Travelling to Madrid, Via Leon and Fuentes de Nava.

On the road but some good birding on the way.

Somiedo and Travelling South, Day Eight.

Rook (Graja /  Corvus frugilegus).

We started the day by driving South from Someido through the mountains and passed the Pooooo Pile spot where the male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) was sat up on the wires.

At the end of the road we turned to the East, towards Leon, on the way we made a stop on the road side to make use of some bushes but also pick up a few species including the first Nightingales (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) of the trip which was singing from a nearby Hawthorn hedgerow. In the same area we heard Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and saw a couple of Red-backed Shrikes (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio), Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), over a nearby ridge several Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and during the stop we heard both Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).

Rooks (Graja /  Corvus frugilegus).

As we again continued on we had our only Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) down on the side of the road but to our horror it flew up as the van in front of us got there and bounced of its windscreen so all that most of the group saw was a cloud of yellow feathers. As we passed over one of the many river bridges on the way I saw a pair of Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) did not get anyone on to them and as it was a busy road there was no place to turn around so this species remained a guide only for the trip.
As we continued to drive we also had a single Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), a couple of Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and several Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).
We headed on and around the City of Leon until we reached the La Camdamia round about when we spotted a field full of Corvids which I thought looked like the some of the local population of Rook (Graja /  Corvus frugilegus) so we turned into the city and then out to the fields. We soon confirmed that they were mostly Rooks as we thought along with a few Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Carrion Crows (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and a fly over White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Rooks (Graja /  Corvus frugilegus).

We continued on and made a short stop (as it was dam hot) at a Mazuecos de Valdeginate where on the roadside church of San Migel we had great views of several Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) as well as Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).
Just down the road we turned off and parked by the first hide over looking over the pools of La Corralillos and we soon boosted the list with several new species including Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Greater Flamingos (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and around the carpark lots of Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii) as well as a couple of Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope).
We got back into the van and drove just down the road to the next car park and then walked out to the tower hide via the short boardwalk out to the screens over looking a couple of pools. As we walked out we heard Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and a fly over Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

In the trees as we walked up to the tower hide we heard Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) but could not locate any of them but did see lots of finches including Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and out on the fields a couple of feeding Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax). We also found Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) and Small Spreadwing (Lestes virens).
We climbed up to the top of the tower hide and quickly started to find even more species, down in the reeds there were a good number of Great Reed Warblers (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus) singing loudly as well as a reeling Savi's Warbler (Buscarla Unicolor / Locustella luscinoides) somewhere off in the distant reeds.
On an area of water and on its muddy margins we picked out Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and a few more White Storks.
Over the reeds in front of us and amongst the trees we had loads of Marsh Harriers but whilst there we also picked up male and female Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) and more surprisingly a female Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) which showed several times between two rows of trees in front of us.

Iberian Marbled White (Medioluto Ibérica / Melanargia lachesis).

On a small pool just to the right of the hide we added several species to the heron list with singles of Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), a couple of Purple Herons (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea) and several Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) scattered about.
After a while and as it was stinking hot I walked back to the van to bring it to the hide to save the group the walk back, just as I reached the board walk a single adult Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) flew out of the track side trees and away over the marsh and as I crossed the road to the car park 4 Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) flew up the field in front of me and over the ridge.
I collected the Van and drove up to the parking area and just as I got out of the Van a Short-eared Owl (Buho Campestre / Asio flammeus) flew from the marsh and out over the fields, I hoped the group might have had this bird fly in but unfortunately not so all three of the good species I had seen fetching the van remained as guide Only.
We spent a short while longer scanning from the hide but did not add anything else until we returned to the van when we heard a squealing Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and found several Iberian Marbled White (Medioluto Ibérica / Melanargia lachesis),  so we decided to head for Madrid and the Hotel but just down the road we pulled off and quickly checked the next hide along the road, we added Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and down in the ditch a Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).
We drove on and reached the hotel late afternoon and then went out for out last evening meal together in a very nice smart nearby restaurant.

