I was on a trip recently in Extremadura in Spain and it was an amazing place for owls, especially little owls. They’re pretty abundant and chill so I was able to get some nice shots which I wanted to share here with fellow superbowlers:
We also saw a couple of Eurasian Eagle Owls, which were on my list to see this year:
Sadly did not catch the Scops owl but we did hear one at night!
If you’re a birder in Europe, you absolutely need to go to Extremadura if you have the chance (and not just for owls). I swear the skies felt incredibly empty when I got back home.
As someone who is part portuguese I can tell you Portugal is definitely underrated from a birding perspective, but Spain is definitely in the lead (and given our centuries long rivalry, I don’t say this lightly).
The south all the way up to just next to Lisbon is great for late winter. The far south is also great for spring and autumn migration.
If you’re speaking to the culture and history, I can only say good things about Portugal. Great food, nice people, rich history, and all of this in a small and accessible package. You just need to skip the horrendously touristy areas in the south.
If you ever find yourself planning a trip this way feel free to hit me up, I’d be happy to give some pointers!
Thank you so much for all the tips! 😊