Trip report Sierra de la Culebra April 2013

Trip report Sierra de la Culebra April 2013.

Subtitled: "And Sally saw a nun ...with a chainsaw!?"

Saturday 13th April.

With a Kestrel hovering overhead, John and I met Robert and Sally at Valladolid Gran Campo railway station in strong afternoon sunlight, and with the presence of Black Kite and White Stork soaring to the right of our vehicle as we left the city, plus a Crested Lark spotted by Sally in the industrial area  of Valladolid, all seemed very promising for the rest of the tour. But no-one could have predicted the wonderful views we were to be treated to this week! Noticing a Stonechat atop a pole at Villamajor,we were all ready for refreshments at Villalpando where we enjoyed tortilla whilst watching Spotless Starling, Common Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Corn Bunting and Northern Wheatear to the sound of  Skylark. Not a bad beginning!

Our entrance to the Villafafila nature reserve gave us Black Kite amid Storks with Red Kite above and pretty soon we were treated to Great Bustards on both sides of our track, intent on their lekking display. With their mutton-chop whiskers clearly visible drifting in the early evening breeze,the male Great Bustards were strutting around

believing themselves to be for all the world the most desirable must-have for any young female willing to notice them. Our attention was drawn away for a while to watch the easy flight of a male Montague's Harrier flying low over the fields,

until the Great Bustards,displaying and flying in large numbers demanded our attention once again. Robert and I were reminded of the lines from "Charge of the Light Brigade",as it seemed at one time as if we were almost surrounded by these huge birds:-

"Bustards to the right of them,
 Bustards to the left of them,
 Bustards in front of them,
 Volleyed and thundered,...

          Rode the six hundred."

     with apologies to Alfred Lord Tennyson.

As we walked along a side track in this wonderful reserve,now full of water birds after the recent spell of torrential rain has resurrected the previously thirsty lagoons, Robert pointed out Avocet and Lapwing, amongst Carrion Crow, Raven, Northern Wheatear and Crested Lark. Great Bustards were on all sides of us, plus a Gull-billed Tern and Montague's Harrier.

At the Observacion des Aves post we first saw Northern Wheatear on a close-by rock, and another Crested Lark with its crest full up in the low grass.It was a most profitable stop for bird sightings,which were male and female Sub-alpine Warbler, Willow Warbler, male and female Blackcap,Spotless Starling,White Stork,

Woodchat Shrike,Jackdaw, Coot, Shoveller,Marsh Harrier,Black-winged Stilt, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Magpie, Pochard and Little Ringed Plover. There was little peace in this countryside,with Stork bills clacking, frogs croaking,bees buzzing and amongst this we saw Gull-billed Terns and Great Bustards in flight.

As we spent some time in Otero de Sariegos we were able to savour the atmosphere of this part of the reserve amongst the Lesser Kestrel colonies. We also saw drake Shoveller, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Barn Swallow, Jackdaw, Cormorant , Lesser Black-backed Gull, Hoopoe, Black Redstart,House Sparrow and Spotless Starlings showing their "bubblegum feet" according to Sally and Robert. A couple of  Red-legged Partridge tried to run under our wheels as we left this haven, casting a farewell glance at the White Stork nesting on the old church steeple, surrounded by about 40 Lesser Kestrels flying in and out of their distinctive, former dovecote homes.

The holm oak landscape around the Rio Esla marked a change in habitat, and we stopped at the bridge to look at the sunset plus Pipistrelle Bats, Grey Heron and Crag Martin to the sound of a Cuckoo. It was dark when we spied the eyes and then the outline of a Fox at the entrance to the village. As Robert and Sally settled into their rooms before dinner, Stansted airport seemed a long way away !

Sunday 14th April.

Blue sky at 07:00,with light mist patches nestling into the lower ground. We set up our scopes at la pista with the valley resounding to the calls of Cuckoos. By 07:30 two Red Deer came into view,with Carrion Crow above. The Iberian Green Woodpecker joined in the morning bird calls, while two Wrens were throwing calls to each other very close to us and we enjoyed being part of their Spring morning ritual. We could hear Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker, plus watch a bold Dartford Warbler flying around our seats and it was soon obvious that there is always something happening,some situation being played out, if only we have the time to watch. By 09:00 we were enjoying the sight of two Roe Bucks in excellent light,having also spotted Dunnock, Mistle Thrush,Blackbird ,Coal Tit and  Jay whose piercing calls we had been listening to earlier. We left the deer grazing peacefully in the valley as we returned at 09:40 for breakfast, noting a Blackcap busily feeding on insects in the orchard at the hotel. Even when we needed to return to la pista for an impromptu visit to retrieve a lost room key a little later, there was a new sight for the tour, as a splendid male Bullfinch was perched on a top tree branch, looking very fine.

At 11:30 we began our stroll around the village very quickly registering Black Redstart on the hotel roof and Barn Swallow  in the sky. A Great Tit was very close to us in a little apple orchard, where we also heard a male Blackcap singing. Along the Paseo de Hirondelle we watched White Wagtail, Cock Linnet, Robin,Blue Tit and Songthrush, plus identifying Brimstone, Large White and Clouded Yellow Butterflies. An Iberian Wall Lizard on the cemetery wall was a hopeful sign for future reptile views this week,and we looked among the lichen-encrusted woods to find a Short-toed Tree Creeper.We found it! Plus Blue Tit,Blackcap,Jay, Common Buzzard,Hoopoe (foraging between the village goalposts)

 and Cirl Bunting. By the allotments we noted Goldfinch, male Stonechat along with several wild pansies and violets coming into bloom plus Holly Blue, Peacock and Green Hairstreak Butterflies. 

Fox scat was noted at a junction of tracks, and there were plenty of deer tracks. Sally and Robert were interested to watch a Green Tiger Beetle,which has extremely strong mandibles for its size I am informed! It didn't frighten us though!

A Raven was calling as we looked up to appreciate the clear,blue sky behind flurries of mimosa and we watched White Wagtail, Blackcap and a stunning Brimstone Butterfly to complete a relaxing and fruitful morning's stroll.

 After a tortilla lunch at Villardeciervos, we tracked along a former Roman road where we soon found some wolf scat which clearly showed wild boar hair. It was not particularly fresh however, but only a little way further along, some much fresher examples were found, again indicating a diet primarily of wild boar. Looking up we saw Woodchat Shrike and Woodlark, and Sally saw a beautiful Hen Harrier displaying over the short heather nearby, with a Black Kite further up in the cotton-wool clouds.The pond along this walk was very full and frogs were able to be seen but not with great detail as the muddy banks were well beneath the water,owing to the recent rainy weather. Such torrential rain had smoothed out  or submerged quite a few areas where prints could have been, and we had to walk some way along the track before Robert called out that he had some!

Certainly he had located some excellent tracks leading in both directions and all this near some more very fresh scat. There were also tracks from Red and Roe Deer. Add to these findings some clear sightings of Crossbill, Red-legged Partridge and Greenfinch and our walk had been very productive. We also looked at the destructive cocoons made by the Pine Processionary caterpillar, realising why the cuckoo was so successful in this area, with such a ready food source.Two Red-rumped Swallows were the

only note-worthy sight at a very waterlogged Boya viewpoint, and we returned to our hotel for a short rest before our evening's wolf watch,once again at la pista at 18:55.

With a slight breeze and very clear light,we began our watch to the sound of Dartford Warbler,Cuckoo and a gradual crescendo of croaking from frogs which could not be seen in the valley,but were certainly making themselves heard. This chorus continued sotto voce through the evening! Just after Sally had put us onto some magnificent Red Deer, Robert directed us all to a Wild Boar which was moving in and out of our vision owing to the various heights of the heather, but we were delighted to see this large creature move into lower vegetation and then trot out onto the track to give us a clear view for some considerable time. We enjoyed this view until he was once again lost in the undergrowth, but we were soon diverted by the Red Deer Stags enjoying a bit of a tussle, in preparation for the rut later this year.

A stroll through the village after dinner allowed us to appreciate the lack of light pollution in this area, as the stars were outstanding, and we noted the Pipistrelle Bats flying around the illuminated steeple.

Monday 15th April.

At 07:00 we set off for a wolf-watch at Ferreras, with the temperature a heady 6'C. Despite a bit of cloud cover, the stunning sunrise promised a clear morning's viewing and we settled to the sounds of Raven, Cuckoo and Roe Deer barks. Red Deer started to appear by about 08:00 and Robert noticed a Black Kite circling above. We enjoyed seeing Crossbills flying around our site with insistent Coal Tits making their presence known to us. Sally saw a stunning Iberian Grey Shrike and we returned to our hotel in good spirits, to learn that Wolf had been seen at la pista!

By 11:30 we were refreshed and ready for a trip to the medieval small town of Puebla de Sanabria. En route we stopped along the Boya/Cional road to check out la pista from  another angle, and saw White Wagtail, Chiff-chaff, Common Buzzard and Cuckoo plus some wolf scat. We had to spend some time at the village pond at Cional where a colony of Bee-eaters were just arriving after their migration.

We watched these stunning little birds in their iridescent plumage as they literally outshone the Jay, Cuckoo and Blackbird that were in the treetops for quite a while until Sally spotted an Iberian Tree Frog in the bank-side grasses. It was accommodating enough to pose for photographs but we left before causing it any undue stress. 

Several Red Deer ran across in front of our vehicle as we turned towards the direction of the embalse road, but as if to illustrate that it is very difficult to go anywhere quickly in Culebra, we came across a family's attempts to herd their cattle...and just had to stay and watch.

Mother, father and helpers were all involved very closely with these feisty, long-horned cows with their calves, plus the accompanying rather large bull, and a flighty Arab horse who in the manner of the beast seemed to enjoy creating disruption. All this to the stream of instructions shouted from a little boy of no more than 4 years old, from the relative safety of the back of their pick-up truck!

The embalse is a  good place to spot Crag Martin at close quarters and we saw these aerobatic masters along with White Wagtail, but a lot of our time was spent enjoying the scents of the herbs and the delicate beauty of the miniature pansies and forget-me-nots that graced the rocky edges here. We also saw Dartford Warbler, Sub-alpine Warbler and Red-legged Partridge plus Clouded Yellow Butterfly as an Iberian Wall Lizard ran across the road when we returned to our vehicle.

A pleasant salad lunch at Puebla de Sanabria preceded a little time watching the river in full flow, and our search for a Dipper eventually proved fruitful. The speed of the rushing river was not conducive to easy spotting of these birds, but we all managed to get on to one on the other bank-side, along with sights of Stonechat,Jay, White Wagtail, Bonelli's Warbler and a Blue-Tit feeding young in the stone wall of the little building by the car park.

. The same river was obviously going to be fast flowing at Ribadelago but we still managed to see  Red-billed Chough, White Wagtail, Rock Bunting, Common Buzzard and Robert spotted a Rabbit, much to his delight! Sally and Robert were also successful in finding Iberian Wall and Iberian Rock Lizard at the little bridge here.

There was no doubt in our minds where we would be watching for wolf this evening, and at 18:45 we were in position on a clear, sunny evening,and saw Fox hunting amongst the light grasses. By 19:30 the bubbling call of Bee-eaters announced that they were back for the spring/summer season, and with the addition of Cuckoo calls and Bees buzzing we had a true summer feel to our watch tonight.

This was to be a totally memorable evening for us all, and it started with the call of "Wolf!" at 20:00. We could all easily get onto the large, light-coloured alpha male Wolf  walking,sitting, rolling over and grooming himself, defecating, even standing on his hind legs to stretch his front paws up into the branches of a nearby tree! We feasted our eyes on this display of power and calmness gleaming bronze in the evening sunshine until, after about 15 minutes, he was lost to our sight in the taller heather. But only lost to us for 5 minutes!   He reappeared walking the tracks through the valley

and we watched scarcely daring to breathe as we saw the reactions of the Deer nearby. Five hinds began to run at great pace up the hill, but the stag which was very near to "our" Wolf stood totally still, transfixed and almost becoming part of the heather itself, until the Wolf, which did not seem concerned with prey at the moment, strolled away only to reappear at 21:00 walking down the side of the firebreak track,sniffing at bushes, before turning right into higher undergrowth.

Hugs and delight all round at this astounding experience; but this was not the end of the evening.


