Number of rarities this month	Citations / Citaciones / Com citar
Rarity distribution this month	Rarity forecast
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Month Overview	Resumen del mes
Bird news	Resum del mes

Species index (n=2 + 29 =31) + 3 Only Canary Islands
GALLOANSERAE

NEOAVES

RARITIES ONLY FOR THE CANARY ISLANDS*

Calidris temminckii

Larus genei

Falco vespertinus

See also last month news for late updates or long-stayers

GALLOANSERAE

Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus (1)
(1) Castelló. On 11.5 a bird was seen at Desembocadura del Río Mijares (Millars), Castelló (Gregorio Ros; Miguel Tirado). See a photo below (Gregorio Ros).

Pale-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla hrota (1)
(1) Gipuzkoa On 17.5 a bird was seen off Plaiaundi, Irun, Gipuzkoa (Manuel Chapa).See three thumbnails here.

NEOAVES

Pied-billed Grebe Podylimbus podiceps (1)
(1) Lugo The bird seen at Riocaldo lagoons, Begonte, Lugo from 23.8.2007, and that was seen briefly on 17.4.2008 at Cospeito lagoon, Lugo, moved back to Riocaldo on 5.5 (Cosme Damián Romai).

White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus (1)
(1) Badajoz On 13.5 an adult was seen at embalse de Alqueva, Badazoz, in the Spanish side, close to Puente Ayuda. It was seen in flight during 5 minutes at a closest distance of only 15 meters. The bird was ringed in its left tarsus (origin unknown!) (Juan G. Navedo/GIC-Univ.Extremadura). A bird has been reported in the area in April (J.A.Montero/Junta de Extremadura) so it may well be the same individual.

Presumed Hybrid Western Reef x Little Egret Egretta gularis x garzetta (1,2,3)
(1) Tarragona. A bird was seen on 4.5 near the Tancada lagoon (José María Fernández & Nerea Ruiz de Azua). See a thumbnail here. It does look much whiter than in previous months! With a larger white underparts compared with previous photos featured in this site... Another bird or the bird is turning white? (ed.comment).
(2) Cádiz. There was one bird at Trebujena, Cádiz, on 2.5 (Leslie Battle). See a couple of photos below (L.Battle). Seen again on 30.5 (Francisco Arias). This bird was the innermost right toe rigid and it was well visible both in flight and when perched. Photos above:© Leslie Battle. 2.5.2008

(3) Barcelona. There was a bird showing the usual intermediate set of characters at Barcelona town the last tenth of May, lingering between the Barcelona Zoo (Josep G.García) and Parc de Diagonal Mar where it was seen and photographed on 27.5 (Artur Degollada) and 29.5 (Quique Carballal). See some interesting photos and comments in catalan in his blog here. And note the similarities with the Cádiz bird.

Tricoloured Heron Egretta tricolor (1) 1ST FOR SPAIN
(1) Tenerife The bird first present from 15.11.2007 to 1.12.2007 at Gran Canaria Island then relocated at Playa de las Americas, Tenerife, from 2.2 to 1.4.2008 was relocated on 15.5 at Los Cristianos, close to the harbour (Belén rodríguez, Octavio Infante).It has the left leg a bit injured, so it's the same bird.See more information and a photo plus map in the Canary Islands Bird News blog here.

Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor (1,2,3,4-5)
(1) Málaga On 1.5 there was one at Laguna de Fuentedepiedra, Málaga, within the Greater Flamingo flock (Andres Serrano, Paco Rodriguez, Nacho Garcia,Pepe Herrera, Quirri, Antonio Ternero).Still present on 9.5 (Patricia MacCaulay, Antonio Miguel Pérez,Gonzalo Lage, Quirri)
(2) Tarragona. On 1.5 a bird appeared at Punta de la Banya reserve, Ebro delta (Carles Domingo/PN Delta de l'Ebre). This unringed bird remained in company of a (PVC ringed) Greater Flamingo the week of 19-22.5 (Carles Domingo).
(3) Toledo. There was a bird at laguna Larga de Villacañas, Toledo, on 3.5 (Juan M.Ruiz).
(4-5) Tarragona. An unringed pair was seen the week 19.22.5 at Punta de la Banya reserve, Ebro delta, Tarragona within the Greater Flamingo breeding colony (Carles Domingo).

c.f. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (1)
(1) Albacete A large raptor claimed to be an immature of this species, was seen at Laguna de los Ojos de Villaverde, Albacete on 2.5. A long-distance photo was taken and a description is going to be submitted to the CR/SEO-BirdLife (David Cañizares, Jesús Arribas). See a thumbnail here (J.Arribas). However, Dick Forsman (in litt.) thinks this is not the species: Although no details can be seen, because of the quality of the photo, the shape of the bird is not that of albicilla: the tail is far too short and the wings are tapered at both ends, something you don't see in albicilla. Actually the shape looks wrong for any normal European raptor' . He suggests some kind of damaged-tailed bird can be the case.

