SIERRA de LOJA.

Friday, 6 June 2025

Laguna de Pitillas in Navarra and Sotos del Río Aragón near Berdún, Huesca, Aragon, Spain.

A visit to a very nice wetland and a good river site on our way to Berdún.
Deb and Ian, Day Forty Three.
Ebird List for Laguna de Pitillas the Observatorio.
Ebird List for Laguna de Pitillas second watch point.
Ebird List for Laguna de Pitillas Loop Drive.
Ebird List for Sotos del Río Aragón.
 
Early Morning Mute Swans (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).
We left Vera de Moncayo early and headed for Laguna de Pitillas on our way to Berdún where we were staying for the next couple of nights, we arrived at the Laguna de Pitillas by 08:00 and parked at the visitors center which was closed so we set up the chairs and spent some time scanning the reeds and water.
Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster).
Species seen included Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and a calling Eurasian Bittern (Avetoro Común / Botaurus stellaris) which was hiding well in the reed bed in front of us but didn't show, Ian did see a bird flying out in the distance but I missed it.
Deb looking out over the reed beds.
We also saw 
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Grey (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Great Reed Warbler (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Calandra Lark (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra).
Calandra Lark (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra).
Calandra Lark (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra).
After a while we drove a short way around to another area where we could view the lake which we preferred to the center, on the way we picked up Calandra Lark (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster).
Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
We parked on the track and walked down to the view point where we spent a while scanning the reed beds where we again heard Eurasian Bittern with at least 3 in the area and we also saw at least a couple of Bearded Tits (Reedling) (Bigotudo / Panurus biarmicus), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and as we walked back to the car Deb managed to see a Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) on the edge of a cereal field along the edge of the track.
Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii).
Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii).
Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii).
We continued on to another spot where we heard more Water Rails and photographed several Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) and saw Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Lesser (Anax parthenope) and Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Pale Shoulder Moth (Acontia lucida) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), .
Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).
European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster).
At the highest point in the loop looking down on the Lake.
We continued on along the track and did a loop back to the road adding Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla).
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
We reached the road again and then started the drive up towards Berdún but called in to a spot along the Rio Aragon where we were looking for some more Orchid species, we parked and along the river near the bridge we saw Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum) and further along the track Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common NightingaleCirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera).
Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera).
Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera).
As we walked along the track following the river we saw Bee (Ophrys apifera), Bug (Anacamptis coriophora), Lesser Butterfly (Platanthera bifolia) and Greater Butterfly (Platanthera chlorantha), Lizard (Himanthoglosum hircinum), Robust Marsh (Dactylorhiza elata) and Pyramidal Orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalia) and some not yet in flower Marsh Helleborines (Epipactis palustris).
Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).
Lizard Orchid (Himanthoglosum hircinum).
Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata).
Lesser Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera bifolia).
Lesser Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera bifolia).
Greater Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera chlorantha).
Greater Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera chlorantha).
Butterflies were also on the wing and we saw several Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus),  Grayling (Hipparchia semele) and Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides).
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).
Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides).
Grayling (Hipparchia semele).
We returned to the car and headed for the nice little town of Berdún which was now only a few KMs away so we were there quickly and met by the owners of the place we were stay pretty quickly, later we went down to Bar Restaurante La Trobada
 where we had a nice meal and a few beers.
Our first view of Berdún.

Thursday, 5 June 2025

Near Ablitas, Laguna del Lor and near to Vera de Moncayo, Navarre, Spain.

A more successful morning than expected.
Deb and Ian, Day Fourty Two.
Ebird List for Ablitas area 1.
Ebird List for Ablitas area 2.
Ebird List for Laguna del Lor.
 
The Habitat.
We were up and out early and on site near Ablitas just before dawn and as soon as we parked up we could hear a calling Dupont's Larks (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti), 3 at least but probably up to 5.
Dupont's Lark (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti).
Dupont's Lark (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti).
Dupont's Lark (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti).
Dupont's Lark (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti).
Even more surprising was when one of the birds sat up on a small bush for a couple of minutes, the views through the bins were great but the light was still too bad to get any photo's so we just stayed put until the light improved a bit and eventually the bird popped up another couple of times giving us some amazing views and my best photo's so far.
Dupont's Lark (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti).
Dupont's Lark (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti).
Dupont's Lark (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti).
After a while the bird went up for a song flight which lasted for around ten minutes, during which time it went up to a good height along with a couple of Calandra Larks (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra) before plummiting to the ground some distance from the track where we were parked.
Dupont's Lark (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti).
Deb went for a walk in the one direction and I went in the other where I had views of a second bird which sat nicely again in a clump of vegetation 25 meters from the track.
Calandra Larks (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra).
Calandra Larks (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra).
In the same area we also saw Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea), Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona Occidental / Curruca hortensis) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula cabrerae), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).
After about 1.5 hours on site we headed into Ablitas where we found a bar and had a couple of coffee's and a sausage tapa's breakfast whilst watching the clouds of Common Swifts chasing around the plaza, 150+ birds in total making quite a racket which was wonderful to hear.
We returned to the same site and spent another 3 hours there but apart from hearing several birds calling, one of which was close to where we parked we didn't get any sightings this time, on the drive into the site we picked up  Grayling (Hipparchia semele), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus),  Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia),European Bee-eaterWestern Orphean WarblerCorn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
 Thyme-leaved Rockrose (Fumana thymifolia).

 Montpellier Coris (Coris monspeliensis).
Shrubby Gromwell (Lithodora fruticosa).
Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata).
Carduus nigrescens ????
Carduus nigrescens ????
 Rough Star-Thistle (Centaurea aspera).
Centaurea bofilliana ????????
Echium asperrimum.
White Stonecrop (Sedum album).
On the verge we also found several plant species including 
Shrubby Gromwell (Lithodora fruticosa), White Stonecrop (Sedum album), Brown Bells (Dipcadi serotinum), Rough Star-Thistle (Centaurea aspera), Carduus nigrescens, Echium asperrimumThyme-leaved Rockrose (Fumana thymifolia), Montpellier Coris (Coris monspeliensis), Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata), most still need names but I will work on that.
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Back up at the main spot we again parked on the main track, we saw 3 male Western Black-eared Wheatears (Collalba Rubia Occidental / Oenanthe hispanica), Short-toed Snake (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) before Deb went for a walk along the track and Ian and I got the chairs out and sat near the car and scanned the area adding Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).
Deb returned after adding a Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Alaudala rufescens) to her list, we then drove out a couple more KMs but apart from a very nice Moorish Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) in a roadside culvert we added nothing new so we headed out to the nearby Laguna del Lor where we walked the one side.
Small Red-eye (Erythromma viridulum).
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum).
As we walked we picked up Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum), Small Red-eye (Erythromma viridulum), Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Bath , Small and Large White (Pieris brassicae), Painted LadyRed Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Lulworth (Thymelicus acteon) and Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) insect wise.
Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).
Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon).
Bath White (Pontia daplidice).
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).
Birds seen included Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis),  Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Western Marsh HarrierBlack KiteCommon BuzzardMelodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Great (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus) and Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta).
We returned to the car and on our way back to the accommodation we called at a supermarket and then spent a while chilling after our early start. 
Just before dusk we headed out on some nearby tracks a found Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), Calandra LarkWestern Black-eared Wheatear and a fly over Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo).