Itinerary
21/5 Madrid airport -> Sepúlveda (Hoces del Duratón)
22/5 Sepúlveda -> Espinama (Picos de Europa)
23/5 Espinama -> Cares gorge (Picos de Europa)
24/5 Fuente De Cable Car (Picos de Europa)
25/5 Espinama woodlands (Picos de Europa)
26/5 Puerto San Glorio (Cantabria)
27/5. Espinama -> Villafafila -> Castronuno (Valladolid)
28/5 Castronuno -> Madrid Airport
Introduction
I decided I would treat myself to a weeks trip to Spain in May 2006. This was my first foreign birding trip (with a bit of Mountain walking thrown in).
The main object of the exercise was to get a few life ticks - but I’d wanted to have a closer look at the Picos de Europa, an area which had been beckoning me both as a birder and as a hill-walker for many years. I spent some time on the internet for info, reading lots of trip reports as well as trolling through “tourist”, walking, natural history, etc. sites, gathering together a good deal of useful info. I followed Joakim Djerf’s idea (Birdtours trip report - 13-26/5/2001)(excellent report, by the way!) and produced a wish-list of target species to try to give a focus and structure to the trip.
I bought a return ticket, on-line, with Easyjet - Bristol to Madrid - £54.- all-in including travel insurance and a hire car through Europcar for £107.- (pickup and drop off Madrid Airport. (Big Carbon Deficit which I now need to work off !!!)
I was very lucky with the weather – a bit of rain on one day in the Picos - although I found the heat in the middle of the day away from the mountains to be very debilitating (what do you expect in the middle of Spain in spring? - says you!) Most of the time I stayed at the Hostal Remona in Espinama which at €19.- per night for an en-suite room was good value. Smart & clean with very friendly staff. I found the food at the hostal and elsewhere acceptable - this wasn’t intended as a gourmet outing and I didn’t go hungry! My last night was spent at the only hotel in Castronueno (I can’t even remember the name!!) nowhere near as nice as Hostal Remona and more expensive. If you’re over-nighting in that vicinity there’s more choice in Toro and its not far away.
Target species:
Life ticks - * in the text
Dupont's Lark
Calandra Lark
Wallcreeper
Black Woodpecker
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Great Bustard
Bonelli's Eagle
Lesser Kestrel
Red-necked Nightjar
Azure-winged Magpie
Black–bellied Sandgrouse
Pintail Sandgrouse
Little Bustard
Sunday 21/5
17:35 - Arrived Madrid. I found getting from Madrid Airport on to the NI a nightmare, in spite of map and directions from the hire-car office. In the end, after several false starts and wrong exits, I left Madrid on the NII - direction N East for Zaragossa – turned to the north on the N320 just before Guadalajara and reconnected with the NI – not recommended - but it worked for me! Continued north on NI until I found the exit signposted Riaza & Sepúlveda and then followed the signs for Sepúlveda.
Had no problem locating the right turn to Villaseca at the ouskirts of Sepulveda and subsequently finding my way on to the track to Ermita de San Frutos and El Parque Natural del Duratón. Didn’t see much bird-life en-route (eyes on the road!!) – lot of Wood Pigeons and Starlings (spotless ??) an occasional Black Kite and a couple of White Storks * following a plough (my first tick!).
20:40 Setting off down the “Ermita” track, in a very short space of time I had seen Hoopoe and had cracking views of male Black-eared Wheatear *, singing Calandra Lark*, Crested Lark, Short Toed Lark*, Skylark and Thekla Lark*. A thrilling start to the trip – five life ticks!
During my research on the internet I had repeatedly listened to the call of Dupont’s Lark included in Ian Reid’s excellent report (http://www.robots.ox.ac.uk/~ian/Birding/Spain/Text/report.html) and really felt I had got to grips with the distinctive sound – to no avail !!! I spent the next hour or so until it was no longer light enough to see and failed to pick up the call amongst the songs and calls of other larks.
I slept in the car in the car-park at the end of the track – in sight of the Ermita – I didn’t see any point in seeking a room & bed if I wanted to be up and searching before dawn.