Puerto de Somiedo Poooo Piles, above Brañas de Arriba, Puerto de Leitariegos, Caboalles de Arriba Capper centre, Piedrafita de Babia and Valle de Lago, Asturias.

Back to the Poo piles, then into the hills again before finding an interesting pool near Somiedo.

Somiedo Day Seven.

Brañas de Arriba just above the fog, for the moment.

Bob and I had a short walk before breakfast finding Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella).

We had breakfast and headed out south again past La Peral and up to the Poooooo piles just through Puerto de Somiedo, on the way we started the days list with Rock Dove (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

At the Poo Piles we again walked some of the tracks adding Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), several Water (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and Tree Pipit (Bisbita Arbóreo / Anthus trivialis), Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), a couple of Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), a few Yellowhammers (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella) and a nice but brief male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) again.

Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).

We continued our journey passing through banks of fog until we were in a parking area above the village of Brañas de Arriba, the fog came and went but persisted down in the valley so the villige was visible one minute and gone the next.

Owlfly species.

During some of the prolonged periods of sun we did se several more Dunnocks in the shrubs on the bank aove us as well as Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and down below us Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia).

Once it warmed up a it more several species of butterfly started to fly along with the cracking Owlfly species which eventually sat for the camera, which was more than the butterflies did. The butterflies included Meadow Fritillary (Mellicta parthenoides), Marbled White (Melanargia galathea), Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea), Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), an extreamly tatty Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), our only Purple-edged Coppers (Lycaena hippothoe) of the trip and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

The cloud then came in back in so we dropped South east to the ski resort at Puerto de Leitariegos where we parked and checked out the roadside scrub and woodlands where we looked for Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) but except for a couple of snippets of song from deep cover we failed on this species but we did see more Common Whitethroats, Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio), several Common Stonechats (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) which perched nice and high, a female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Black Redstart, Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Water Pipit, Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Heath Spotted (Dactylorhiza maculata).

On the roadside bank we found several species of Orchid, most were the very common Heath Spotted (Dactylorhiza maculata), a few Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora) and what I am thinking is a Hybrid of some sort amongst the Dactylorhiza's but it still is unnamed at this point.
In the same area we also found a single flowering spike of Large-flowered Butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora) amoungst the massed of leaf rossettes, Cleopatra (Cleopatra / Gonepteryx cleopatra) and both Large (Pieris brassicae) and Small White (Pieris rapae).
I walked back to the van and dropped down the bank where I picked the group up and when just down the road and the took a track up to the far side of the valley where we checked out an area of mixed woodland, we parked and walked on the lower side of the wood on a track seeing Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus),  some really nice views of a pair of Bonelli's Warblers (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Common Frog (Rana temporaria), Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca) and Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens).

Hybrid Orchid.

Our next stop was at a visitor centre dedecated to the Western Cappercalle but unfortunatilly we did not learn a great deal there so we continued on to Village of Piedrafita de Babia where we had some lunch and checked out some breeding White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) in the large pines above the road.
We retraced our way down to Somiedo and too a road from the town out towards some lakes in the Valle de Lago, we drove up the valley making a few stops on the way along the stream and eventually we reached a pool on the roadside. This was as far as we could get at this point as the road ahead of us was being resurfaced, we parked and had a walk around this lake and soon found Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) and Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator). On the water there were a few Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) but nothing much else. Along the track running along the far side of the pool towards the dam we had a few High Brown Fritillaries (Fabriciana adippe), Adonis (Lysandra bellargus) and Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes), Chestnut Heath (Coenonympha glycerion), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), a very nice Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) and down closer to the Dam a couple of Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).

Large-flowered Butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora).

Birds seen included a small group of Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) above a nearby ridge, a couple of Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), and in the trees near the dam a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and both singing Iberian (Mosquitero Ibérico / Phylloscopus brehmii) and Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus).

Once the workmen had finished the road works we pushed on to the end of the road and parked, here we scanned the cliffs above us and soon had both Red-billed (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus), another distant male
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush and a calling Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) in a small orchard on the edge of the village.