                                                At 21:15, just as we were regaining our composure, John hissed,"Wolf!" and there was another, different Wolf at the beginning of the firebreak track about 200 metres directly in front of us.  This was a wolf with darker pelage and he too was a large specimen. What followed next was  one of those moments which remain totally clear in the memory for years,so unusual was this incident.The Wolf settled down on the track in full view of us but obviously feeling no fear, and proceeded to watch us with a full stare for 15 minutes, occasionally turning his strong neck to look into the neighbouring copse, but without moving from his chosen position of lying face-on to us. At 21:30, he calmly arose and walked off into the undergrowth, with a backward glance to us and no element of concern. Well, this defeated even the most eloquent of us,and we were literally left speechless!

Dinner that night was as lovely as ever..thank you Antonio..and there was a celebratory atmosphere at the table that night!

Tuesday 16th April.

In a cooler 5'C  we assembled for our watch at la pista, and were quickly involved with some excellent views of sparring stags. Watching two Dartford Warblers very close to us in the heather showing their intense red eyes very clearly,we also appreciated the spectacular rising sun, to the sound of Bees buzzing, Roe deer barking and a singular Cuckoo with a slight speech impediment. A Sparrowhawk paused its dashing flight to alight momentarily on a small conifer only to resume its hunt. After last night's success, even the Iberian Green Woodpecker's mocking call did not sound so harsh. As we returned for breakfast, we noticed some activity around our hotel walls, and it turned out to be a Short-toed Treecreeper collecting nesting material.

At 11:00 we set off to visit the village of Flechas spotting a Songthrush and Serin by the local church. Passing the pond by Mahide, we noted Grey Heron, Mallard with ten ducklings, White Wagtail and Spotless Starling. The road to Flechas was productive,

giving us Sub-Alpine Warbler,Stonechat, Magpie, Dunnock, Wheatear, Woodchat Shrike,Linnet, Dartford Warbler,Iberian Grey Shrike,Great Tit,Hoopoe,Black Redstart,and Red-rumped Swallow at the old quarry site.

On our return from an interesting walk around the village with its predominantly old buildings,and equally predominantly old inhabitants,we could see Red Kite and Montague's Harrier above us

Later we dawdled 
along the Gallegos road noting Stonechat, Chaffinch,Grey Heron and Common Buzzard, before stopping to look at the plentiful Iberian Water Frogs which were deafening in the midday sun.

Our patience paid dividends when we waited by a rock pile to be rewarded with a wary Oscillated Lizard. 

Fascinating episodes of wildlife were on all sides here, and we were busy drawing each others' attention to as many of these as we could,including a Black Kite being mobbed by Lapwing, Bonelli's Warbler, Western Orphean Warbler, Common Buzzard, red Dragonflies, Woodchat Shrike,Rock Bunting, Hoopoe,Raven, Carrion Crow,male and female Montague's Harrier,Red Kite,White Stork,and to cap it all off before lunch, Sally saw a Booted Eagle

as we approached SanVitero. We also saw Holly Blue,Clouded Yellow and Green Hairstreak Butterflies,and noticed much evidence of Wild Boar rooting.

After a tapas lunch we returned to our base for some free time until the wolf-watch tonight.  During this time,Sally and Robert walked along one of the many inviting tracks around the village,to be treated to a wonderful sight of several Wild Boar, oblivious of their presence, wallowing in the mud very close to them.They also found several examples of the spectacularly spotted Oil Beetle which burrows its way along the paths in this area.

On an absolutely fabulous evening for sheer warmth and clarity of light, we reconvened at 18:45 and started to become acquainted with the Fox duo which regularly appeared in the early evening amidst the Spanish Broom. It was a quiet evening's watch,with lovely views of Rock Bunting and BlueTit on nearby wires, plus a stunning male Crossbill with two females. Several Red and Roe Deer were clearly able to be seen running across the track, and we enjoyed a relaxing watch until the light began to fade at 21:30. As we returned for dinner we were impressed by a Roe Deer very close to us on the hotel road.

Wednesday 17th April.


Noticing a Mistle Thrush singing by the side of the road on this clear morning with a temperature of 9'C, we set off to watch near Villardeciervos for a change after noting the evidence on one of our tracking forays. As we watched cattle grazing in the back field, we could hear Jay,Iberian Green Woodpecker and Cuckoo,while three Stags and two Hinds could be seen closer to us. Throughout the morning's watch, there was barking and general wandering of the three Mastin dogs which accompanied the cattle. However, the 12 Red Deer gathering by the small copse did not seem unduly troubled by such disturbance but this was the morning's total mammal count. We enjoyed watching at close quarters the displaying and posturing of two Cuckoos as the female was literally leading the male a merry dance,

and we noted Wood Pigeon,Crossbill, Robin, Iberian Grey Shrike, 
Dunnock and Serin in the clear sunshine before we packed away to return for breakfast,noting Red-rumped Swallow and Jay at Boya on the way.

On our way to collect the stealth camera John got us all onto a Crested Tit which was flying in the copse by the track,plus a Whitethroat on a sapling beside us.We also had Blackcap singing, Dunnock and Dartford Warbler. Our attempts to see the master of ventriloquism, the Nightingale,as it sang close to us,was unsuccessful however.

Today we were aiming to add to our already impressive bird-count with a trip to Portugal. Almost immediately as we neared Mahide we could see a White Stork flying overhead, with Northern Wheatear, Common Buzzard,

Iberian Grey Shrike and Common Kestrel, plus a Lataste's Viper which we narrowly avoided on the road.At SanVitero we spotted Booted Eagle,Black and Red Kite, White Stork,Montague's Harrier, Lesser Kestrel,Carrion Crow

and Corn Bunting. Reminiscent of a scene from a Disney movie such as 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians', we had to stop the car as a large pack of little dogs came racing yappily along the road towards the car, only to pass us by and continue on their obviously very urgent business at nearby Moveros. One can only suspect food was involved.

Our first bird in Portugal was a very respectable Linnet,closely followed by Crested Lark on the wire, and two Montague's Harriers soaring around and twisting their slim wings for maximum effect. At Ifanes to the sound of a donkey braying,we watched Cuckoo,Jay and Booted Eagle. 

Immediately in the car park at Aldeia Nova,we spotted a Rock Bunting on a bush and a Common Kestrel above us as we set up a scope at the breathtaking viewpoint.

