Peñalba de Santiago and Lago de Carucedo, Castile and León, Spain.

A visit to a beautiful mountain village and a return to the lake we enjoyed.

Ebird List for Lago de Carucedo.

Sweet Chestnut (Castaña / Castanea sativa).

We decided to visit the village of Peñalba de Santiago as it was said to be a very beautiful spot and it certainly was but with a rather interesting drive there through the mountains, on the way we picked up Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus).

Peñalba de Santiago.

Peñalba de Santiago.

As we approached the village we saw a parking area, after sorting the car we walked down into the village which was surrounded by lots of Sweet Chestnut (Castaña / Castanea sativa) and then had a good look around this very picturesque mountain Pueblo.

Another Coffee and Cake stop in the Village.

One of the many beautiful Slate roofs up in this area.

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).

Shaggy Soldier (Galinsoga quadriradiata).

As we walked we saw Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) x1, Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x1, Greater Celendine (Chelidonium majus), Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis), Shaggy Soldier (Galinsoga quadriradiata), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum) and House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) ♂.

House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) ♀.

Looking down onto the Village as we were leaving.

After a good look around the village we stopped off for a coffee which I was rather pleased came with cake as tapas, once back at the car we decided to have an afternoon chilling at the Lago de Carucedo where we had been a couple of days ago.

On the way there we refuelled the car and popped into a supermarket where we got a few bits for some lunch, once we were at the pool we found some shade and got the chairs out and chilled whilst we had some Lunch. 

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

As we eat our food we saw and heard Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Carrion Crow, Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Iberian Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Ibérico / Phylloscopus ibericus), European Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Black Redstart, Common Chaffinch and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

American Mink (Neovison vison).

American Mink (Neovison vison).

American Mink (Neovison vison).

American Mink (Neovison vison).

American Mink (Neovison vison).

We put the chairs back in the car and went for a walk up to the top part of the Lago where as I approached the water there was a splash and I saw a small Mammal swimming away, at first I didn't know what it was but as it climbed up into an overhanging bush where I had better but not great views, however it was good enough to ID it as an unwelcome American Mink (Neovison vison).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Birds species seen around this area included Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Blue Tit, Barn Swallow, Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

Other species recorded on the walk here, around the lower pool and along the boardwalk included Red-eared Terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), False Meadow Saffron (Colchicum montanum), Gypsywort (Lycopus europaeus), Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) and Red Clover (Trifolium pratense).

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) ♂.

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Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) ♂.

Gypsywort (Lycopus europaeus).

False Meadow Saffron (Colchicum montanum).

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna).

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense).

We returned to the car and chilled for a while again before heading back to Molinaseca and then after resting and having showers we headed out in to the town again.

Playa de Serantes, Castropol, Hotel-Restaurante Chiquín and Playa de Serantes, Asturias, Spain.

A MEGA Dip up on the Asturian Coast.

Ebird List for Playa de Serantes 1.

Ebird List for Playa de Serantes 2.

Heading North.

Paqui and I set off early heading to the North coast where an American Sora (Polluela Sora / Porzana carolina) had been seen for a few days but it had become more difficult to see so I was not really too surprised to dip the bird however I was happy to give it a try, I was also thankful for Paqui's patience as we spent most of the day there.

On the way further North.

On the way we saw a Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) before we stopped for some breakfast in O Lar De Carmiña.

The cake we had for breakfast.

We would normally have a tostarda for breakfast but this place only did a very nice cake which went down very well when dunked in my coffee, once we were on site, which was just up the road we found several other Spanish Birders were already there but they hadn’t had any sightings of the bird, Paqui and I took up a spot with a good view of the reed-bed and waited.

The Twitch 😉😉😉

Where the Sora had been.

This first stint was just over 2 hours, during this time we saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), a single fly through Eurasian Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), 9x Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), a hunting Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Sedge (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Common Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Willow (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling, Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Paqui spent some time looking for the bird and then went and had a walk along the beach and spent some time chilling by the sea.

Paqui, happy on the beach.

The beach.

A couple of cliff arches on the beach.

As it warmed up I also saw Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).

Looking up to Castropol from the Boat Ramp.

Part of the Estuary on the Asturias side of the River.

Paqui came back from her time on the beach so we decided to head off and have a look at another area around Castropol on the Ria de Ribadeo or the Ría del Eo depending on which Province you look at it from, we parked near the boat ramp and walked around to the small Puerto de Castropol, on the way back we had a beer in one of the bars which came with some pretty disgusting tripe Tapas.

European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) along with Common Limpet (Patella vulgata) and Mediterranean Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis / Mejillones de roca).

During this walk we looked down onto the rocks in the sea below where we saw clusters of Wild native European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) along with Common Limpet (Patella vulgata) and Mediterranean Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis / Mejillones de roca).

Mexican Fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus).

Back at the Boat Ramp we saw Mexican Fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus), Rock Samphire (Crithmum maritimum), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Yellow-legged and a single Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone).

Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

We did a loop from Castropol around the estuary to Ribadeo and then had a rather disappointing Lunch before heading back to the beach site to give the Sora a second go, we were on our own for most of the evening except for three people turned up for a very quick visit and a lady who sat looking for a while.

The closest we got to the Sora was this immature Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

This time we took the chairs down with us, I sat in the full sun all the time whilst Paqui who was far more sensible went and found some shade for a while, during this second visit we still didn't manage to see the Target but we did add Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Whinchat (Tarabilla Norteña / Saxicola rubetra), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica).

Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica).

Well, after giving it another 3.5 hours we cut our lose and headed back to Molinaseca but we decided to take the slightly longer Motorway route which didn't turn out to be a good idea as there were major roadworks and the A6 was shut for long stretches meaning we were back later than planned.