Common Frog (Rana temporaria).

On the bank we saw Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Common Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines), a quite a few more Clouded Yellows and a Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Burnet Moth.

We got back in to the valley and dropped ack to Somiedo where we dropped of some of the group at the hotel but Jo, Brian and I decided to go and have a look at some Iris plants we had seen on the road side up at Gúi. We parked and photographed the plants before finding a track down through the woodlands.
As we walked we came across a site of a mass grave from the Civil war and futher along the track lots of Ivy Broomrape (Orobanche hederae), Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense), Hart's Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium), Martagon Lily (Lilium Martagon), Wall Pennywort (Umbilicus rupestris), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca), Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum multiflorum), Heath Spotted Orchid, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and lots more Blackcaps.
We dropped back down to the Hotel and then went out again for a very nice meal in bar El Meirel, a real treat again after the very poor meal last evening.

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum).

Wood White (Leptidea sinapis).

Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii).

Escher's Blue (Agrodiaetus escheri).

Black-eyed Blue (Glaucopsyche melanops).

High Brown Fritillay (Fabriciana adippe).

Iris species.

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense).

Hart's Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium).

Brian Photographing Hart's Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium).

Mirador del Principe, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Puerto de Somiedo and Rio Sil, Asurias and Castillo de Leon.

1st day in the rolling hill and wild flower meadows of south of Somiedo.

Somiedo Day Six.

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We got up to a thick layer of low cloud over the village, I had a quick walk before breakfast but only picked up Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone).

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We had breakfast and then loaded up and headed out eventually coming up to the cloud and just before the village of La Peral we drove through it in to a beautiful sunny day seeing a small family party of Bullfinches (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula) which flew up from the roadside and called as we drove slowly by.

Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera).

We parked at the car park below the small village and we walked up through the houses passing several of the traditional thatched barns known as Teitos, some of which were in nice condition. 

Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea).

As we walked up towards the start of the track out to the Mirador we had views of Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and just as we started the breezy walk out we heard a calling Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella). 

We reached the view point at the end of the track after seeing our first Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) on the way, we soon found several more spikes just below the Mirador along with several spikes of Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora) and just down a nearby bank half a dozen spikes of the stunning Lizard Orchid (Himantoglosum hircinum), as well as Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum), Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca) and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).
There were some buttreflies on the wing by the time things warmed up and they included Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera), a smart Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron), Small White (Pieris rapae), Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) and Common Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines).

Bob photographing the Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea).

Down the slopes from the Mirador we could hear and then saw a couple of Common Whitethroats (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) which saw again heard and then seen, a nice male Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) which eventually sat up and gave some nice views, Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and a flock of medium sized birds which we got brief views of a couple of time and eventually ided them as Mistle Thrushes (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Looking back to La Peral from the view point.

As we walked back along the track towards the car we heard the first of the days Tree Pipits (Bisbita Arbóreo / Anthus trivialis) and had several Small Tortoiseshells (Aglais urticae).

Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron).

We walked through the village and made a stop at a water spout before going for a coffee where we had views of Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), a good sized flock of Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and high up on the grassy slopes a couple of Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) off to our right and a group of Chamois (Rebeco / Rupicapra rupicapra) way off in the distance to the left.

Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea).

As we walked back to the van we had several fritillary butterflies which after looking at the books later turned out to be Meadow Fritillary (Mellicta parthenoides) in the same area we also had Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea) and Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).
Our next stop was just a few KMs further on at El Puerto and as we pulled in we added a fine adult Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus) to the day list and soon had good views of a male Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and several summer plumaged Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) which showed better than they had on the mountain tops at the Pico's.
On the marshy roadsides we found 100s of spikes of what looked like Early Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata) but as everyone knows marsh orchids are not always what they appear to be, Water Avens (Geum rivale), carpets of Bog Bean (Menyanthese trifoliata) leaves, Common Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium) and Marsh Ragwort (Senecio aquaticus) and a single Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).
A couple of KMs down the road towards Meroy at Puerto de Somiedo we made a stop when we saw a female Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra) sat on a roadside fence with a beak full of grubs and on the opposite side a couple of Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora).