The time spent at this peaceful and inspiring place reaped great rewards as we were able to feast our eyes on close views of adult and sub-adult Egyptian Vultures,plus Crag Martin, Lesser Kestrel,Red Kite, Goldfinch,Alpine Swift,Booted Eagle, Red-billed Chough and two Golden Eagles! It was a case of "Look right!"then "Here,on the left!" as such avian delights almost competed for our attention along with lovely specimens of Small Copper and Spanish Festoon Butterflies. I also had a fleeting view of  Blue Rock Thrush.

After an excellent salad lunch at Miranda do Douro which was enjoyed with the view of two Egyptian Vultures soaring by our window table plus Sally's incongruous sight of a nun loading her transit van with a chainsaw?!?, we were off to Fariza.  En route, we looked at an ancient bridge,

which Robert recognised as a 'clapper' bridge similar to those  specimens in Dartmoor, and where we could see Woodchat Shrike,followed by an interesting episode of three Black Kites sparring mid-air. At Fariza, another lovely peaceful spot, we could see the Egyptian Vultures' nest site. Sally got us onto a better view of| Blue Rock Thrush,and we could watch a pair of Golden Eagles flying around our viewpoint. By 17:45 it was getting near to our time to return and we had not seen a Griffon Vulture yet. But just as we were leaving, they started to return in large numbers and we were treated to close sightings of several Griffon Vultures,plus good views of Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Iberian Grey Shrike and Montague's Harrier.

No time for a rest today; it had been so eventful that we were straight out upon our return at 19:10 for our evening wolf-watch at la pista. By 19:40 we were watching the two Foxes as they came out to hunt, but apart from Crossbill, Rock Bunting, two Red Deer and one Roe Deer,it was a quiet evening and by 21:00 we were ready to return for dinner after an exciting and satisfying day.

Thursday 19th April.

With the temperature dropping to 2'C as we passed the 07:10 school bus , we noticed some low-lying mist in the valley by Ferreras.  We had had close views of Red Deer by the roadside at Villanueva, but as the light and warmth improved we saw Red Deer in all their rich colours, with Carrion Crow above them. The deer were looking very relaxed as they lay in the grass, flicking their ears and preening themselves, with only an occasional Roe Deer bark from the forest behind us. A Dunnock was singing on top of the tallest pine at the edge of the track. It was proving to be a very peaceful, quiet watch at Ferreras this morning, but when we walked around the other side of the wood, we were able to see fresh tracks from Wolf,Badger,Fox, Deer and Wild Boar. Birds spotted nearby were Cuckoo, Black Kite,Common Buzzard, Raven and Red-rumped Swallow. We also appreciated seeing a Green Hairstreak Butterfly and an Iberian Tree Frog.

Appearance at breakfast was delayed however, when we noticed a Wryneck in the orchard by our hotel.

Later that morning we set off to explore some of the old rural villages in this area, noting Crested Lark on the road at Mahide, with Black Kite in the air and White Wagtail atop a telegraph pole.  We took our time to appreciate a Dark-phased Booted Eagle near our first stop at Riomanzanas, by the old sweet-chestnut trees, which also proved to be a haven for Linnet,Serin and Rock Bunting, plus Orange-Tip Butterfly. After chatting to village resident Margarita, who as ever seemed determined to sell us a 4 bedroomed house(!), we strolled around the atmospheric village

with its juxtaposition of quaint/shabby and ostentatious new-build.

To the background buzz of bees in the pear-tree blossom,we watched Black Redstart, Linnet,Barn Swallow and White and GreyWagtail. The river was full which was no longer any surprise,but we could still make out some decent sized Trout, and Robert and Sally picked out Iberian Wall and Rock Lizards at the bridge. Once again,a Nightingale was heard but not seen. The Black-shouldered Kite was proving very elusive this tour too, as we searched along the Mahide road, noting Carrion Crow,Iberian Grey Shrike,White Stork, Northern Wheatear and Stonechat.   
                       

                   
Travelling along the 'straightest road this side of the States', John pointed out Short-toed Eagle and two Booted Eagles,

but such was their flight speed,by the time we had all got out of the car,they were out of sight. The smooth sight of a Montague's Harrier gliding past us on our left was a longer spectacle however and there was also an excellent view of Great Spotted Woodpecker as we drew up at Villanueva for a lunch which just kept coming! Sally and Robert were allowed to "sign the book"(?) as they had seen a wolf and this ceremony was treated with the appropriate gravity when handed the worthy tome with the pen chained to it. Narrowly missing a snake on the road,we returned to our hotel for  some free time before the evening's wolf-watch,arranging to meet at 19:00 for a watch at la pista.

An Iberian Wall Lizard was sunning itself on the wall by our vehicle as we set off for la pista, and the action started quickly with Wild Boar moving across the low grass at 19:45.  He was soon lost to view however in deeper undergrowth, but only to re-appear at 21:05 in the same area. In between these views we had enjoyed watching Hen Harrier,Wren, Dunnock, Crossbill, Rock Bunting,the seemingly-resident Fox,one Roe Deer and two Red Deer. It had been a lovely warm evening watch,and we returned in good spirits to our dinner of courgette soup, tortilla and fresh fruit.

Friday 19th April.

La pista gave us excellent views of several Red and Roe Deer from the very start of our watch this morning, including a couple of hinds cautiously sniffing the bushes along the track. We all got on to Sally's Hen Harrier quartering along the back fields and we noted a Crossbill closer to us. In a quest to see Iberian Hare, we diverted along the Boya/Cional road, where we saw  Larks rising from the grasses, Red-legged Partridge, Black Kite,Crow,Stonechat, eight Red Deer and two Roe Deer,but no hares. The chilly,strong wind that was blowing around the valleys here this morning may have been responsible for this paucity of hare activity. However, we were treated to an excellent sight of a stationary Cuckoo on the rock along the Cional road. The return trip to breakfast also reaped a Short-toed Treecreeper, Blackbird and Goldfinches.