Rüppell's Vulture Gyps rueppellii (1)
(1) Cáceres One individual was seen and photographed at Portilla del Tietar, Monfragüe, Caceres on 24.5 (Alfonso López López y Angela Molina Garrido).See four thumbnails here.

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus (1)
(1) Cádiz There was mid-dark morph individual. c.f. cirtensis ssp., near la Hoya, Tarifa, Cádiz (David Cuenca/Fundación Migres).

Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis (1)
(1) Cádiz An adult was seen and photographed at close range on 8.5 at Trafico bird observatory, Tarifa, Cádiz (Dick Forsman). A first for Spain. Photos below. See a comment in Spanish in the Rarebirdspain Blog here.

Photos above:© Dick Forsman. 8.5.2008

Lanner Falco biarmicus (1)
(1)Alicante. On 20.5 a Lanner Falcon (assumed race feldeggi) sat on the rocks at the Cabo de San Antoni near Denia. It was there for a couple of minutes before flying off low below the rocks and out of sight, it was not relocated (Jules Sykes, Richard & Jane Palmer, John & Doreen Wilkinson, John Thorogood, John Tookey and Aileen Bishop)

Corn Crake Crex crex (1)
(1) Fuerteventura At Golg Course of Caleta de Fuste, Fuerteventura, a bird was seen and photographed on 7.5 (Jim Lawrence). See a photo below.Photo above:© Jim Lawrence 7.5.2008

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos (1,2-3)
(1) Girona On 1.5, a bird was found at PN Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, Girona, at El Matà area (Joan Ferrer, José Ardaiz, Teresa Montràs, Pere Serrano i Alex Ollé). See a photo below and a thumbnail here. More on these Empordà news at www.ornitho-empordà.cat (in catalan). It was still there on 2.5 (Pere Serrano, Marc llobet, José Ardaiz, Alex Ollé, etc..) and 4.5 (Miguel Angel Fuentes i Jordi Bermejo), last observation.Photo above:© Àlex Ollé. 1.5.2008

(2-3) Girona On 18.5, two birds were seen and photographed at Torroella de Montgrí ricefields, close to the aerodrome (Julio Pérez Cañestro). See a photo below.Photo above:©Júlio Pérez Cañestro. 18.5.2008

Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus (1)
(1) Tarragona On 2.5 one was found at El Goleró, Delta de l'Ebre, Tarragona (Josep Tantull, Roser Solé). See a photo below and a thumbnail here.

Photo above:© Josep Tantull, Roser Solé. 2.5.2008

Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes (1)
(1)A Coruña. The bird found on 30.4 at Valdoviño, A Coruña, remained there on 2.5 and 4.5 (Pablo Gutiérrez). See a photo below and more information and photos in Pablo's blog here.

Photo above:© Pablo Gutiérrez. 4.5.2008

Great Snipe Gallinago media (1-4,5,6,7)
(1-4) Girona On 1.5 there were FOUR different birds altogether at Matà, Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, Girona (Teresa Montràs, Pere Serrano, Joan Ferrer, José Ardaiz, Alex Ollé;  Marc Bertran, Vittorio Pedrocchi, Miguel Angel Fuentes, Jordi Bermejo, Gerard Dalmau, etc...). On 2.5 there remained three (Pere Serrano, Marc llobet, José Ardaiz, Alex Ollé, etc..) and 2 on 3.5 (Marc Llobet, Pere Serrano, Berto Minnobis, Albert Roca i Alex Ollé) and 4.5 (Miguel Angel fuentes i Gabriel de Jesús). See a photo below, last observation. Photo above:© Àlex Ollé. 2-3.5.2008

(5) Girona. On 13.5 a bird was trapped and ringed at Estanys de Palau, PN Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, Girona (Sergi Sales; Albert Roca). See a photo below and thumbnails here.
Photo above:© Albert Roica. 13.5.2008

(6) Illes Balears. On 13.5 a bird was flushed from Camí dels Polls, s'Albufera de Mallorca, Illes Balears (Maties Rebassa)
(7) Castelló. On 11.5 a bird was seen from Desembocadura del Río Mijares (Millars), Castelló (Miguel Tirado). 1st for the Valencia community.

Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus (1)
(1) Alicante On 13.5 a bird was seen at Marjal de Pego-Oliva, Alicante (David Almenar, Toni Alcocer).

