The observatory is located near an area with permanent lagoons. It has a tower of great height from which to make good sightings of what happens in the surroundings of the lagoon.
From there you can see numerous species of aquatic and steppe birds, such as cranes, bustards, little bustards, little bustards, mallards, grey herons, black and white storks, marsh harriers and Montagu’s harriers, etc.
It is good to be equipped with binoculars or spotting scopes to facilitate bird watching. There are also information panels on the species that can be seen and the characteristics of the environment. The observation point is part of the ZEPA Arrozales de Palazuelo and Guadalperales, a protected natural area with an important biodiversity.
Between Cáceres and Badajoz, this SPA is located on the wetlands of the rice fields located in the Vegas Altas del Guadiana, and covers the territory of several towns: Palazuelo, Puebla de Alcollarín and Los Guadalperales, among others.
This natural enclave stands out for being humid and for the presence of an aquatic ornithofauna of international importance, which drinks from the Alcollarín, Ruecas and Gargáligas rivers.
The water in this SPA is dominated by crops and pastureland with holm oaks at higher altitudes than the crops. They are home to the common otter and the leprosy pond turtle, species that coexist with important bird populations, such as colonies of canasteras and cattle egrets, as well as black-tailed godwits and common cranes.
The plain that extends everywhere has an intense life; both animal and vegetable. Irrigated crops occupy the largest areas around us. Fruit and olive plantations, mainly intensive. But there are also plots that have a much more traditional use, finding the products of the traditional vegetable garden among modern farms.
A walk around the lagoon is very educational, as we will have at hand a multitude of species that will not be easily frightened if we make a quiet step. Also the riverbank vegetation, shrubs and plants that sink their roots in the water. You will find everything interesting and suggestive.
You can continue the observation in the nearby Charca de la Carrizosa, which is of great extension. The place gathers an extensive avifauna that will not leave us indifferent. We will also have plots dedicated to the cultivation of fruit trees and some traditional orchards.
The place is at its busiest in winter, when cranes arrive from northern Europe to spend the colder months. The sightings are among the most spectacular and easy to perform by anyone. They move in very large groups and take to the skies with their unmistakable arrowhead formation. They do so by the tens of thousands amidst a great roar of shouting. Nearby, in Moheda Alta, is the largest roosting site of cranes in Spain. It is estimated that there are more than 60,000 birds that take advantage of the abundance of food in the irrigated crops and acorns in the nearby pastures. Cranes can be observed from the Observatory . It is an ideal place for ornithology and birding enthusiasts and the general public, who can enjoy the spectacle of cranes and other species in their natural habitats.
In Madrigalejo, birds other than cranes can be seen in the pasture, irrigated and wetland areas. Some of the species that can be observed are: the lesser kestrel, the white stork, the marsh harrier, the flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), the great crested grebe, the grey heron, the common goose and the spoon-billed duck.