After breakfast we set off to walk the tracks

to the back of Codesal, interested to see la pista from another angle. On the way we spotted White Wagtail and Common Kestrel, plus two Short-toed Eagles. At the village of Codesal, Robert asked us to stop, and we waited for a short while,until he delightedly pointed out a Nightingale for us! Never an easy bird to locate,this meant that we started our walk in high spirits! Obviously Manuel's carrot soup was having an

effect as Robert's eyes were working very sharply today;
a little further along he located a Greater White-toothed Shrew on the path. We did not allow ourselves to be threatening to this bright-eyed little creature, but merely took a few photographs for identification and then left it hopefully to scuttle back for better cover. There was a strong, musky smell  at certain points along the walk

and very fresh wolf-tracks were found plus wolf-scat. We noted Blackbird,White Stork,Short-toed Eagle,Red Kite,Raven, Stonechat, Serin and we flushed out a Stag and two hinds from the heather."Could just as well have been a wolf", was the mantra we were all becoming accustomed to hearing from John, but despite our jesting, we knew it was true. We noted the lines of Pine Processionary Caterpillars and thought this behaviour may be to act as a deterrent to the Cuckoo,

as these caterpillars are tasty morsels to the birds individually, but they look remarkably like a snake when travelling in tandem.

We appreciated sitting by the pond listening to the full- throated croaking of the Iberian Water Frogs in such an undisturbed,idyllic setting,

before heading off to Bar el lobo for their wonderful patatas bravas, plus their slant on Welsh rarebit! Two Common Buzzards lifted up very close to us as we left this friendly little bar to try a little

pond-dipping at Boya. Here we managed to find a young Bosca's Newt and three- pronged Stickleback before returning to our hotel for some free time before the evening's watch.

The final wolf-watch of Robert and Sally's tour had to be at la pista,where we had experienced that incredible Monday night,and we settled to enjoy the antics of the two hunting Foxes in the evening sunshine,plus plenty of Red and Roe Deer action  Even Sally's Hen Harrier put in an appearance,flying in front of the nearby copse and as a finale,a large Wild Boar trotted into our sight at 21:05, sniffing through the open heather and remained with in our view for five minutes. An excellent and relaxed evening at this most atmospheric of sites!

Saturday 20th April.

The early morning temperature was reading minus numbers as we took our leave but the sun soon rose, and hence the temperature gauge, as we drove through Ferreras listening to Nightingale and seeing Red Deer aplenty plus Collared Dove and Rabbit. Waving to two pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago, we had allowed ample time to stop and watch at the Rio Esla bridge.

This restful place provides abundant wildlife opportunities every month of the year,and this morning we were still adding new species to the tour tally as we had good views of Rock Sparrow, Cormorant,Raven, White Wagtail, Kingfisher, Grey Heron and Common Sandpiper. An American Mink was swimming nearby and we watched this for quite some time to ascertain its true identity. 

We passed the interesting dovecotes by Villarin de Campo at just the right time as we were lucky enough to witness about 50 Lesser Kestrels fly out of their nesting holes ready to find the morning's food. Several Montague's Harriers were sitting on, or beside,the road to warm up as we  drove through flocks of Lapwing and Mallard with flying Great Bustards in the distance.  The lagoons of Villafafila were busy with Greylag Geese, Gull-billed Terns, Mallard, Gulls being mobbed,White Storks frogging and Great Bustards displaying.  Such a rich wildlife area, and the sights kept appearing, so it was all too quickly that we arrived in the outskirts of Valladolid intent on getting to the Gran Campo railway station. A Red Kite soared above the renfe station as we said our "Au revoirs"...not 'Goodbye' as Robert and Sally are determined to return for the wildlife watching within total relaxation which is such a speciality of the Sierra de la Culebra!

Margaret.

"We had such a good time thanks to your friendly and expert care.  Thank you...for your photographic skills-we were delighted with the results...Together with pictures we took for ourselves we have a memorable set of images from a great holiday."

                                                                           Robert.


      

Latest News...A Unique Connection!

 Watching for Wolves Tour April 2013

This magnificent wolf manifested itself out of the forest and lay down to watch us for 15 minutes giving our clients an unforgettable experience.  Another pack member gave us views for over an hour as it casually sauntered into the valley, spooking a group of red deer hinds,and at one time rising onto its hind legs to investigate the lower branches of a tree!

A few days later John and I were privileged to watch five members of the pack,including the alpha male, playing and group howling again for over an hour on two separate occasions. We shared this experience with our good friend Fernando.

       Tour report coming soon!

Trip Report Sierra de la Culebra March 2013

Trip report  Sierra de la Culebra 23/28th March 2013.

subtitled: "It'll burn off!"    

Saturday 23rd March.

The possible sighting of a Beech Marten crossing the road as John and I made our way to Villardeciervos augured well and we met Gerry and Paul at midday during a gap in the rainy weather which had plagued this area for the previous ten weeks. After years of low water levels in the reservoirs and rivers, somebody's prayers must have been answered, but it was not the wish of wildlife-watchers to be looking for wolves in the height of the longest period of torrential rain for many years. The wolves had been seen however, and upon our arrival at our hotel, to the greeting of a Green Woodpecker flying above us, we were pleased to be able to show Gerry and Paul photographs of a wolf taken the previous day at 10:00 and 14:00 at la pista. Thanks to friend and fellow wolf-watcher Roberto for showing us these photos transferred to his phone and let's hope Roberto gets his chance in July to take his own photographs. The wolf in the photographs was well fed and sported the same dark pelage that we had seen on one particular wolf on several occasions last year.

After settling in, we grasped a respite between showers to walk beneath the blue sky and savour the relaxing,gentle nature of our village which was to be our base for the tour. Blackbirds and Robins were both in full throat,vying for territorial rights with their strident songs,with the occasional interjection from a  Barn Swallow. Walking around the allotment area produced sightings of male Stonechat, Serin,Chaffinch, Robin, Black Redstart, Jay, Rock Bunting, Great Tit and Blackbird whilst we heard Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker amongst the Pyrenean Mountain Oak glades. Further along, after noting fox scat and deer tracks,we watched a Dunnock and some Pine Processionary cocoons in the trees.

An interesting interlude was provided when Javier Talegon invited Gerry and Paul to look at his collection of old, hand-crafted Mastin collars, worn by the huge dogs trained from puppy-hood to protect the flocks from wolf attack, We also appreciated a chance to handle skulls of wolves of varying ages and the wolf pelt helped Gerry and Paul visualise the size and markings of an Iberian Wolf.

We set off to look for tracks in surprisingly pleasant weather as a Common Kestrel hovered above us. The heavy rain of recent weeks made tracking quite tricky, but Gerry and Paul did very well, finding a large wolf-scat at a junction site, textbook stuff!, and indeed Gerry spotted the first wolf track of the tour.A delightful Roe buck was just ahead of us along the track and we stopped to enjoy this sight before noticing clear wild boar tracks and scat further along. A particularly good wild boar track was located by Paul in the deep mud which showed the spurs very clearly.