Monday 22/5
I was out and about before 0630 the next morning in grey, overcast and blustery conditions (and my wife had scoffed at me for packing woolly hat and gloves – for Spain, in May!!). A lot of leg work and driving up and down the track failed to produce the aforementioned Dupont’s Lark in any of the obvious and likely spots. Bearing in mind the success of so many others at this site, in the many online reports I read, I can only put down my singular lack of success to my own inexperience. No matter – I had a good few hours birding along the route with more superb views of Calandra Lark (right beside the car), singing Greater Short Toed Lark, both male and female Black-eared Wheatear as well as Crested, Thekla and Sky –lark, a stunning pair of Woodchat Shrike and numerous small flocks of Chough. Finally abandoning my search for Dupont’s Lark, I set off for the Ermita and the gorge. Immediately after leaving the car-park I had a Tawny Pipit * on a small area of tilled ground and four Woodlarks over. The next couple of hours was a real feast for me – Serin*, Rock Bunting, Rock Sparrow*, a handsome singing male Blue Rock Thrush, not to mention large numbers of spectacularly close Griffon Vultures in flight. The best bird of the morning was undoubtedly the adult Booted Eagle* that drifted down the gorge at eye level. Other birds making up the avian cast of El Parque Natural del Duratón:- Black Redstart, Goldfinch, Linnet, Chough and Raven. I reluctantly departed from the Gorge and headed for Sepulveda for a much belated breakfast and coffee, on the way ticking off Beeaters occupying the overhead power-lines.
The journey on to the Picos de Europa was still rather lengthy and on the way I added Common Buzzard, Swift, Swallow, Chaffinch, Starling, more Black Kites, lots more Griffon Vultures and 2 more White Storks.
Found Hostal Remona in Espinama a few kilometres short of the Fuente De cable car station and after a quick trip to look at the head of the valley enjoyed a much needed shower, beer and meal.
Tuesday 23/5
The weather dawned a bit overcast and I wasn’t up as early as I would have chosen so I took the decision to make this my “Cares Gorge” day. I didn’t expect this outing to produce many birds but it was a walk recommended as an enjoyable introduction to what the Picos have to offer the hill-walker and rambler. I started from the northern end at Poncebos and walked the gorge both ways in “cloudy-bright” conditions and a fresh breeze. I was rewarded with good views of 5 Alpine Swifts, 2 pairs of Rock Buntings along with Chough, Black Redstart, Chaffinch, Blackcap, Griffon Vulture, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail and 2 Spotted Flycatchers. The riverine woodland at the foot of the gorge offered calling Firecrest (unseen) and what I took to be calling Black Woodpecker, but my efforts to locate either failed.
Wednesday 24/5
This was to be my “high Picos” day and it dawned bright and sunny and cloudless. The cable-car at Fuente De does not commence until 10:00 so I embarked on a leisurely stroll by the pleasant back road from Espinama through Pido to the bottom station. On route I was treated to Red Backed Shrike, Serin, Jay, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit and House Sparrow.
The cable car takes an exhilarating 4 minutes or so to deposit you at an altitude of 1800 metres. A stroll north along an obvious, well-trodden, “highway” produced a fleeting glimpse of an Egyptian Vulture* followed by Water Pipit and Black Redstart by the ‘handful’. Branched left under the imposing cliffs of Pena Vieja and headed to the snow-line for the Picos specialities. The ultimate prize gave in remarkably easily – before I had chance to set up my ‘scope I heard the unmistakeable whistle call of Wallcreeper * and for the next hour or so I was entranced by splendid views on both cliff and scree of male and female Wallcreeper. Closer views would have been nice but that would be greedy – the views I did get were prolonged and gave ample opportunity to study the birds in detail. Alpine Accentor and Snowfinch (– a single bird at some distance) were a much appreciated supporting act and the flocks of Alpine and Red-billed Chough a pleasant diversion.
I met, by chance, the ecologist for the National Park who directed me to the other side of the Pena Vieja spur, above the Refuge de Aviles, for a better chance of Snowfinch and I was rewarded with superb close views of both sexes airborne and feeding on the ground in good numbers. Added to this were Water Pipit, Black Redstart and Northern Wheatear and a sizeable flock of Isard browsing in the old quarry below.
The walk back down to Espinama via the Refuge de Aviles and the broadleaf woodland and alpine meadows was disappointing – Buzzard, Meadow Pipit, Blackbird, Wren, Chaffinch, Robin, Song Thrush, Kestrel and Bullfinch. A somewhat anticlimactic finish to an otherwise “red-letter” day!!
Thursday 25/5
A hot, sunny, day and a trip in to the woods north of Espinama. Not the success I hoped for, it did produce good and prolonged views of Western Bonelli’s Warbler* but not the hoped for Black and Middle Spotted Woodpecker. I had to be content with a drumming Great Spotted along with brief views of Firecrest. Other birds:- Buzzard, Meadow Pipit, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Wren, Blue and Great Tit, Chaffinch, Pied Flycatcher, Serin, Robin, Common Cuckoo. On the distant cliffs – Griffon Vulture, Alpine and Red-billed Chough, Raven and distant possible Booted Eagle.
