La Lancha, Sierra de Andújar Park Natural, Jaen Province, Spain.

Out into the Sierra de Andújar in search of the Iberian Lynx.

Ebird List for La Lancha.

 

Granite feeding troughs along the road out to the Lynx area.

We made a nice easy start to the day as the welcome over night rain was not going to clear until after lunch, on the drive up to Andújar we saw Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki).

A view on the opposite side of the road to the troughs near where we saw the female Lynx with a cub.

We made a quick stop at the Restaurante los Pinos where we had a coffee before we headed out to the Lynx area, on the way out we saw Iberian  Magpie, Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and some smart looking Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama).

Female behind the branches and cub in view.

As we continued on along the dirt on the way to the area we usually visit we were flagged down by a young Spanish Lad who was watching a female and young Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina), as we got out of the car we were lucky enough to see them both for just a few seconds before they disappeared from view.

Our watch point.

After thanking the guy for stopping us we continued on and reached the spot where we spent the rest of the day watching the ridges and the sky seeing Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Curruca undata), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Lynn and Steve just below the watch point.

Info board 1.

Info board 2.

During a couple of walks along the track Bath (Pontia daplidice) x1 and Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) x1, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x3, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x5, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x8+, Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus) x2, Angel's tears Narcissus (Narcissus coronatus), Common Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla), Iberian Milk-vetch (Astragalus lusitanicus ssp lusitanicus), Andalucian Wall Lizard (Podarcis vaucheri), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus).

Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica).

Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica).

Andalucian Wall Lizard (Podarcis vaucheri).

As we had said we would arrive at La Caracola by 18.00 we started to drive back at around 17.30 seeing a group of 5 Mouflon (Moflon / Ovis orientalis) on the way.

Angel's tears Narcissus (Narcissus coronatus).

Common Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla).

Iberian Milk-vetch (Astragalus lusitanicus ssp lusitanicus).

Iberian Milk-vetch (Astragalus lusitanicus ssp lusitanicus).

We arrived at La Caracola and were welcomed by Laura and then later we saw Ramón before having an evening meal and turning in.