Returning via the church at Villardeciervos we watched the White Storks on the multiple nests at the church, where Paul spotted a Black Kite to our right.

The evening wolf-watch was thankfully clear of rain and we enjoyed watching plenty of Red Deer Stags in the heather and a Dartford Warbler at our feet. On our way to la pista we had noticed White Wagtail in our village, and a Mistle Thrush at the junction. The light started to fade at 19:50 when we packed up to return to a good dinner of cauliflower soup, tortilla with sausages and flan. The evening was enjoyable,as we walked around the village after dinner watching clouds scud across the large moon anticipating its fullness promised for later in the week. We returned to enjoy looking at Roberto's  photographs of Lammergeier and Griffon vultures taken during a successful Pyrenees visit before retiring to bed after an eventful first day.

Sunday 24th March.  07:00. 4'C.

Raining. Thick, low-lying mist at la pista meant that we diverted to Villardeciervos, where it was brighter and certainly by 08:00 there were patches of clear sky. During that first misty hour, we could hear the mocking call of the Green Woodpecker, along with the mewing of a Common Buzzard and the rasping vocals of a Dartford Warbler. The nearby drumming of a Great Spotted Woodpecker caught our attention until we all started to watch an elegant male Hen Harrier swerve and land close by. By 08:30 we were listening to the barks of Roe Deer to the left of us as 3 Stags and 3 Roe deer, one buck and two hinds, were all grazing on the field straight ahead.Two Crossbills flew over, and we were soon able to spot Hoopoe and
Stonechat. 

After breakfast, we set out admiring Chaffinches in full pre-breeding finery, plus a soaring Black Kite as we entered a corralle where until fairly recently, wolves, tempted by the  sheep, would enter only to discover they were trapped by the construction of the shelter and have no alternative but to await execution when discovered in the morning.  Here we spent some time watching and listening to the splendid sound of displaying Woodlark, plus Stonechat, Jay, Common \Buzzard and two Red-legged Partridge  in front of our vehicle.  Paul pointed out a Raven as we re-entered the road for our forest track and we noticed a Jay with an acorn plus Mistle Thrush and Stonechat as we drove off.

. Gerry spotted a good wild boar track at Ferreras de Arriba and we were heartened by the plentiful wolf tracks and scat there too.  In increasing sunshine clear badger tracks were also found. We enjoyed an excellent lunch at Roberto's surrounded by pictures and videos of our target species, after good sightings of Stonechat, Common Kestrel and Black Kite en route. As we left the friendly bar, a White Stork glided above our heads.

Our first sighting of the "Butcher Bird", namely the Iberian Grey Shrike, was at Saracen,together with male and female Serins and a flock of Chaffinches. The weather was improving significantly, and it was with high hopes that we set up our scopes at 18:15 at la pista in 10'C under a blue sky interrupted only slightly by patchy white clouds. The early evening light was lovely and we really enjoyed seeing the several Red and Roe Deer that also seemed to be appreciating this clear spell. At 19:35 Paul spotted one, and then two,large Wild Boar and we were all able to watch this boar and sow graze for a long time in the light grasses. The craters of the moon, nearly full and clear in this area of virtually nil light pollution, was mesmerising for us all and it added to the atmosphere of this very special place for wolf-watchers.

Dinner this evening was Antonio's paella, always a treat, followed by yoghurt. and all enjoyed with a bottle of  local tempranillo.

Monday 25th March.

Pouring down!Just how much rain can fall in this area?!! 5'C. It was not looking too promising,so we decided to try Ferreras for our morning's wolf-watch and at the junction near our watch,Gerry saw 9 Red Deer silhouetted against the bank-top. A perfect photo opportunity! As we set up our equipment,we could hear a Songthrush singing whilst 4 Red Deer were walking slowly across the ploughed clearing to our right. A Carrion Crow was sitting disconsolately on the wire above us,as mist made visibility poor.  Scopes were getting wet and various positions were tried until the only option was sitting in our vehicle near the road. Suddenly we were treated to the magnificent close sight of 16 Red Deer running across this very road not many metres in front of us! A great sight of speed and strength just ahead of us! As we finished our watch at 20:25, we decided to walk alongside the wood,where we found clear recent evidence of badger and wolf, plus some old scat. We heard Crossbill and Skylark, whilst watching Mistle Thrush, Crossbill and Dartford Warbler and once again, we were treated to several views of deer herds en route back to breakfast.

Discussion over coffee was concerning the weather,and the forecast. It was not expected to improve and so we decided to go to Portugal today,as there was no future hope of a clearer day during this "dreak"episode in Culebra's weather. Residents had been asking for rain during the previous dry years,so we could only presume that their prayers for precipitation were stronger than ours for a drying-off!

We set off for Portugal at 11:05 in the pouring rain,with our sightings along the normally fruitful Alcanices road being limited to Common Buzzard and Stonechat. The rain was getting heavier as we noticed former trickles were being transformed into positive rivers...the whole area seemed more like the Everglades than Espana. Our first bird in Portugal was a brave Mistle Thrush,followed by a Hoopoe on a nearby gate.Two large Mastin dogs came forward to check us out,whilst their shepherd master sheltered under an umbrella.

Aldeia Nova was a trifle damp and blustery,but we watched Crag Martin, Alpine Swift, Red-billed Chough, Mallard and Wren whilst hearing the presence of Blue Rock Thrush. This was ideal conditions for these Red-billed Choughs who thrive on performing aerobatics in such turbulence. Suddenly 6 Griffon Vultures swept form a nearby cliff-top to come very low above us, checking Paul out in particular. Such clear, close views of these huge birds was breathtaking and we felt very happy as we returned to our vehicle to go for lunch at Miranda de Douro where we watched between 12/20 Griffon Vultures  from our window-side table as a little Portuguese girl,obviously the waitress's daughter, studied us with similar intensity.

After an excellent lunch, we set off for Fariza, noting a shepherdess with her dogs, in pastureland busy with Barn Swallow,White Wagtail, House Martin and Crested Lark while White Stork swooped overhead. Gerry and Paul were becoming increasingly adept at spotting and identifying the local birds and they were pleased to have a 'John App' to aid avian identification. No mistaking the splendid sight of Golden Eagle at Fariza however, and to see this huge master of the air from above as he soared so close below us was special indeed. Along with Red-rumped Swallow, Crag Martin and Barn Swallow,this eagle-sighting, watched whilst fighting a forceful, almost horizontal deluge, made it all worthwhile, and we counted ourselves very lucky to have had these views of  raptors in such awful conditions. Our journey back to our base was punctuated by a clear sight of Black Kite on the road and White Stork frogging just before Mahide.