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus (1)
(1) Cádiz On 16.5 a female in breding plumage was seen and photographed at Salina de la Tapa, Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park, Cádiz (Rafael García Costales). It was within a large Stint & Sandpipers flock. See a photo below, a video from this bird at Youtube and a thumbnail here (all © R.García Costales).A larger format video is here.

Photo above © Rafael García Costales. 17.5.2008

Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides (1)
(1)Bizkaia. On 1.5 a 2nd summer was reported from El Abra,Getxo, Bizkaia (Javier Elorriaga).See two thumbnails here. The option of leucistic/albino commoner gull has not been fully discarded (ed. comment).

Lesser-Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis (1-2)
(1-2) Cádiz. On 15.5 there were 2 adults coming from the SW and in breeding plumage off Tarifa island, Tarifa, Cádiz (María León y David Cuenca/Fundación Migres).

Sandwich Tern x orange-billed Tern Sterna sandvicensis x sp (1)
(1) Mediterranean coast. One bird was breeding in a confidential location on 23.5. The bird was ringed with an alluminium ring and no pvc ring was seen. It showed an intermediate bill both in coloration and also in width and shape (Ricard Gutiérrez). It had been seen within the same week (Carles Domingo).See four photos below (R.Gutiérrez).

Photos above:©Ricard Gutiérrez 23.5.2008

Orange-billed Tern Sterna sp (elegans or hybrid of some kind) (1,2)
(1) Mediterranean coast. One bird showing a complete yellow bill and with a yellow PVC ring was seen within a breeding colony in a confidential location the week of 19-22.5 (Carles Domingo) but not on 23.5 (Carles Domingo, Ricard Gutiérrez). This is the same bird seen last year in different places along the Mediterranean coast of Spain.Apparently this bird (or another exactly similar with a yellow PVC ring too) was seen on 30.5 at Ca l'Arana beach, Llobregat Delta, Barcelona (Xavier Larruy, Daniel Burgas, Albert Burgas).
(2) Barcelona. An unringed bird with white rump was seen at Llobregat Delta, Barcelona, mating to a Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis first on 16.5 (Cecilio Fernández), then on 17.5 (Xavier Larruy, Raül Bastida) to 23.5 (Ferran López). There are three photos in the Ferran López blog here.

Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii (1,2)
(1) Málaga. On 17.5 afternoon, a bird was seen at desembocadura del Guadalhorce, Málaga (Antonio Tamayo, Eduardo Alba, Javier Alba, Gonzalo Lage).See a thumbnail here (Antonio Tamayo)
(2) Cádiz. An adult breeding plumaged bird was seen flying off Tarifa island, Tarifa, Cádiz on 19.5 (David Cuenca Espinosa).

Little Swift Apus affinis (1-5,6-8,9-10)
(1-5) Cádiz There were at least 5 birds at Chipiona beach on 9.5 (Paco Chiclana)
(6-8) Cádiz. There were three at Sierra de la Plata on 8.5 (Paco Chiclana, Fernando del Valle y Ricardo Martín-Baylo) and 9.5 (David Cuenca).
(9-10) Sevilla. There were two in company of a White-rumped Swift Apus caffer at Sierra Norte de Sevilla on 15.5 (Paco Chiclana, Fernando del Valle y Mario Martín).

Photo-collage above:©Fernando del Valle 15.5.2008

Bar-tailed Desert Lark Ammomanes cinctura (1)
(1) Castelló A bird was seen and photographed at Columbrete grande island, Castelló, on 12.5 (Alberto Álvarez). This bird had been found by the warden of the island (Vicente Castañer Franch; Carlos Fabregat).

Black-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava feldegg (1,2,3-5,6)
(1) Barcelona There was one male at Remolar-Filipines Nature Reserve, Llobregat Delta, Viladecans, Barcelona on 3.5 (Quique Carballal, Stephen Cristopher). See a photo in Quique's blog here.
(2) Lanzarote. A male was at Tías Golf Course, Tías, Lanzarote on 5.5 (J. Sagardía y F. J. García Vargas) and 7.5.2008 (F. J. García Vargas y A. Unquiles Cobos). See two thumbnails here (F. J. García Vargas). A first for the Canary Islands as far as we know.
(3-5) Fuerteventura. Three feldegg type Black-headed Wagtails first seen on 4.5and then every day from then on.  These were individuals in three different mixed groups, on separate parts of the course that also included several Grey-headed thunbergi types as well as many flavas (Jim Lawrence). (6) Teruel There was one lone individual (no other Yellow Wagtails around) near Salada Grande, Alcañiz, Teruel on 24.5 (Fco. Javier Moreno)

Red-breasted Flycatcher* Ficedula parva (1)
(1) Asturies One was seen at Santo Adriano de Tuñón, Asturies on 13.5 (Teresa Sánchez Corominas y Víctor Manuel Vázquez Fernández).

Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis (1,2,3)
(1) Barcelona One female was trapped and ringed at Remolar-Filipines Reserve, Llobregat delta, Viladecans, Barcelona on 7.5 (J. Castelló, V. Sanz, J. Mateos, B. Balcells). There are a couple of photos in the Delta Bird News blog here.
(2) Almería. A presumed hybrid albicollis x hypoleuca was seen on 5.5 near Pozo de los Frailes, Almería within Parque Natural del Cabo de Gata (Javier Gómez). Details will be sent to the Rarities Committee.
(3) Illes Balears. On 4.5 a female was trapped and ringed at Cabrera Gran island, Cabrera, Illes Balears (Juan Miguel González, Álvaro Díaz). A male had been trapped on 28.4 (same authors).See a photo below (A.Díaz).

Photo-collage:© Álvaro Díaz 4.5.2008

Hooded Crow Corvus [corone] cornix (1)
(1) Girona On 21.5 (Ramon Fortià) and 31.5 a bird was seen at Sobrestany, Baix Empordà, Girona (Júlio Pérez Cañestro). See a thumbnail here.

Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala (1)
(1) Barcelona One male was seen at Besós river, Montcada i Reixac, Barcelona on 20.5 (Xavier Larruy; Xesco Macià, Marcel Gil, Joan Ferrer, Vittorio Pedrocchi, Martí Rodríguez i Stephen Menzie). See a photo below (Vittorio Pedrocchi).Photo:© Vittorio Pedrocchi 20.5.2008

RARITIES ONLY FOR THE CANARY ISLANDS*
* processing of these rarities dealt by CR/SEO, hence their inclusion here. Send putative records to Juan Antonio Lorenzo at canarias@seo.org
** check out national-wide rarities also seen in the Canary islands within the main section text, written in violet colour rather than black and marked with a dot.

Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus (1)
(1) Lanzarote. An adult male was seen at San Bartolomé, Lanzarote,Las Palmas on 26.5 (Antonio Unquiles Cobos y Francisco Javier García Vargas). See a photo below and a thumbnail here (F.J.García Vargas). May 2008 registered unprecedented numbers of this species in mainland Spain. See some comments in the Birdspain Blog here.

Photo above:©F.J.García Vargas. 26.5.2008

Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii (1)
(1) Lanzarote. A bird was at Tías Golf Course, Tías, Lanzarote from 2-5.5 (F. J. García Vargas, J. Sagardía y A. Unquiles Cobos).See a photo below (F.J.García Vargas)

Photo above:©F.J.García Vargas. 2-5.5.2008

Slender-billed Gull Larus genei (1)
(1) Gran Canaria There was one adult at Juncalillo, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Gran Canaria, on 3.5 (Miguel Avelino). See a photo below.

Photo above:© Miguel Avelino. 3.5.2008

REPORTS OF NON RARITIES OR FORMER RARITIES
Please consider the option to send reports of former rarities or interesting concentrations of non rarities to be featured in the Birdspain Blog, also linked in the homepage of this website.

Suggested citations / Citaciones recomendadas /Citació recomanada:

• Whole document/ Documento entero/ Document sencer: Gutiérrez,R. (ed) (year, latest update), Recent Reports: [month year]. Rare Birds in Spain. Retrieved from http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm 
• e.g. Gutiérrez, R. (ed) (2002, April 3). Recent Reports: April 2002. Rare Birds in Spain.Retrieved from http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm 
• Single records/ Citas sueltas/ Cites aïllades: Author (year). [Species] in Gutiérrez,R. (ed) (year, latest update), Recent Reports: [month year]. Rare Birds in Spain. Retrieved from http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm 
• e.g. Rebassa, M. (2002) Great White Egret Egretta alba in Gutiérrez, R. (ed) (2002, April 3). Recent Reports: April 2002.Rare Birds in Spain. Retrieved from http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm

From March 2005 this webpage only includes records of birds needing homologation by CR/SEO. For other local rarities contact local bird reports or records committees. See here those rarities only for the Canary Islands also dealt by CR/SEO. Changes in application to the rarity list from January 2006. New rarities include Sylvia curruca, Crex crex, Sterna bengalensis and others. Larus delawarensis and Anthus richardi have been withdrawn from the rarity list and are not be included from 2006.

