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Saturday 23 May 2015

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province and Arroya Marin and Guadalhorce River Mouth, Malaga Province.

A last attempt for a couple of species on Dab and Renate's last day.
Deb and Renate Day Fifteen.

Ladder Snake (Rhinechis scalaris).
Today was De and Renate's last day in Spain before they headed back to Germany and then onwards to Finland and up in to the Arctic tundra for three weeks in a camper van (Lucky or what), then back to Germany and finally home to Australia at some point at the beginning of July.
Near the house and down on the fields as we headed out we recorded Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops),
Our first stop on the way down to the coast was at the small lower quarry where we scanned the crags and found the Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) which had been elusive during our earlier visit along with Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cyanus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
From the Sierra we drove West to the Arroyo Marin Valley where we spent some time birding the wooded riverside and soon had Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Ladder Snake (Rhinechis scalaris) which was warming up on the track. We also had a few butterflies including Cleopatra (Cleopatra / Gonepteryx cleopatra), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla) and Spanish Gatekeeper (Lobito listado / Pyronia bathsheba).
Our final stop was a brief walk to the sea watch point on the side of the Rio Guadalhorce down near Malaga but the beach was very busy and birds were few but we picked up Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) before we departed and I dropped Deb and Renate to the airport to catch their flight up to Germany and beyond.

Friday 22 May 2015

The plains between Truillo and Cáceres, Extremadura and back to the house, Granada Province.

Lots of Rollers and a flock of Red-footed Falcons make for a cracking day.
Deb and Renate Day Fourteen.

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).
Today we were up and out quite early as we had some interesting birding to get done before a lengthy drive back to the house, once we were on the road we were seeing good numbers of Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) along with smaller numbers of Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).
We turned off the motorway and the first birds seen were several Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) and a couple of Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) all of which were using the very smart newish nest boxes on all the telegraph poles in the area. All along this shot stretch of road we found more Rollers, Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).
We turned off the main road and out into the large area of agricultural, on the one side of the road there were a couple of small pools which had quite a good amount of water in them and whilst scanning them we saw Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), White Stork, Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo Patirrojo / Falco vespertinus).
Further along the road we stopped at a high pointon the track and watched a male and female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) that were quartering a roadside grass area. In the same area we had nice views of the first Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) of the day, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and an immature Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus) which showed well on the ground.
Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
We moved along the road stopping ocationaly to check different areas, at one of the stops I scanned down a shallow Valley to where I could see a couple of falcons zipping around hunting, the first was a smart male Lesser Kestrel but the second was a bit more of a suprise being a female Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo Patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) which flashed around catching flying insects. Another stop delivered a distant Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).
Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).
At the furthest point along the track we had a couple of flocks of Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).
Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).
We turned around and started to head for some breakfast at a garage out on the motorway, on the way back we added a couple of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), an adult Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) which was first seen on the ground but soon took to the air as we approched and then came the big suprise of the day when we stopped to look at a flock of five falcons hoovering and hunting over a nearby ridge which we thought would be more Lesser Kestrels.
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
When we got the bins on them they turned out to be three male and two female Red-footed Falcons, we watched these splendid birds for a short while before they drifted off behind a nearby ridge and out of sight. We continued on and had some breakfast before returning and having some more nice views of the Rollers on the road just off the motorway and another Great Bustard which showed well in a roadside field. Out on the track we added Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Black / Cinereous Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) and then our second adult Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) for the trip which soared over head for several minutes.
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
We again turned around and started the drive back to the house via Sevilla and the A92 just making a quick stop at a spot where there was a nice coloney of White Storks and later back at the house we heard and saw the local Red-necked Nightjars (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis).

Thursday 21 May 2015

Embalse de Yesa, Aragón and Monfrague and Trujillo, Extremadura.

Orchids and Raptor's with an 800KM drive in between.
Deb and Renate Day Thirteen.

Lesser Butterfly Orchid  (Platanthera bifolia).
After breakfast we said goodbye to Nelly and the very nice Hotel Castillo D'Acher and headed south down the Hecho Valley. At the end we turned right and made our way to a spot on the banks of the Embalse de Yesa, on the way we saw several Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Egyptian Vultures (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citrinella), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).
Military Orchid (Orchis militaris).
We arrived at the area recommended by Enric Marti and found our first Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) of the trip and heard a calling Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) but we could not locate the bird in the trees by the river. In the areas where the trees were far less dense we found a 100 plus spikes of the beautiful Military Orchid (Orchis militaris) with some being 70+ cm tall. In the same area there were a good many spikes of Lesser Butterfly  (Platanthera bifolia), Greater Butterfly (Platanthera chlorantha), Lady (Orchis purpurea), Small Woodcock (Orquídea abejera becada / Ophrys picta) and some Ophrys riojana.
Ophrys riojana.
From down by the river we saw Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
After a while we started the 800 or so KM drive down to Trujillo in Extremadura, on the way we picked up Marsh (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops). 
Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cyanus).
After the long but quite easy drive we came off the motorway and headed to the first of the view points at the Northern end of the Monfrague Natural Park called Mirador Portilla del Tiétar where we soon had large numbers of Griffon Vultures in our bins along with small numbers of the rarer Black / Cinereous Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus). Deb then picked up a raptor sat up on top of the crags which typically took off with in seconds of us finding it but turned out to be an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) which circled around a couple of times before disappearing below the trees.
Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).
In the same area we watched Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cyanus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula). Just a little way along the road we found a family party of Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).
Our last stop of the day was at the famous Pena Falcon crags, here we had a nice Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra), heard Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).
Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).
From here we made our way south to Trujillo and found a hostel and had something to eat before turnng in.

