Puerto de Santoña and Observatorio de La Arenilla in Cantabria, Puerto de Menga whilst driving South to Finca La Sayuela in the Sierra de Gredos, Ávila, Spain.

A damp morning around Santoña and a long drive down to the beautiful Sierra de Gredos. 

Deb and Ian, Day Fifty Two.

Ebird List for Puerto de Santoña.

Ebird List for Observatorio de La Arenilla.

Ebird List for Puerto de Menga.

 

We started the day by popping into view the Marisma de Joyel but it was quiet and we only recorded Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) so we continued on into Santoña where we got some breakfast and then checked the Port area and walked down to the Bullring seeing Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiático / Haematopus ostralegus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba). 

As the weather didn't look like it was going to improve much we made a stop at the Observatorio de La Arenilla but it was quiet and we only added Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti).

Cinereous Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus).

The rain continued so we decided to drop south towards the Sierra de Gredos where we were going to spend a couple of nights at the wonderful Finca La Sayuela which is run by friend Keitha his wife Jane, on the way we picked up Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Cinereous Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), a flyby Eurasian Hobby (Alcotán Europeo / Falco subbuteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Calandra Lark (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron).

As we got into the Sierra de Gredos we stopped at Puerto de Menga for a drink and stretch of the legs, here we had a nice Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron) x2, a male Common Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) which was on rocks on the opposite side of the road.

Male Common Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).

We crossed the road to check out a really good looking area of grassland which had lots of butterflies, the commonest were Mazarine Blues (Cyaniris semiargus) x25+ at least, Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) x4, Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x3 and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x2.

Mazarine Blues (Cyaniris semiargus).

Mazarine Blues (Cyaniris semiargus).

Mazarine Blues (Cyaniris semiargus).

Mazarine Blues (Cyaniris semiargus).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

We again continued on and eventually reached the Finca where we were met by Keith who took us around to his terrace and we sat and chatted with a beer giving us time to chill, he then took us around to our Cottage where we had a fly passed  Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius).

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) Male.

Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus) Male.

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) Older Female.

After we were settled in Keith took us for a walk onto the hill above the Finca where we saw Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus), Beautiful (Calopteryx virgo) and Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens), Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa), Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus), Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) and Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) which Keith told us was a new species for the area.

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea).

Later we chilled back in the cottage which was very smart and turned in after a long day.