it is also true that during the summer months in Extremadura many ponds and streams dry up, making the reservoirs excellent watering holes, especially on the borders between these steppe zones and the banks. In the reservoirs of flat areas such as those of La Serena we can see Black-bellied and Pin-tailed sandgrouses or even great bustards and little bustards quenching their thirst.
All species of aludids and other steppe-associated passerines also have to drink water. Likewise Quails, or even if we are very lucky, some European rollers. Finally, I would also like to point out that I have controlled roosting sites of Stone-curlews very close to the banks of some reservoirs. Having spent so many hours of my life on a boat, either observing wildlife or fishing, has allowed me to locate really interesting areas and species.
Forest birds
Although we might think that it is difficult to see forest birds from a fishing boat, it is far from being difficult. Logically we will be limited to the limits of these forests with the shore of the reservoir, but often these limits are kilometers. In the winter months and at the beginning of spring the levels of the reservoirs are usually quite high, and some trees are even partially submerged. In the warmer months the level drops and there can be several tens of meters from the shore to the first trees. But as in the previous case, the birds have to drink, and if we stand at a safe distance we can observe the movements that these birds make to quench their thirst.
To give several examples of interesting birds, we can see Jays, Orioles, Cuckoos, Spotted cuckoos (the banks of Garcia Sola lake are a spectacle for this species), all kinds of passerines and also all species of “woodpeckers” present in the community. It is very common to hear their chirping on the trunks while we are on the water.
Mediterranean scrubland birds
If we can see forest birds, logically we can also see most of the birds associated with the Mediterranean scrubland. If there are km of shore bordering forest areas, there are many more bordering this type of ecosystems. Here I dare to assure you that we will be able to see all the birds associated with the Mediterranean scrub on our boat trips. Of course we will not always be able to see all of them, but it will be possible.
Bee-eaters, hoopoes and shrikes hunting invertebrates in the vicinity of the banks, martins, swallows and swifts hunting on the surface of the water, passerines, corvids, gallinaceous…. We can also see all species of columbiforms, both drinking water in the summer months and perched in the oaks near the shore.
Birds of prey, birding in Extremadura
Finally, as in this website, I have decided to separate the group of birds of prey. Although they are associated to each of the previous ecosystems, they are an interesting enough group to be able to put them apart. And besides I feel like doing it, there doesn’t always have to be a scientific reason, hehehe. At the same time, I have been able to witness and experience countless hunting sets, which I have engraved with fire in my memory, and I believe that this is one of the greatest attractions that this activity can have.
First of all how not to talk about the vultures. Both in the canyons of the Tajo and in the vultures of Cíjara or García Sola, we will be able to observe them incredibly well from the boat. Both griffon vultures and Egyptian vultures often nest or sleep a few meters from the shore, so we must be careful not to get too close. In this type of ecosystems we can also see the peregrine falcon. More than once I have been shocked to hear a sharp blow while fishing, look up and see a coot or an anatidae in free fall after having received the fatal blow. I assure you that these are exciting moments.
Unforgettable sets
Sightings of Bonelli’s Eagles are also relatively frequent. I have witnessed, just a few meters from me, attacks by a pair of bonelli’s egrets even on grey herons, and these are moments I will never forget. Snake eagles hunting reptiles on the cliffs of the reservoirs, Short toed eagles and Golden eagles hunting partridges or small mammals near the shores, Ospreys catching carps, crucian carps and any other fish they can get their hands on? We can even see the imperial eagle in some reservoirs.
And not only this: we can also see sparrowhawks and goshawks hunting in the woods bordering the shore, kestrels and buzzards catching rodents, the marsh harrier, but also the other species of harrier, and black winged kites hunting in the vicinity. And last but not least, the eagle owl. If we stay until sunset, it is practically certain to hear them if we are in the right area… and if we are very lucky even see them.
Mammals
Mammals are a much more difficult group to observe in broad daylight than birds… However, in the more remote areas of the reservoirs we will also have a good chance of seeing them. The otter is the queen of these ecosystems and we will see it in practically all our outings. Small carnivores of more diurnal habits such as foxes or mongoose will also be relatively frequent. Sightings of deer, roe deer, wild boar… even fallow deer and mouflon in some lands will also be common.
If we are really lucky we may even see the elusive Iberian lynx, especially in summer drinking water.
But if there is a particularly interesting time of the year for this, it is the rutting season. With the first post-summer rains, the deer start with their love-making… If it is already one of the best times of the year to see them, it will be even more so if we are in a boat, motionless, silent, in the middle of the lake in an area where they are rutting. The echo of the sounds produced during fights in this type of area is overwhelming. And many times they will not even notice our presence and will continue to fight as if nothing happened. I will be waiting for you for this from September, I am sure we will live exciting moments.
To sum up, birding in Extremadura
In short, and in order not to make this article about birding in Extremadura even longer, I am talking about real experiences that I have lived on top of a boat and that I would like to share with all of you. They are experiences that very few of us have been lucky enough to live, that have allowed me to take incredible photos in the short time I have had a camera and that, above all, will allow us to observe the wildlife causing minimal disturbance. Because this should always be our priority if we are truly wildlife lovers.
I will never get too close to an animal to take a picture if we are going to cause a major nuisance. Of course there will be times when the birds take flight, we are going to sail in reservoirs where other boats sail daily, but whenever we can we will try to avoid it. Logically we will NEVER approach nests near the shore. We will respect the limits of the non-navigable areas and try to enjoy the experience as much as possible. Nowadays there are telescopes and cameras that allow us to observe in the distance and take good pictures.
I remain at your disposal for any questions you may have and of course to make a tour according to your preferences. You choose the species and the time of the year and from Top Birding we will design a tailor-made tour to meet your expectations. The large number of navigable reservoirs will allow you to do birding in Extremadura in a way you never imagined. Thanks to Philippe from Bio-Scene for some of the pictures of this article.
