Navarredonda de Gredos / Pinares, Plataforma de Gredos / Senda de la Laguna Grande, Navarredonda de Gredos / Pinares, AV-941, San Martín del Pimpollar in Castilla y León, Spain.

A cracking days birding with Keith Hamilton from Gredos Nature / Finca La Sayuela.

Deb and Ian, Day Fifty Three.

Ebird List for Navarredonda de Gredos--Pinares.

Ebird List for Sierra de Gredos--Prado de las Pozas.

Ebird List for Navarredonda de Gredos--Pinares.

Ebird List for AV-941, San Martín del Pimpollar.

 

We left the wonderful Finca La Sayuela with Keith at 07.00 and headed for the Sierra de Gredos in search of a bird we had all wanted to see the Iberian subspecies of Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis) which has the completely blue throat.

A walk amongst the tall Pines.

We started the day in the Pine woodlands of Navarredonda de Gredos where we were looking for Citril Finch (Verderón Serrano / Carduelis citrinella) but we didn't have any luck, however we did find Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) and European Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus). 

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae).

Linaria elegans.

We continued on towards the Plataforma de Gredos, just before we arrived we made roadside stop as there were a good number of butterflies on the verge flowers, most were Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) but we also had a very nice Peacock (Aglais io), Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) and on the verge there was a new plant for me Linaria elegans.

Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).

Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).

We continued on up to the car park, got our kit sorted and then headed of along the path to Laguna Grande and almost straight away we had a very well-behaved Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) at the top end of the car park which was followed as we moved on by a distant male Common Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis), Rock (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

We reached an area of what could be Yellow Bridal Broom Retama sphaerocarpa) or one of another 20 odd possible species 😀😀😀😀😀 and we started to scan the bushes for the target Bluethroat, we found more Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Dunnocks, Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea), Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) another Booted Eagle and then another bird popped up onto the top of one of the bushes which was a stunning male Bluethroat, it sat there for around 30 seconds before dropping into cover again.

Iberian Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis).

Iberian Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis).

Iberian Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis).

Iberian Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis).

Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).

Very happy with this record we continued on a way along the track up to a small lake and wet area at Puente de las Pozas which crossed Garganta de las Pozas, on the rock by the bridge we saw a couple of the very smart lizard Iberolacerta cyreni ssp. castilliana which were new for me.

Iberolacerta cyreni ssp. castilliana.

Iberolacerta cyreni ssp. castilliana.

Iberolacerta cyreni ssp. castilliana.

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

We walked out and around the pools in the river, here we saw Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica), 6478 Eurrhypis pollinalis, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Small White (Pieris rapae), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Chaffinch and Ortolan Bunting.  

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

We dropped back down along the track to the car and then headed off to a spot along the Rio Tormes at the Área recreativa Tamborríos, on the way we stopped for a good lunch in Bar La Bodeguilla in Hoyos del Espino.

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

We continued on towards the woodlands but pulled into a lay-by at Navarredonda de Gredos when we saw a large Kettle of Vultures which contained mostly Griffon's (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and a couple of Cinereous Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus), on the buildings next to the road we added White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and on a small stream Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) and Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens).

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).

Once we arrived at the next spot we parked and did a loop walk along the Rio Tormes and then back along the road, along the river we saw Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula), Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus), Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene), Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis), Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata), Echium flavum, Hemlock Water-Dropwort (Oenanthe crocata) and Mountain Sandwort (Arenaria montana).

Hemlock Water-Dropwort (Oenanthe crocata).

 Hemlock Water-Dropwort (Oenanthe crocata). 

Echium flavum.

Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata).

Further round the walk we came into a more open area where we saw Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea celadussa), Queen of Spain, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) and Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera) which was very nice and behaved very nicely.

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera).

Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera).

Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera).

Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera).

We returned to the Woodlands where we were this morning to give the Finches another go but the results were the same on that front and we didn't add anything new so we headed back to the Finca picking up a pair of European Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus) on the way. 

European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).

Back at the Finca we had a very nice evening enjoying some food and a few beers with Keith and Jane on their terrace.

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 Keith and 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.