Wednesday 20 May 2015

Irati woods, Achar de Alano and travelling, Hecho, Pyrenees.

A bit of a wash out but we still saw some good species.
Deb and Renate Day Twelve.

Purple Toothwort (Lathraea clandestina).
We got up at normal time and headed out for the most distant spot we were going to visit over in Navarra at Irati where we were looking for Woodpecker species including Black  (Picamaderos Negro / Dryocopus martius) and White-backed Woodpeckers (Pico Dorsiblanco / Dendrocopos leucotos).
Monkey Orchid (Orchis simia).
We drove across trying really hard not to stop every five minutes to lookat something interesting on the roadside but as the journey went on the weather got worse and the temprature dropped quickly getting down to just +1 as we passed over a ridge just before the woodlands.
Monkey Orchid (Orchis simia).
On the way we did see Lady (Orchis purpurea), Pyramidal (Orquidea Pyramidal / Anacamptis pyramidalia) and Greater Butterfly Orchids (Platanthera chlorantha), Red (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and in the sleet and rain as we crossed a ridge near to Irati a surprise in the shape of a Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) which was running along the road.
Burnt Orchid (Neotinea Ustulata).
Once we were in the woods we started the search but the heavy drizzle did not make things easy and we dipped on the Woodpeckers but we did see Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blue  (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Crested  (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Common (Agateador Norteño / Certhia familiaris) and Short-toed Treecreepers (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and in the less wooded areas as we approached the ridge a pair of Bullfinches (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula) which flashed across the road. In the woods we also had a few wild flowers including the smart looking Purple Toothwort (Lathraea clandestina).
Renate during the climb.
Up on the ridge we had views of a couple of very damp looking Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and a male Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and as we dropped down the other side we checked out a scrubby slope and a grassland area adding Monkey (Orchis simia), Green-winged (Androrchis morio), Tounge (Serapias lingua), Burnt (Neotinea Ustulata) and Lange's Orchids (Androrchis langei) to the list along with Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
Sierra de Alano.
As we got into the valley and were approching the site we had a small group of Alpine (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus) and Red-billed Choughs (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), a dozen or more Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Serinus citrinella) and Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus).
Deb in the snow.
We drove through the rain to a car park in the middle of nowhere below the very impressive looking Sierra de Alano where we had our first view of the large gap in the ridge called Achar de Alano way way above us which was our target spot. The three of us set off on the track and took the shorter route up on the dirt tracks and ignored the main vehicle track.
Sierra de Alano.
On the way we saw several Citril Finches, Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citrinella), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), 1000s of Elder-flowered Orchids (Dactylorhiza sambucina) as well as Cowslip (Primula veris), Large-flowered Butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora), Alpine Snowbell (Soldanella alpina), Daphne mezereum and many more.
Alpine Snowbell (Soldanella alpina).
Once we were out on the slopes we continued to climb, I was starting to fell the climb in my legs and lungs and was struggling not to be embarrassed by having 80 year old Renate over taking me on several occasions. Eventually we reached the lower parts of the scree and quickly found the first of several Alpine Accentors (Acentor Alpino / Prunella modularis), more Alpine Choughs and then a stunning Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria) which gave us nice views as it moved around amongst the larger bolders on the bottom of the scree.
Fly Orchid (Ophrys insectifera).
As were watching this superb bird the weather then came back to remind us it was not yet summer in the pyrenees, the rain soon turned to sleet which soon turned into a full blown blizzard of snow, so we decided to end our attempt of making it to the ridge and started down the hill.
Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora).
We eventually reached the car again and made our way slowly back to the hotel calling in at a spot on the road side to photographs a nice looking Lady Orchid and at the same spot we found our only spikes of both Fly (Ophrys insectifera) and Man Orchids (Orchis anthropophora).

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Hecho Valley, Jaca and Tena Valley, Formigal, Portalet and road to Urdués, Pyrenees.

