Cueva El Soplao, San Vicente de la Barquera, Near El Tejo and Comillas and Suances, Cantabria.

A morning under ground and an afternoon on the coast.

A view of the Pico's from the caves.

Jayne and I drove west along the coast and the down to Cueva el Soplao, on the way near San Vicente we saw a couple of Mute Swans (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and just as we arrived at the caves a male Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula) which flew up from the roadside. 

Another view of the Pico's from the caves.

Once at the caves we booked in and then had a walk around whilst we waited for the 11:00 tour. 

The mine train.

Around the area I found Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

San Vicente de la Barquera from the road to the castle.

At 11:00 we met our guide and then entered the mine / cave on an old mine train which was great but was nothing compared to the caves themselves which were amazing with the special formations called Helictites of calcite and a great many other interesting rocks.

San Vicente de la Barquera again.

Later we went up to the coast and had a walk along the sea front at San Vicente de la Barquera where we had a walk along the estuary and then up to the Castle above the town where we had some nice views. 

San Vicente de la Barquera.

Later we had some lunch in a nice bar in the town before walking back to the car, I also had a look at the long bridge over the river. 

Jayne with a glass of WATER.

During the walk up to the castle and along the estuary I saw Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Curlew (Zaoaito Real / Numenius arquata), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluviali squatarola) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

San Vicente de la Barquera.

We moved on after a nice visit to this nice town and went towards Comillas but made a stop at a spot over the river near El Tejo where I picked up Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and a couple of Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos). 

 Mute Swans (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) at San Vicente de la Barquera.

Also seen here was a bird which I could not work out but it looked very like a male North American Black Duck (Ánade Sombrío / Anas rubripes ) but I will never know what it was as a male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) flew in and flushed everything.

Northern Pintails (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).

We moved on again to Comillas but it was getting on so we decided to head back to the hotel and return in the morning. Later in the evening we returned to Suances and had some food and a couple of drinks before turning in.

Travelling to Santillana del Mar, Playa de Tagle and Playa de Suances, Cantabria.

Travelling to the North Coast.

A sun set with the Pico's in the distance.

Jayne and I said our goodbyes to Santi and Howard and thanked them for a superb few days in Silos. We then started out for Burgos and onwards to the motorway North but it was not long before Santi and Howard passed up also heading for Burgos. 

Near Suances.

On the minor roads we saw several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) just north of Covarrubias along with Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Iberian Green (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Playa de Tagle.

Once we had checked in at our hotel in the village of Santillana called the Altamira before we went for a walk on the beach at Playa de Tagle where I saw Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Rocks on Playa de Tagle.

We moved a bit further along the coast looking for something for lunch and we dropped very lucky when we had a menu del dia at La Duna on the playa at Suances, one of the best I have ever had.

Jayne near Suances.

Later we had a nice walk along the seafront where I saw Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

A Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) on Suances sea front.

We went back to the hotel and then went for a walk around the town and eventually found a bar that was open and had a couple of drink and some food before turning in.

Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) in the port at Suarces.

Santo Domingo de Silos, Sad Hill Cemetery, San Pedro de Arlanza Monastery and Covarrubias, Burgos Province.

A day out and about in the fog, cloud and rain with Jayne, Santi and Howard.

A view over Sad Hill.

As usual I started the day with a walk with Patch and picked up a few species including Iberian Green (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Rock (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major) as well as two very smart Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) out on the fields.

Sad Hill.

After the walk we went up to the Sad Hill Cemetery where 51 years ago they filmed the classic movie the Good, the Bad and the Ugly a film I have always enjoyed. The area was wet and there was lots of low cloud but it was a great spot and with all the ancient Juniper trees surround the site it was very atmospheric.

Santi and Patch.

Later we went to a wood gorge where Santi showed us some cliffs with lots of Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and on the track there and back we also saw a Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and a group of Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

The entrance to Sad Hill.

We then went to out second Good, the Bad and the Ugly location which was at the Monastery of San Pedro de Arlanza but unfortunately it was closed so we had a quick look around outside as it had started to drizzle.

Sad Hill.

Our next stop was in the village of Covarrubias, a very nice place on the river Arlanza where we had a very nice lunch, did some shopping and had a walk along the river.

Patch having a sniff at Sad Hill.

Later we went back to Santi's and had a quiet afternoon and a very nice evening meal.

Sad Hill.

Sad Hill.

Ancient Juniper tree with Santi and Howard sheltering.

San Pedro de Arlanza Monastery.

Covarrubias.

Santo Domingo de Silos, Burgos Province.

A rest day, just out walking Patch.

After the festival yesterday we had a quiet day around the house and the only thing I did was sort the photographs out and take patch out a couple of times. During these walks I saw Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) x3, Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Cirl (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and  House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus). 

We did make an attempt to get to the Sad Hill Cemetery where the final Gun Fight in the movie The Good, the Bad and the Ugly was filmed but the snow make the track dangerous so we gave in and returned to Santi's nice warm house.

Santo Domingo de Silos, Burgos Province.

A brilliant day at the Fiesta de Los Jefes in Santo Domingo de Silos with Jayne, Santi and Howard.

