Loja Wildlife, Granada Province, Spain.: Sierra Morena and La Caracola, Jaen Province, Spain.

Wednesday 1 March 2023

Sierra Morena and La Caracola, Jaen Province, Spain.

Day Four, a morning in the Sunny but again cold Sierra Morena, the afternoon at the Caracola hide.

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina), our third sighting.

We were out early again, I started by going down to the hide and topping up the food as we planned to come back later to spend some time there and pay our bill!!! as I walked out there I could hear a calling Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) which was another of the target species.

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

Once out on sight we swapped places, Steve scanned from the Shelter and I went around the corner to the spot where he had seen the Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) but I didn't find it so I walked back to the shelter and then on towards the lower shelters and Steve move to his usual spot.

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

As I walked I got some picture of a large Hoverfly type insect and Angel's tears Narcissus (Narcissus triandus), Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla), Iberian Milk-vetch (Astragalus lusitanicus), Branched Asphodel (Asphodelus ramosus) and then as I reached the large fire break my eye was drawn to a movement under one of the Oaks which turned out to be a female Lynx which sat with its back to me and would not turn around.

Hooverfly type Species.

I wanted to get Steve on to it so I walked (as this body does not run unfortunately) back to the shelter and got his attention so we were soon back on site but the Lynx was on the move down the bank but we still managed to get some very nice views through the scope and some record shots.

Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) or Lynx food.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

During our time on site we also saw Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Cinereous / European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Iberian (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

Iberian Imperial Eagles (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

Info board at the Shelter.

After the Lynx disappeared we returned to the Shelter where we picked up a pair of Iberian Imperial Eagles, Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and a singing Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea).

Angel's tears Narcissus (Narcissus triandus).

Two happy but cold Lynx watchers.

Other species seen during the morning included Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua), Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) and Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama).

Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus).

Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).

Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla).

We gave it until 13.00 and then headed to the bar back at the main road and took some food to the Hide where we set up and took some shots of what came in which included Common Chaffinch, Blue, Great and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Robin, Blackbird, Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Iberian Magpie, Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and a Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).