Another Spanish lifer for us all and along with plentiful orhcids and wildflowers.
Deb and Renate Day Eleven.

Male Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo Patirrojo / Falco vespertinus).
After breakfast we hit the road at 08:30 and just out side whilst loading the car we had the usual Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Egyptian Vultures (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Male Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo Patirrojo / Falco vespertinus).
We dropped down the valley through Hecho and just before we hit the main Jaca road I caught a glimpse of a small raptor sat on the wires at the same moment as Deb did. Almost instantly even though I had just a seconds view I knew we had got a male Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo Patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) so we turned around at the first opportunity and pulled up on the road just opposite it behind another birder who must have seen it seconds before us.
Military Orchid (Orchis militaris).
The bird showed well on the wire and we got some nice shot so we moved on but only made it 100 meters up the road to where we found a second male also sat on the same wires. We again spent a while getting shots before continuing our journey and just before Jaca we made another stop when I saw several orchids growing on the roadside that looked a bit different from what we had seen so far.
Military Orchid (Orchis militaris).
We parked and walked back a short way to find several stunning spikes of Military Orchid (Orchis militaris) along with several Lady Orchids (Orchis purpurea) and some spikes of Ophrys Riojana.
After passing through Jaca the brakes went on again when we spotted another falcon on the wires but this time it was a fine looking female Red-footed. We parked and walked back as the road was much busier than where the first birds had been but by the time we reached the spot the bird had moved on.
Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).
We did get some nice views of several Common Kestrels (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Red Kites but no photo's of the female and during the rest of the drive we also saw Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).
Lady's Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium calceolus).
We took the road heading up in to the hills again and managed to keep going except for a coffee stop all the way up to a spot near the Embalse de Lanuxa when we again saw several tall purple Orchid plants on the roadside which I had thought were going to be a Dactylorhiza species but after looking at the shots they were identified as Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula).
Lady's Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium calceolus).
Again we headed higher up the hill and spent some time searching the fields in the area looking for more orchids, we saw thousands of the beautiful Elder-flowered Orchid (Dactylorhiza sambucina) in both yellow and red forms but nothing else.
Lady's Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium calceolus).
Birds included Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Iberian Green (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citrinella), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).
Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula).
We finished the drive with a coffee in the town nearby before starting on up the hill again but we did not get very far before we swung into a parking place and a minute or so later we were looking at a magnificent clump of Lady's Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium calceolus) these plants were one of the main reasons for todays trip and after being told by a local lady that we were to early we were over the moon to find this group and quite a few other single spikes.
Alpine Marmot (Marmota marmota).
In the same area we found a few heads of the pretty Bird's-eye Primrose (Primula farinosa) and a lot more Elder-flowered Orchids
Again we continued on up hill but as usual it was just a few Km before we were stopped again this time watching a pair of Lammergeiers / Bearded Vultures (Quebrantahuesos / Gypaetus barbatus) over the town of Formigal and on the opposite side of the road amongst the skiing junk we also had a small group of feeding Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus) and several Red-billed (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).
Elder-flowered Orchid (Dactylorhiza sambucina).
At this point the weather took a turn for the worst but this did not stop us and just a short way up the hill we came across a very interesting wet flush which had a nice display of the uncommon in Spain Wild Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus), Alpine Bartsia (Bartsia alpina), Horned Pansy (Viola cornuta), Large-flowered Butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora), Globeflower (Trollius europaeus), Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) and Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza majarlis).
Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza majarlis).
Further up the mountain right on the Spain / France border we parked gain and searched a nearby hill side in the rain and soon started to see new species including Dragonmouth (Horminum pyrenaicum), Pyrenean Fritillary (Fritillaria pyrenaica), Anemone narcissiflora
and loads more species that still need names.
Pyrenean Fritillary (Fritillaria pyrenaica).
We also saw Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Alpine Chough, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).
Narcissus pseudo-narcissus.
We decided after searching the slope for a while that the weather was not going to get any better so we started the drive back towards the Hecho Valley, on the way we stopped to watch a very fat looking Alpine Marmot (Marmota marmota). We dropped down and past Jaca and then North back up the Hecho Valley until we reached the turning to Urdués where we decided as we were back a little earlier due to the weather to have a look. After a short drive we parked by some tall cliffs and checked the crags and 
Ranunculus amplexicaulis.
surrounding woodlands, added Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and in the woods nearby there were several spikes of Greater Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera chlorantha), European Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), Yellow-flowered Onion (Allium coryi), Thyme Broomrape (Orobanche alba), Thalictrum tuberosum, Shrubby Restharrow (Ononis fruticosa) and a Sticky Catchfly type plant.
Corydalis solida.
We continued on along this narrow road seeing Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta) and Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera). We later returned to the hotel and another nice evening meal before turning in.

