Birds and Birding in Extremadura, Madrid, La Mancha and Andalucia, Spain
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John Muddeman - Butterflies, dragonflies, birds and birding in Madrid, Extremadura, La Mancha and Andalucia, Spain

John is a professional tour guide, writer and scientific translator, with a lifelong interest in diverse aspects of natural history. He lives in Madrid and guides organised groups throughout Iberia and Europe. Birding is his main field of expertise.
burnet moth sp. - Pyrenees. © John Muddeman
burnet moth sp. Zygaena hilaris

John Muddeman

After periods of post-graduate research at Oxford, research trips to Turkey and Armenia, followed by almost a year in the U.S.A. (Birds of Armenia Project), all related to bird biology, ecology, distribution and identification, I started leading wildlife tours in October 1996. Birds are my main focus, with over 30 years of experience under my belt. However, I have much wider natural history interests, especially regarding identification: botany, particularly orchids, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, dragonflies, butterflies and moths. Bluethroat - Doñana. © John Muddeman Bluethroat
Luscinia svecica
A recent side-line of these natural history interests is digital photography, including digiscoping, and I have begun to build photographic databases of Iberian dragonflies, butterflies and moths. A few of these pictures are shown here and elsewhere on the site.

Having been drawn to central Spain in early 1997 by a Spanish señorita, to whom I am now married, I rapidly fell in love with the diverse landscapes, huge horizons, extraordinarily rich wildlife, the people, food and generally good weather of the Iberian Peninsula!

Less than a month after settling near Madrid, I joined a trip to Extremadura in west-central Spain. This remarkable area has held a fascination for me ever since, leading to publication of "A Birdwatching Guide to Extremadura" Griffon Vulture - Extremadura. © John Muddeman Griffon Vulture
Gyps fulvus
by Arlequin Press in 2000. I have also travelled and led groups widely across Spain and Portugal, from the Balearic Islands (Mallorca and Menorca), Pyrenees and Picos de Europa in the north, to Doñana, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Algarve in the south, several of these in conjunction with Teresa Farino. I am currently also co-authoring both "The Birds of the Balearic Islands: historical review, status and distribution" for Christopher Helm and "A Birdwatching Guide to Central Spain".

Shrubby Pimpernel - Doñana. © John Muddeman Shrubby Pimpernel
Anagallis monelli

I have led a number of trips for individuals and small groups in the past, particularly to see such key species as Black Vulture, Spanish Imperial Eagle, White-headed Duck, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, White-rumped Swift and Dupont's Lark. However, my main focus is on leading for established UK companies. I am a principle guide for The Travelling Naturalist Wildlife Holidays, but also lead tours for Limosa Holidays, Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays and Island Holidays.

While the bulk of my trips are in Iberia, I also regularly travel further afield in Europe and have led tours in Islay, the French Pyrenees, Finland, Eastern Austria, Romania, Lesvos and Cyprus. New tour destinations in 2005 include Poland in winter and Hungary and Switzerland in spring, plus an exciting extension to our regular summer bear-watching trip in Finland to look for Beluga whales in Russia. I will also be returning again this year to enjoy the birds of Romania, though this time concentrating on the wintering wildfowl and raptors. Given my fluent Spanish and knowledge of Ecuador, after a very successful tour in 2004 I will also be Yellow-winged Darter - Cadí. © John Muddeman Yellow-winged Darter
Sympetrum flaveolum
returning to the Galapagos Islands (where Darwin forged his theory of natural selection) and the extraordinary cloud forests of mainland Ecuador in October - November 2005.

While obviously always endeavouring to get the most from each of the areas visited, I am a firm believer that a holiday should be just that, with time for rest and relaxation Scarce Swallowtail - Pyrenees. © John Muddeman Scarce Swallowtail
Iphiclides podalirius
and the opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of the surroundings.

If you are after orchids and bottle-nosed dolphins in Portugal in March, or the birds and 'watercolour' landscapes of Extremadura, perhaps a birdwatching bonanza in SW Spain in April, searching for Lammergeiers among the wildlife-rich Pyrenees, getting the thrill of watching raptors pouring south over the Strait of Gibraltar to Africa in late September, seeing masses of wintering Cranes in Extremadura in November, or Wallcreepers and Cranes in Aragón in late autumn, then perhaps one of these trips is for you!

Interested?

Please feel free to look at further details of the trips detailed below, either in the relevant websites (just click on the link), or by contacting me directly.

John Muddeman - Trip listing for 2008

Trip name Date More information
Birdwatching trips in Extremadura
Tailor-made birding tours in Cáceres and Badajoz
All year round Iberian Wildlife Tours
Birdwatching trips in Madrid
Tailor-made birding tours in Madrid
All year round Iberian Wildlife Tours
Birdwatching trips in Castilla - La Mancha
Tailor-made birding tours in Toledo, Ciudad Real, Cuenca and Guadalajara
All year round Iberian Wildlife Tours
Birdwatching trips in Castilla y León
Tailor-made birding tours in Ávila, Segovia and Soria
All year round Iberian Wildlife Tours
Extremadura
spring week at Finca Santa Marta
23 - 30 Mar 2008 The Travelling Naturalist
Extremadura
spring week at Finca Santa Marta
05 - 12 Apr 2008 The Travelling Naturalist
Southern Spain
Andalucía, Coto Doñana & Extremadura
21 Apr - 01 May 2008 The Travelling Naturalist
Spanish Pyrenees
the high Aragón
07 - 14 Jun 2008 The Travelling Naturalist /
Limosa Holidays
Canary Islands
Tenerife, La Gomera and Fuerteventura
Mid July 2008 BirdLife Austria (Graham Tebb)
Extremadura
autumn week at Finca Santa Marta
28 Sep - 05 Oct 2008 The Travelling Naturalist
Non-Iberian Trips for 2008
Trip name Date Organisation
Trinidad & Tobago
the Asa Wright experience
08 - 20 Feb 2008 The Travelling Naturalist
Hungary
24 - 31 May 2008 The Travelling Naturalist
Eastern Austria
Lake Neusiedl in autumn
30 Aug - 06 Sep 2008 The Travelling Naturalist /
Limosa Holidays
Eastern Bulgaria
15 - 22 Sep 2008 The Travelling Naturalist /
Limosa Holidays
Churchill
Polar bears
25 Oct - 01 Nov 2008 The Travelling Naturalist /
Limosa Holidays
New Zealand
16 Nov - 06 Dec 2008 The Travelling Naturalist /
Limosa Holidays

Please click on the tour which interests you to go direct to the company's website, where you can find more details of what we might see, a provisional itinerary and, in the case of The Travelling Naturalist and Limosa Holidays, detailed reports of past trips. Bookings should be made directly with the company in question, but I am more than happy to answer any queries that you might have regarding the tour.

John Muddeman - Contact Details

Address: C/ Alcocer 1, 1-C
28214 Fresnedillas de la Oliva,
Madrid
Spain
Great Bustard - Extremadura. © John Muddeman
E-mail: john@iberianwildlife.com
Office:(+34) 918 989195
Mobile:(+34) 649 608747
  
Great Bustard Otis tarda
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