Just a few more meters down the road we parked on an area of roadside grass / scrub land which had several piles of fairly strong smelling manure, we had a walk up hill and then off to the right seeing Linnet, Serin, Common Whitethroat, Dunnock, a fine male Yellowhammer, the first male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) which showed niced but briefly on a wire, Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), a Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) which the group got but I missed, another Tree Pipit which showed nicely after bathing in a small stream and in several fields calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix). There were also some good wildflowers including which need names, others included Agimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Common Daisy (Bellis perennis), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Common Nettle (Urtica dioica) and Hedgerow Cranesbill (Geranium pyrenaicum).
we continued on out to the small stream and then turned around, we had good views of a nice male Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), several Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), singing Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), White Wagtails, Mistle Thrushes and Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).

Lizard Orchid (Himantoglosum hircinum).

We continued on down the road again and had lunch in a bar in Vega de Viejos before following a nearby side road following the Rio Sil as far as we could, one of the first species we saw was a beautiful male Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio) which flew across in front of us and landed on a bare branch close on our left but unlike most it stayed there long enough for me to get a few shots.
A little further on we parked and walked along a grassy trail which was lined on both sides by nice dry stone walls, we walked out as far as the Arroyo Fuexo, birds included a fine male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) which was quartering a middle distance ridge.
We also had Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) as well as several Large Red Damselflies (Pyrrhosoma nymphula), Common Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines), lots of Marbled Whites (Melanargia galathea), Chestnut Heath (Coenonympha glycerion), Cleopatra (Cleopatra / Gonepteryx cleopatra), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Holly (Celastrina argiolus) and several Amanda's Blues (Polyommatus amanda).

Jo having a drink from the local spring.

At the far end of the walk we were forced to turn around as the track was flooded by a couple of swollen irrigation channels but we got good views of a nice Lizard in a rock pile and found several spikes of Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia) in fields which were full of Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor).
On the walk back we saw a wandering male Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe), Musk Mallow (Malva moschata), Meadow Saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata), Round-headed Leek (Allium sphaerocephalon), Rusty-back Fern (Ceterach officinarum), Yellow Rockrose (Helianthemum nummularium), Soapwart (Saponaria officinalis) and a tiny little Violet which I am fairly sure is Viola saxatilis.
We drove on and made a stop in a gorge further up and then had a walk for a while up stream along the Rio seeing lots of butterflies including the trips first Apollo (Parnassius apollo) of the day and wildflowers, one of the best flowers was Erodium daucoides which was flowering on the rocks at the bottom of the cliffs along with a nice Yellow Antirrhinum which still needs a name, Rock Cinqufoil (Potentilla rupestris), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), Yellow Stonecrop (Sedum acre), a nice Dianthus species and a couple of Heath / Heather species.

Bob also having a drink from the local spring.

Just before we reached the village of La Cueta we stopped at the bottom of a large area of scree where I managed to get some shots of a lovely Apollo Butterfly which sat nicely. We also saw Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes) and a Olive Skipper (Pyrgus serratulae) both of which were firsts for the trip.
We turned around in the village and started to make our way back down the valley adding Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin) and a calling Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) to the list along with another Tree Pipit, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).
Once we reached the main road again we turned back towards Somiedo seeing several more Red-backed Shrikes along the roadside before going back to the hotel.
We freshened up and then we down into the village again and went to another one of the local bars as the one we had been to the night before was shut. Unfortunately this bar was not good, the food and service were were very poor indeed.

A fine Chicked House.

Meadow Fritillary (Mellicta parthenoides).

The Group.

Early Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata).

Water Avens (Geum rivale).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

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Lizard Species.

Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio).

Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio).

Erodium daucoides

Rock Cinqufoil (Potentilla rupestris).

Yellow Antirrhinum

Olive Skipper (Pyrgus serratulae).

Apollo (Parnassius apollo).