In the afternoon I went to Bejes and, almost on cue, was treated to stunning close up views of a fly-by Egyptian Vulture. Shortly after which I found a Short-toed Treecreeper *. I also saw Black Redstart, Stonechat, Water Pipit, Yellowhammer, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Kestrel, more Griffon Vultures and Alpine Choughs.
Friday 26/5
A run to the very pleasant San Glorio pass in the morning - lovely alpine meadows and great views to the Picos from the summit. A walk around the area produced – Rock Bunting, Serin, Linnet, Dunnock, Whitethroat, a soaring Egyptian Vulture and an overflying Short-Toed Eagle. also Stonechat, singing Yellowhammer and Tree Pipit with Griffon Vultures, common swifts and crag martins above. To the village of Tudes and a walk through the Holm oak woods in the afternoon produced Black Redstart and Redstart in the village along with Cirl Bunting, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Robin, Buzzard and Kestrel. A very smart male Red-backed Shrike, Bullfinch, Egyptian Vulture, Booted Eagle and a calling Cuckoo were also encountered.
Saturday 27/5
Departed from Espinama and the Picos de Europa at 06.30 heading for Villafafila. A rapid and straightforward journey arriving in the Villafafila area at about 10.15. The birds noted en-route were Starling, House Sparrow, Black Kite, Griffon Vulture, with lots of Crested Larks along the road-side verges. I was greeted by a female Montagu’s Harrier quartering the cereal fields and Beeaters decorating the telegraph wires. It didn’t take long to locate a female Great Bustard* on a field track just north of the approach road exactly where recommended on the “Ornithomedia” webpage http://www.ornithomedia.com/pratique/voyages/voyage_art56_1.htm Not particularly good views but a good start! The whole area is good but particularly the environs of the Laguna Grande viewed from the Observation post, South-East of the laguna, P5 on the Ornithomedia map, where, in relative comfort (in the shade!!), I watched Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull and Gull-billed Tern*. On the lagoons I noted many Mallard along with a few Gadwall and one male Pochard. The close by Pigeonnier had 4/5 Lesser Kestrels* male and female, quite clearly nesting and another nearby ruin accommodated a Little Owl. The area abounded with House Sparrows and more Crested Larks as well as Corn Bunting. Raptors were well represented with, in addition to the Lesser Kestrels, 3 or 4 Montagu’s Harrier - both Male and female, Marsh Harriers, Buzzard, Black Kite and the predicted pale breasted Short-toed Eagle on a telegraph post. Further searching of fields adjacent to the numerous tracks that criss-cross the area produced further good, but fairly distant, views of both male and female Great Bustard along with a fantastic close up view of a male Montagu’s Harrier on the ground.
I left the Villafafila area at about 13.00 and headed south for Castronuno. I was beginning to run out of time and thought my best chance of the other hoped-for Steppe species – Little Bustard and Sandgrouse - was at Castronuno (wrong!!). Castronuno is good, but I found it a very frustrating area to work – there was much more cultivated land than I had expected (don’t know why) and birding the area in the heat was very draining. The area of holm-oak ‘park-land’ in the bend of the river produced terrific close up views of both Azure-winged Magpie* and both sexes of Golden Oriole along with Woodchat Shrike, Cirl Bunting, Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow and Crested Lark. In the reed beds fringing the river I watched both sexes of Marsh Harrier, Reed Warbler and Great Reed Warbler. There were nesting White Stork, Great Crested Grebe and Mallard on the water. I had a brief view of a “Spanish” Yellow Wagtail whilst Hoopoe were common and European Bee-eater positively numerous along the over-head cables. I had very brief aerial views of a Roller and, later, a Great Spotted Cuckoo from the car but, frustratingly, lengthy searches in both cases failed to re-locate either bird. The area of water immediately upstream from the dam attracted large numbers of hirundines including Crag Martins. All my searching of the area north of the dam, within the bend of the river, failed to produce any of the hoped for steppe species.
Sunday 28/5
Sunday morning and an early start to try to get as much birding in before the dash to Madrid Airport. Many of the same species as yesterday were observed again, I managed to add Nightingale and Purple Heron* with really good views both in flight and stationary, but no small herons to add to my list – I failed to locate the heronry reported to exist in the area! The gravel banks in the river bed downstream from the dam produced half a dozen Little Ringed Plover. As for my Sandgrouse sp. and Stone Curlew – they’re going to keep for another trip!! The highlight of my final few hours birding was really close clear views of a singing Melodious Warbler* on top of a bramble thicket.