Recent reports includes the latest sightings from the whole of Spain which are both personal observations, communications or have been released in E-Mail lists. Please contact the authors before using any photo for anything else than personal reference. Any submitted news to this page will be forwarded to the Spanish RC if enough substantiated but inclusion in this page does not imply acceptance or homologation of any kind. Gibraltar news are included thanks to Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society but this has no more implication than the sake of completeness given this area situation. Names of localities are featured as given by the authors of the records, that should be cited as those. Today news are marked with a icon. We would welcome to receive a spare copy of those journals using these news for commercial purposes. Contact RG at address at the front page. From April 2005 only news of rarities needing homologation by the Spanish Rarities Committee are included. Reproduction of the contents of this page in commercial websites (e.g. *.com) or for commercial purposes is forbidden if not agreed in advance.. Go back to top

Citas recientes incluye las últimas novedades del conjunto del país que tanto son observaciones personales, comunicaciones al autor o noticias difundidas en listas de correo. Por favor contacten los autores para cualquier uso de las fotografias fuera del estrictamente personal.Cualquier cita que se envie a esta página sera reenviada al CR/SEO pero su inclusión aquí no implica su aceptación u homologación de ningún tipo y son responsabilidad de sus autores. Los nombres de las localidades se incluyen como son enviadas por los colaboradores, que deben ser citados como autores de las citas. Las noticias más recientes se marcan con Desde Abril de 2005 se incluyen únicamente citas de  rarezas que necesitan homologación por el Comité de Rarezas de SEO/Birdlife. La reproducción total o parcial de los contenidos de esta página está prohibida en sitios web comerciales (p.ej. *.com) si no se autoriza de antemano. Ir al inicio de la página

Cites recents inclou les darreres novetats del conjunt de l'estat que són observacions pròpies, comunicacions o noticies difoses a llistes de correu. Si us plau contacteu amb els autors de les fotos per a a qualsevol ús fora de l'estrictament personal. Qualsevol cita que sigui enviada a aquesta plana serà rebotada també al CR/SEO si bé la seva publicació aquí no implica la seva aceptació o homologació de cap mena i és responsabilitat dels seus autors. Els noms de les localitats són posats tal i com són enviats pels autors, que han de ser referenciats com a autors de les cites. Les notícies més recents són les marcades amb.Desd'Abril de 2005 únicament s'inclouen cites de rareses que necessiten homologació pel Comité de Rarezas de SEO/Birdlife.La reproducció total o parcial dels continguts d'aquesta plana és prohidia per a qualsevol lloc web de caire comercial (e.g. *.com) sinó s'ha autoritzat de forma prèvia. Tornar a l'inici de la plana.

Lamentablemente, de momento no hay versión castellana disponible. Lamentablement, de moment no hi ha versió catalana disponible.
 

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Rarity distribution
May 2008
(only national rarities)

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Previous years
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007

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Rarity forecast
according to amount of data received per udpate

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Number of rarities individuals per month in this website in 2005 and 2006

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Latest highlights:

The Iceland Gull reported from El Abra, Getxo (Javier Elorriaga). At some distance it seems a leucistic gull though (ed.comment)

The Pectoral Sandpiper at Aiguamolls, a bird-mecca these days! (Àlex Ollé)

The Broad-billed Sandpiper from Ebro Delta (Josep Tantull, Roser Solé)

The Black-headed Wagtail from Tías Golf Course, Lanzarote, Canary Islands. A first for the islands as far as we know(F.J.García Vargas)

The presumed White-tailed Eagle seen at Albacete on 2.5 (J.Arribas)

This hybrid Egret was at the usual Tancada area of Ebro Delta... However... it is much whiter than the 'usual' almost resident bird! Or it is turning white in a month or it is another (José María Fernández)

The Bar-tailed Lark from Columbretes islands, Castelló (Alberto Álvarez). 5th for Spain.

The Red-necked Phalarope from Cadiz salinas (Rafael García Costales)

The Great Snipe ringed at Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, Girona (Albert Roca - Sergi Sales)

This is the Roseate Tern seen at Guadalhorce river moth, Málaga (Antonio Tamayo)

The tyoically-looking hybrid sandvicensis x something as on its nest on 23.5 (Ricard Gutiérrez)

The Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Plaiaundi, Irun (Manuel Chapa)

The Rüppell's Vulture from Monfragüe as on late May (Alfonso López)

The Hooded Crow from Sobrestany, Girona, where it was seen on 31.5 (Julio Pérez)

Only Canary islands highlights

Not a rarity in mainland Spain where there has been an invasion this may 2008 but still a rarity in the Canaries, this Re4d-footed falcon was seen in Lanzarote on 26.5 (F.J.García Vargas)

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