Monday 18 May 2015

Woods North of Siresa and Refugio de Gabardito, Aragón, Pyrenees.

Our first day in the mountains above the Hecho Valley.
Deb and Renate Day Ten.

Wild Aquilegia (Aquilegia vulgaris).
We got up and went down for a nice breakfast before heading north along the road from Hecho towards the head of the valley a good few KM further on but did not get very far before we stopped in a small lay by to photograph the stunning blue Wild Aquilegia's (Aquilegia vulgaris) which was growing commonly in the woods.
Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio).
We also found a couple of spikes of Lesser Butterfly Orchids (Platanthera bifolia), Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanatera longifolia), Bastard Balm (Melittis melissophyllum), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone),  Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica),
Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria).
 Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Small White (Artogeia rapae).
Just a short way up the road again an we turned off on to the road up to the Refugio and parked on the side on the grass to check another specie of Orchid, this time the Green-winged Orchid (Androrchis morio) the Northern counterpart to our Androrchis olbensis.
Alpine Gentian (Gentiana alpina).
In the same area we had very nice views of a male Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio) which watched us from a nearby Hawthorn bush and had very distant views of an adult Lammergeier / Bearded Vulture (Quebrantahuesos / Gypaetus barbatus) as it flew along a distant high ridge along with a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
We again continued on up the hill stopping again to look at several spikes of Langes Orchid (Androrchis langei).
Once we were at the car park we followed a largish group out towards a rock face a couple of KM away but soon lost them as we were soon at work with the cameras on the many wildflowers on the track side.
These included Alpine Gentian (Gentiana alpina), Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna), the first of hundreds of Elder-flowered Orchids (Dactylorhiza sambucina), Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis), Cowslip (Primula veris), Oxslip (Primula elatior) and Pyrenean Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium ssp. pyrenaica).
Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis).
After a while we turned a corner and came across the group who had headed off ahead of us, most of who were watching a large chimney of rock looking for the Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria) and after just a few minutes we were watching two birds clinging to the side of the large slab of rock. 
Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna).
They flew in to the cliff several times passing over our heads each time giving us really nice views and whilst we were watching these little beauties a second Lammergeier / Bearded Vulture (Quebrantahuesos / Gypaetus barbatus) came in along a nearby ridge along with good numbers of Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) some carrying nest matterial and a soaring Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos). In the same area we heard Black Woodpecker (Picamaderos Negro / Dryocopus martius), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and a barking Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus). 
Pyrenean Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium ssp. pyrenaica).
The group headed back down the hill but we decided to carry on up the hill and we were soon seeing both yellow and red variates of the Elder-flowered in large numbers and Pale-flowered Orchid (Orchis pallens), Rock Soapwort (Saponaria ocymoides), Rock Jasmine (Androsace villosa) and Creeping Globularia (Globularia repens).
Lammergeier / Bearded Vulture (Quebrantahuesos / Gypaetus barbatus).
In the bushes near a mountain stream I heard a couple of singing Dunnocks (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) along with Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea) and Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychlorus).
We reached the bottom of the waterfall where I left my scope at the bottom of the slope before we checked out the rockery above us, there were loads of Elder-flowered Orchids and many other species, half way up the slope I decided that I would have to drop back down to the scope but Deb and Renate carried on to the top of the slope and out on to the Alpine meadows above.
After a while they returned after seeing a Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and we had very nice views of a male Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Serinus citrinella) next to the stream.
Pale-flowered Orchid (Orchis pallens).
We started to drop down the track towards the car adding Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Common Treecreeper (Agateador Norteño / Certhia familiaris), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and once back at the car we had another small group of Citril Finches which were feeding around the car park.
After getting some nice views of these birds we dropped back down towards the road in the bottom of the valley, during the drive we had a Black Woodpecker flash across the road and away amongst the trees not to be seen again, whilst we were searching for this bird we picked up Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).
Fairy Foxglove (Erinus alpinus).
From this spot we headed back down to Hecho and had a couple of coffees to top up the cafine levels, whilst we were sat out side we had nice views of a pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Elder-flowered Orchids (Dactylorhiza sambucina).
After the drink we drove back up the valley to Boca del Infierno and straight away we found several spikes of the stunning Pyrenean Saxifrage (Saxifraga longifolia) flowering on the main cliffs with Fairy Foxglove (Erinus alpinus) plus several more species which still need names and a couple of Marsh Fritillaries (Euphydrayas aurinia beckeri).
Elder-flowered Orchids (Dactylorhiza sambucina).
We also had views of another Lammergeier / Bearded Vulture which flew over head, Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus).

Globularia punctata.

Pyrenean Saxifrage (Saxifraga longifolia).
Pyrenean Saxifrage (Saxifraga longifolia).