Don't walk too far into the woods with THAT coat on Gerry!

Gerry and Paul never allowed the dreadful rain and poor visibility to dampen their enthusiasm and good humour and so it was in good spirits that we again braved rain and thick mist for our evening wolf-watch. So bad were this evening's conditions, we decided at 18:20 to drive along a forest track where there was good, low heather all round us to remain in our vehicle with doors pulled back... and the evening proved remarkably fruitful.  With each of us taking a different side, we had 360' vision and with the rain driving across the heather in sheets, we settled to watch at first a Stonechat and a brave little Skylark singing despite the cold and rain.

At 19:30 Gerry was fixing her view on a huge Stag on the track behind us who seemed unconcerned about the presence of our vehicle with the back doors open wide.She also pointed out two young stags on the other side clearly visible in the low heather. As we watched these, a huge Wild Boar strolled across the track only 150 metres in front of us! He was massive and again,totally unphased by our vehicle's parked presence.The wildlife of this area is used to forestry vehicles and local cars collecting mushrooms and firewood, so we were nothing out of the ordinary to them and hence our quite extra-ordinary views on this murky evening. The Stag was getting really quite close to Gerry and Paul at the back of the vehicle and they could see the velvet of the antlers and every fold of his magnificent coat, dotted with moisture droplets. We dared not stir, in case we disturbed this memorable sighting for Gerry and Paul, and they will never forget this close encounter.

By 19:55, after we had heard and seen the Iberian Water Frogs croaking and mating in ponds pelted with the incessant strong rain, we returned with plenty to discuss over scrambled egg, pork with tomatoes and rice pudding with cinnamon.

Tuesday 26th March.

07:11...8'C...still raining!!! Parking up along the Boya/Cional road we spotted 5 Red Deer by a lone pine which had Carrion Crow noisily atop its branches. Two Mallards flew over us and we pondered on whether it was too wet for them to land!  The excessive dampness was proving a problem with some of the equipment but we did not need any scopes to see the very fresh wolf scat,encased in deer hair, just behind our vehicle.  Further exploring along the track gave us an Iberian Green Woodpecker. A Common Kestrel and a Meadow Pipit were sitting in the nearby bushes waiting for drier times, when John called out to us to come and see an Iberian Hare running around in nearby pastureland next to some beehives. We also got out to watch an Iberian Grey Shrike on the gorse bushes. Two lovely examples of a male and female Stonechat were showing themselves along with Spotless Starling and Blackbird coming out in the gradually improving weather. 8 Red Deer were running over the ridge by the beehives,along with a Roe Deer and a rare glimpse of the sun, before it disappeared coyly behind clouds again. On the Rio Valdalla at Cional we were pleased to see a Great Crested Grebe, amongst the  Mallards and with a Common Buzzard trying to dry off in the air above us. Barn Swallows were also beginning to come out on the wires in the clearer conditions here. A short stop at Villardeciervos, gained us good views of a large number of Crossbill and as we scanned the viewing site, we picked out a Roe Deer and a male Hen Harrier quartering over the heather.

After breakfast, we set off at 11:00 for Riomanzanas and Flechas. Conditions at the viewpoint at Flechas proved too misty, but we enjoyed greeting the locals in the village, and the main topic of conversation was, of course, the weather!  En route to the village, we saw Stonechat, Red-legged Partridge,Magpie, Woodlark, Linnet and Rabbit, plus some very fresh wolf scat at the quarry entrance.

At Riomanzanas, we were treated to Cirl Bunting,Chaffinch, Linnet, Greenfinch,and Barn Swallow as we talked with local residents,Francisco and Margarita, and we had a Grey Wagtail at the riverside.
Our return was via the Gallegos road pond,where Paul spotted male and female Lapwings and Common Kestrel. Gerry spent some time communicating with the plentiful Iberian Water Frogs,whilst a  nearby White Stork was interested in the frogs for a totally different purpose. We had close views of Hen Harrier hunting on the road and by the verges, with a Skylark hovering above several Spotless Starlings settled on a wall. Siskins were plentiful amongst the daisies. Noticing Common Buzzard, Black Kite, Common Kestrel and Stonechat along the way,we set off for lunch at Bar el Lobo. Our lunch of pinchos morunos, sardines, Iberico ham and patatas bravas was supplemented by a traditional poultry delicacy of the area- a gift from the chef's kitchen! We were also treated to a complimentary local liqueur which was so tasty as to encourage purchase of the same at the local shop.

On our way to the Villardeciervos shop for those essential supplies we were delighted to watch White Stork,Common Buzzard,Magpie and Goldfinch and as we looked out over the water, Paul noticed Great Crested Grebe and Black-headed Gull,plus Hen Harrier. There was evidence of otter here with crayfish remnants. Passing a shepherd with his two Mastins and other herding dogs,we spent some time in the shop deciding upon the local tipples,before returning to our base to rest a little and prepare for this evening's wolf watch.

18:00 at la pista with some visibility despite the threatening, low cloud. A Wren was seen,and heard, to be singing throughout the evening but as the rain increased it became obvious that this ebullient little bird was to be our only sighting tonight.

Wednesday 27th March.

07:00...No rain!! No rain did not equal "no mist" but with the mantra of this tour being "It'll burn off" our bunch of eternal optimists set up scopes at la pista thankful for dry conditions at least,trying to ignore the mocking call of the Iberian Green Woodpecker.

