Cambarco, Los Llanos, Estación Inferior and Estación Superior y alrededores at Fuente Dé, Cantabria, Spain.

A successful day up in the High Mountains. 

Deb and Ian, Day Forty Nine.

Ebird List for Cambarco. 

Ebird List for Los Llanos.

Ebird List for Estación Inferior, Fuente Dé.

Ebird List for Estación Superior y alrededores. 

 

I woke at about 05:00 and could hear a Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco) calling from my room which was a very nice start to the day and a year tick.

Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada).

We sat out on the terrace and had breakfast, whilst we did this we saw Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris).

 Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

We Started to make our way up towards Fuente De to get the Cable Car up to the tops but as we were early we called in at Los Llanos and checked an area of old Walnut Trees hoping to find Middle-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Mediano / Dendrocopos medius) but we didn't see or even hear on unfortunately, however we did find Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Eurasian Blackcap, Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Redstart, Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Looking up to the tops.

We pushed on up to the Estación Inferior at Fuente Dé and as we were there well before the ticket office opened so we went for a coffee and chatted with 3 very pleasant ladies from Belgium, we then sat on a bench on the car park where we saw a family of Song Thrushes. 

Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).

We queued and found that we couldn't get up high until 12:30 so we went for a walk up into the woods, as we walked we saw and heard Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Great, Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Marsh (Carbonero Palustre / Poecile palustris) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla), Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Wren, Common Chaffinch and European Serin.

Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla).

We returned to the Queue and the guy on the gate let us through a little earlier than the ticket time and we were up on the tops before 12:00 and started to headed out, just outside the buildings there were large numbers of noisy school children but just a short way into the walk we had the first of around 14 Alpine Accentors (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris), this one was right in amongst the children.

Looking back down to the lower station.

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

We continued on after getting some photos and watching a nice group of Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).

Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).

Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).

Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).

On the walk out we picked up Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax) and Eurasian Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Pyrenean Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana occidentalis).

Pink Sandwort (Arenaria purpurascens). 

 Rock Candytuft (Iberis saxatilis).

 Alpine Lady's-Mantle (Alchemilla alpina).

Fairy Foxglove (Erinus alpinus).

Rock Jasmine (Androsace villosa).

Matted Globularia (Globularia repens).

We also had many plants in flower which included Creeping Gromwell (Glandora prostrata), Pyrenean Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana occidentalis), Rock Candytuft (Iberis saxatilis), Fairy Foxglove (Erinus alpinus), Rock Jasmine (Androsace villosa), Iberian Greenweed (Genista legionensis), Matted Globularia (Globularia repens), Alpine Lady's-Mantle (Alchemilla alpina) and Pink Sandwort (Arenaria purpurascens).

At the next junction.

The crags.

White-winged Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

Alpine Toadflax (Linaria alpina ssp. filicaulis).

Alpine Toadflax (Linaria alpina ssp. filicaulis).

Euphorbia pyrenaica.

We reached the junction in the track and turned left, along the scree slopes we saw our first White-winged Snowfinches (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis), more Alpine Accentor, Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Alpine Toadflax (Linaria alpina ssp. filicaulis), Euphorbia pyrenaica and others before we reached the next junction where we stopped and spent at least three hours in this area watching the crags and boulders.

Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).

Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).

Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).

Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).

Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax).

As we sat there more Alpine Choughs came in to check us out and we had several sightings of a male Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria), at one point it sat on the top of the crag and sang for a few seconds.

Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria).

Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria).

Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria).

Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria).

Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria).

Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria) singing.

Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria).

As we sat there we also saw a Northern Raven which came in quite close, several White-winged Snowfinches and more Alpine Accentors.

The view on the way back.

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

White-winged Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

On our walk back towards the Cable Car we spent some time photographing the plants and Deb hung back trying to get the Snowfinch, when we got to the Cable Car buildings there was quite a queue but whilst we waited we found Catalonian Wall Lizard (Podarcis liolepis), Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) and Anemone pavoniana, it didn't take too long to get down and then we headed back to the accommodation. 

Catalonian Wall Lizard (Podarcis liolepis).

Catalonian Wall Lizard (Podarcis liolepis).

Anemone pavoniana.

Lagunas de Pitillas in Navarre, along the N-623 in Castilla y León and Cambarco, Cantabria, Spain.

A Morning on the wetlands and then up into the mountains.

Deb and Ian, Day Forty Eight.

Ebird List for Lagunas de Pitillas.

Ebird List for  N-623 in Castilla y León. 

 

Bearded Tit (Reedling) (Bigotudo / Panurus biarmicus) male.

We left the accommodation in a Olite and we were down on the Laguna early again and soon sat in our chairs and almost the first birds we saw were a group of Bearded Tits (Reedling) (Bigotudo / Panurus biarmicus) as they swept across the reed tops at high speed and then disappeared into their depths but Deb still managed a shot.

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

Other bird species included at least 3 Great Bitterns (Avetoro Común / Botaurus stellaris) one which was seen and 2 more booming, Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix),  Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Grey (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Western Marsh (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Calandra (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra) and Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Great Reed (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus) and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis). 

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Other species seen were Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum), Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii), Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Red-veined (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Catalonian Wall Lizard (Podarcis liolepis) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi). 

By 10:00ish we decided to move on as it was getting warm and we had a bit of a drive over towards the Pico's de Europa area, on our way north west towards the Pico's we made a stop on the side of the N-623 which looked good for Tree Pipit (Bisbita Arbóreo / Anthus trivialis), a species still needed for the trip and my year list.

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

We crossed the road and soon started by finding a couple of Orchids species, the first looks like Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea) and the second was Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora) before we found a singing Tree Pipit sat in a tall Pine tree.

Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora).

Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora).

In the same area we also found Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and a male Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus).

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera).

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Lizard Orchid (Himanthoglosum hircinum).

Lizard Orchid (Himanthoglosum hircinum).

We also saw Bee (Ophrys apifera), Lizard (Himanthoglosum hircinum) and Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia), White Flax (Linum suffruticosum), Tuberous Meadow-Rue (Thalictrum tuberosum), Bath Asparagus (Ornithogalum pyrenaicum), Small Blue (Cupido minimus), De Prunner's Ringlet (Erebia triarius) and Meadow Fritillary (Melitaea parthenoides) x3.

White Flax (Linum suffruticosum).

Tuberous Meadow-Rue (Thalictrum tuberosum).

Bath Asparagus (Ornithogalum pyrenaicum).

Small Blue (Cupido minimus).

Small Blue (Cupido minimus).

Small Blue (Cupido minimus).

Small Blue (Cupido minimus).

De Prunner's Ringlet (Erebia triarius).

Meadow Fritillary (Melitaea parthenoides).

Meadow Fritillary (Melitaea parthenoides).

Meadow Fritillary (Melitaea parthenoides).

We continued on and reached our accommodation near Potes in Cambarco which was very nice and in a cracking location. 

At the accommodation we picked up Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Barn Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Swallow, Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Black (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).