Santi's family all ready for the Fiesta.

Santi in a traditonal black cape for the parade.

I started the day with a walk with Patch down to the camping ground where I saw Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Cirl (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax). Later back at Santis I was watching the birds in the garden when I notice all the Feral Pigeons (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) from the Monastrey roof were flying around agitated, I then saw a rather large female Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) make several passes over the village which explained why the Pigeon were so unhappy.

Getting drinks and food at one of the Captains houses.

The Fiesta started at 12:00 when everyone met in the main square and then made their way around the village calling in at several houses to collect the Captains of the Parade and to have drinks and cakes/sweets at each stop before going to the Monastry and then returning to the square for more drinks and cakes at the hotel.

Jayne and Howard having a drink in the main square.

Later in the afternoon we went back down to a spot just of the main square recommended by Santi to watch the Las Crestas, which is basically lots of men and women on horses riding around a track in the cobbled streets trying to pull the head of a dead chicken which is on a rope over the road. It sounds awful but is much better than it used to be many many years ago as the chicken was alive back then and today the chicken is used afterwards and not wasted. They only use a couple of chickens but the show continues for some time as they replace the bird with many lengths of Chorizo and the riders continue to try and get them but the guys on the rope give it a tug to make things harder.

Later in the day we were out again for the fires in the streets and the parade of the torch carrying gangs on foot and horses. The evening finished with soup around the fire in the main square. A brilliant day which we enjoyed very much, thank you Santi for inviting us up to watch this event.

This Captain spent a lot of time throwing his flag around during the day.

The Captains outside the Monastery.

Trying to get the Chorizo.

A winner.

One of the Captains.

Going for the Chicken.

Night time torch carriers.

More torches.

and even more.

Around the fire in the main square at the end of a great day.

Santo Domingo de Silos and Lerma, Burgos Province.

A visit to a Bodega for Jayne's Birthday and a couple of long dog walks.

Lerma Parador.

I started the day with a long walk up the hill behind the house with Patch in the snow, during the walk I picked up 3x Bramblings (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) mixed in with a larger flock of Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs). During the walk I also saw Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), a female Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) and several Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Plaza de Santa Clara, Lerma.

Both Patch and I returned rather damp, I sorted my self out and then Santi, Howard, Jayne and I went out to celebrate Jayne's birthday with a visit to Lerma where after a walk around part of the old town we called at Bodegas Sierra and had a very pleasant and educational tour as well as a few tasters and lessons in how to drink wine properly. Thanks to Santi and Howard for sorting this.

The view from Plaza de Santa Clara, Lerma.

The wine was great and we bought a few bottles for the future, we drunk a bottle with our evening meal at Santi's and a bottle which the guy at the Bodega gave Jayne for her birthday we consumed shortly after getting and it was very good.

The beautiful birthday girl in Plaza de Santa Clara, Lerma.

Some of the wine.

Having a great time.

A lesson in how to drink wine properly.

Santi looking for a straw.

A glass or two.

The lesson continues.

Travelling North to Santo Domingo de Silos, Burgos Province.

A long drive to see friend Santi and Howard.

Jayne and I set off for a long drive north to Santo Demingo de Silos where we were going to be staying with Santi and Howard for a few days. On the drive to Madrid I saw Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), lots of Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

North of the capital European Black (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major),  Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis), Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis).

We arrived at Santo Domingo and once we were settled in we went for a walk with Santi, Howard and Patch down to the camp site and then up through the town, during the walk I saw Grey  (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone). Once we were back at the house we had a very nice evening meal and a drink or two before a good nights sleep.

Laguna Grande, Arroya Marin, Fuente de Piedra and Teba Gorge, Malaga Province.

Day two with Sheila and Denis over in Malaga Province.

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Today we were heading a little further out and over into Malaga Province starting with a quick visit to Laguna Grande, the water levels were low but better than I had expected and we soon found Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Our next stop was at Arroya Marin where we were looking for woodland species, we parked and walked along the river near the entrance picking up Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

We moved further along the valley and walked along another stretch of river and the list grew with  Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and  Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).

We moved on and made our way to Fuente de Piedra, on the entrance road we stopped and checked the pool which held a little water and a few birds including Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Once we parked we went to the mirador around the back and scanned the main salt lake, way out on the very dry looking lake we saw a very small number Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), lots of Gulls, several Shelducks (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

Round at the hides we had a few more nice species including a couple of White-headed Ducks (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and as we were walking back to the mirador we heard the arrival of a couple of hundred Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

We left the reserve and headed off around the western side of the lake making our way towards Teba seeing a nice Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) sat on a roadside post and a little further on we had Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and a couple of Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

At the raptor watch point near Teba we had good numbers of Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), a pair of displaying Peregrine Falcons (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and a few Bath Whites (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Later in the Gorge we picked up a few more very nice species including Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) along with Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

We finished the walk and returned to the car and then made our way back to the hotel where I said goodbye to Sheila and Denis, they were staying at the Cortijo again and then they where moving on south down to Penny and John Hales in Casares.

Thank you to Sheila and Denis for your support and company for the two days.