Dave and Dominique, with their bionic dog Cassie, had been watching since first light but to no avail and it soon became obvious that visibility was not going to improve here this morning. So by 08:00 we were at the Villardeciervos site,where we remained for forty minutes watching Hen Harrier, Raven, Blackbird, Mallard and one Stag to the tuneful sound of a Woodlark. On our return journey towards breakfast, a Jay flew above us at Boya as we looked at fresh fox scat on top of older wolf scat,containing several large bone fragments. As we entered our village,we had Common Buzzard landing on a tree nearby,with Cirl Bunting by the church and two Black Redstarts and one House Sparrow on the roof of the hotel

A brightening sky,plus a stunning Bullfinch just as we exited the village,all made us hopeful of a good day at the wonderful reserve of Villafafila. We paused to listen to the fruity,inventive tones of a Woodlark singing on the wires by some corralles, after spotting a Little Grebe on the pond near Ferreras. Jays, Common Buzzards,Black Kites and Red Kites were out in greater numbers than at any other time this week and we saw several Red Kites by the Rio Esla, plus White Wagtail, Cormorant,  Crag Martin, Siskin and Raven. We enjoyed good close views of Griffon Vulture, both in the air and also watching an individual on his vantage point on a rock just above the bridge. We all also managed to watch the American Mink for several minutes.This species is becoming more evident at this site, to the detriment of the native otter.

As we entered the reserve of Villafafila, which was certainly full of water now as opposed previous years, we spotted six Lesser Kestrels on the wire,plus Corn Bunting,Mallard,Crested Lark,Spotless Starling and White Stork. At the lagoon,we could easily see Lapwing,Shelduck, White Stork,Shoveller Duck,Coot,Greylag Goose,Black-winged Stilt,Crested Lark,Marsh Harrier and six Great Bustards. The Great Bustards were in the distance,but we were treated to much closer views at the observation post,where we could watch the fabulous lekking display of the attention-seeking males.Here we also watched Corn Bunting, Subalpine Warbler, Black Kite, Peregrine Falcon,Goldfinch,Avocet,Teal and Red Kite.

The nesting Storks were clacking their beaks in greeting and a charm of about 80 Goldfinches displayed their undulating flight as we left the observation post disturbing a White Wagtail and two scuttling Red-legged Partridges along the lane. Several Great Bustards also took off in flight which was quite a sight as they dwarfed the accompanying Red Kites.

Two wings or four?

After lunch in a lively local bar, El Palomar, the good weather we had certainly appreciated proved to be short-lived and rain seemed to be settling in again.

At 18:20 the light seemed promising at la pista, as we were quickly able to spot several Red Deer,but within ten minutes,the rain was torrential again.We watched several Red Deer from the shelter of our vehicle and listened to the Frogs croaking,but the light had gone by 20:05,and so had we. Our night drive gave us exciting,close views of deer and some unusual green-reflecting eyes,low to the ground. As we approached the village church,silently with torch-beam moving,John started suddenly as we encountered a very large Stag very close and very surprised! After that second of static surprise,it turned and thundered into the darkness and we returned to our hotel,to enjoy Antonio's very special soup from Murcia,his home region. Gypsy Soup consists of a tasty vegetable broth with a poached pear for each person included!

Thursday 28th March.

8'C...Rain.La pista was totally mist-encircled,so we decided to go to Ferreras instead where it was a little clearer. We spotted a Grey Heron by the roadside, which substantiated Gerry's possible sighting at the same place yesterday. A Little Grebe was on the pond and the sun was coming out as we set up at Ferreras and we could already see several Stags. As the light continued to improve,we decided to finish off the morning's watch at the beautiful, peaceful site of la pista,and we ended our watch there to the sounds of the Cuckoo hopefully signifying better weather...all just a little too late for Gerry and Paul.

A very pleasant walk up to the Hermitage after breakfast was punctuated by watching Common Buzzard, two Wrens and Robin with much evidence of Wild Boar rooting under the Pyrenean oaks. It was lovely to be able to stop and look at views which have been non-existent this week of dreadful weather, and to do this without waterproofs too! A very pleasant lunch at Villardeciervos preceded our drive back to the hotel,where the talk in the car was not of wolves surprisingly,but of Bats! Imagine our surprise, when right on cue, and in full daylight,we almost had to swerve to avoid three Soprano Pipistrelle Bats on the road past Boya! In the afternoon sunlight,their features were quite clear to see, and we felt surprised but happy to have seen these lovely little creatures so closely.

It was time to take our leave of Gerry and Paul, who were continuing their tour by experiencing Easter weekend in Salamanca, and our good-byes were more au-revoirs as they are determined to return to see wolf and in better weather this time!Having experienced the longest spell of torrential rain in Sierra de la Culebra for 60 years,they surely deserve excellent weather when next they return!

Throughout the whole tour,however, they never allowed the weather to dampen their spirits and we all had great fun. As I write this review, I am happy to note that every day we saw new species and I think it is marvellous that we saw as much as we did taking the conditions into account!


"We still talk about how wonderfully relaxing the whole experience was - in spite of the bad weather! It really was a great experience, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  We're still plotting a trip in July, would be lovely to see the area in summer"  Gerry.

Newsletter December 2012

Sierra de la Culebra February 2012

Hello Everyone,

Iberian Lynx May 2012

As the days shorten, it is increasingly a time for looking back over the past year and anticipating the year to come. 2012 has been a busy year for John and me and we feel privileged to have shared so much time with such a wide variety of wonderful people this past year. We reminisce about the hilarious moments, frustrating times, breathtaking views and those unforgettable wildlife encounters!

 Looking ahead to 2013, we continue to offer our Watching for Wolves and Looking for Lynx tours, plus two new additions - Browsing for Bears in the stunning Somiedo National Park and the Extremadura Experience . I hope you find time to look at our website again to discover details of what we have to offer for the coming year.

On a more chilling note, I draw your attention to a disturbing article from the Center (sic) for Biological Diversity detailing the fate of wolves which are once again being legally persecuted:-

"Since wolves in Wyoming lost their Endangered Species Act protection last month, 49 wolves have been killed in state-sanctioned hunts and unregulated killing on "predator" zones.  In the three Rocky Mountain states where wolves have been delisted - Idaho, Montana and Wyoming - 177 wolves have been killed after just one month of hunting and trapping."

Sierra de la Culebra May 2012

We cannot close our eyes to trigger-happy trophy hunting, and I thank Shirley and Jim for alerting me to this article, but we can only hope that education plus sensitive eco-tourism can eventually prove strong enough to relegate such practices to the history books.

On a positive note, we have learned that the three local wolf packs which we concentrate upon in Sierra de la Culebra  have each successfully reared 5 cubs this summer;  promising news for some good sightings in 2013 we hope!

John and I thank you for your interest throughout 2012 and wish all friends of Wild Wolf Experience a peaceful and prosperous 2013.

All best wishes,

Margaret.

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