From Castronuno it’s a straightforward motorway/toll road run back to Madrid and the, well signposted (!!), Airport. 2½ hours journey time with time to check in and have a coffee before my flight back to Bristol.
Gadwall, Villafafila
Mallard, fairly Common Castronueno and Villafafila
Shoveler, Villafafila
Pochard, 1 male Villafafila
Great Crested Grebe, castronueno
Cormorant, Castronueno
Grey Heron, Castronueno
Purple Heron, Castronueno
White Stork, fairly common
Black Kite, Very common
Egyptian Vulture, singles – Fuente De, Bejes, San Glorio Pass
Griffon Vulture, Very common almost everywhere
Short-toed Eagle, Villafafila and San Glorio Pass
Marsh Harrier, Villafafila, Castronueno
Montagu's Harrier, Villafafila
Common Buzzard, Quite common
Booted Eagle, Sepulveda, San Glorio Pass
Lesser Kestrel, Villafafila
Kestrel, Sepulveda, Espinama
Great Bustard, Villafafila
Black-winged Stilt, Villafafila
Avocet, Villafafila
Little Ringed Plover, Castronueno
Ringed Plover, Villafafila
Lapwing, villafafila
Black Headed Gull, Villafafila
Gull-billed Tern, Villafafila
Wood Pigeon, Common almost everywhere
Great Spotted Cuckoo, fleeting glimpse Castronueno
Cuckoo, Espinama
Little Owl, Villafafila
Common Swift, common
Alpine Swift, Cares Gorge
Bee-eater, Sepulveda, Villafafila, Very common in Castronueno
Roller, v briefly Castronueno
Hoopoe, Sepulveda, Villafafila and Castronueno
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Espinama
Calandra Lark, Sepulveda
Short-toed Lark, Sepulveda
Crested Lark, Common almost everywhere
Wood Lark, 4 in flight - Sepulveda
Skylark, Common Sepulveda
Thekla Lark, Sepulveda
Sand Martin, Castronueno
Crag Martin, Sepulveda and Castronueno
Barn Swallow, Quite Common
House Martin, common
Tawny Pipit, Sepulveda
Tree Pipit, San Glorio Pass
Meadow Pipit, Espinama
Water Pipit, above Fuente De
Yellow Wagtail, castronueno
Grey Wagtail, occasional in Picos, Cares Gorge
White Wagtail, common everywhere
Wren, Common
Dunnock, San Glorio Pass
Alpine Accentor, 1 Picos de Europa
Robin, Common
Nightingale, Castronueno
Black Redstart, fairly common
Common Redstart, 1 Bejes
Stonechat, common
Northern Wheatear, Few Sepulveda, Picos de Europa
Black-eared Wheatear, Sepulveda
Blue Rock Thrush, 1 Sepulveda
Blackbird, fairly common everywhere
Song Thrush, Picos de Europa area
Reed Warbler, Castronueno
Great Reed Warbler, Castronueno
Melodious Warbler, Castronueno
Blackcap, common
Garden Warbler, Espinama
Whitethroat, San Glorio Pass
Western Bonelli's Warbler, Espinama
Chiffchaff, few Espinama
Firecrest, Espinama
Spotted Flycatcher, Espinama, Cares Gorge
Pied Flycatcher, Espinama
Coal Tit, Espinama
Blue Tit, Common in north areas
Great Tit, fairly common in Picos Area
Nuthatch, Espinama
Wallcreeper, 2 above Fuente De
Short-toed Treecreeper, Bejes
Golden Oriole, Castronueno
Red backed Shrike, Espinama, Tudes
Woodchat Shrike, Sepulveda, Castronueno
Jay , few in Picos valleys
Magpie, common
Azure-winged Magpie, Castronueno
Red-billed Chough, Sepulveda, Fuente De, Espinama
Alpine Chough, above Fuente De
Jackdaw, common in some areas
Carrion Crow, Common in most areas
Raven, Sepulveda, above Fuente De, Villafafila
Spotless Starling, common
House Sparrow, common in villages
Tree Sparrow, Castronueno
Rock Sparrow, Ermita de San Frutos
Chaffinch, common
Serin, common
Greenfinch, Quite common
Goldfinch, common in many areas
Linnet, Common in some areas
Bullfinch, Espinama
Yellowhammer, Bejes, San Glorio Pass
Cirl Bunting, San Glorio Pass, Castronueno
Rock bunting, Ermita de San Frutos, San Glorio Pass
Corn Bunting, common Villafafila, Castronueno
Snowfinch, above Fuente De & Refuge de Aviles -Picos de Europa area