Wolf/Bear Tour 15th/25th August 2013

Watching for Wolves/ Browsing for Bears Tour 15th/25th August 2013.

Thursday 15th August.

14:30. It was a clear, sunny afternoon as James and Julie Dore enjoyed their descent into Oviedo (Asturias) airport, this surely being one of the most picturesque coastal airport approaches in Europe. If you ever venture on the short Eayjet Stansted/Oviedo flight, it's worth securing a window seat for this approach alone.  Having easily seen Pigeon at the arrivals door, we were discussing whether they would qualify as 1st bird of the trip, when we decided to confer that onto a Raven flying overhead.

The drive towards the A66 gave us 2 Black Kites soaring in the mountains, with Common Buzzard surveying from roadside wires.  More Black Kites were seen as we drew closer to Benavente, noticing that the nests on top of the most high spots, including pylons, were now devoid of White Stork. By the Rio Tera bridge,we noted Magpie and Cragmartin, and a light-phased Booted Eagle pleased us at the junction by the Rio Ciervos, along with Woodchat Shrike and Crow.Our first entrance to San Pedro gave us Blackbird and the cheery White Wagtail as we settled into our rooms before beginning our wolf-watching part of the tour.

Most of our attention was to be concentrated at La Pista over the next 5 nights and mornings and over this time we enjoyed several sights of Red and Roe Deer,  Julie, on this first evening, got onto a Red Deer Hind at 20:20 plus a Fox at 21:10, tracking it with binoculars until it came into full view on the track.  At 21 :30 however, we all enjoyed good views of a family party of Wild Boar, consisting of 3 adults and at least 7 young. The light started to diminish by 21:50 as the sounds of crickets and nightjars increased and Pipistrelle Bats winged around us as we packed up commenting on a pretty impressive first night. All not finished yet however! A large Beech Marten crossed the track with its characteristic lope/jump movement, thick tail outstretched, well within our headlamps. What a finale!

Friday 16th August.

At 07:05  we settled amidst the flitting Dartford Warblers at la Pista in good,clear light:  all was quiet with the exception of a Roe Deer bark at 08:10 and the ubiquitous mockery from an unseen but often heard Iberian Green Woodpecker.  Whilst watching the many fine Stags looking incredible in such morning light, John spotted a Wolf walking right to left across the adjacent hillside. After verification, we managed to get Julie onto this creature, large even at such a distance and walking directly across the low vegetation, before losing it in higher heather. The temperature began to rise and we focused on the cattle winding their way out from the village of Linarejos with 2 playful herding dogs in attendance, with obvious Crossbills sounding overhead, before we decided to go back for breakfast, having had Julie's first Wolf!

The sun must have been strong and in our eyes, as what we thought was a Tawny Pipit on the wires turned out to be a White Wagtail but also what we thought was a Collared Dove again on the wires turned out to be a Turtle Dove! There was no mistaking the cheery Black Redstart on the hotel roof as we returned to sample the local honey for breakfast.

Later that morning our walk around this peaceful village increased our avian count with Barn Swallow by the village ford, Pied Flycatcher flying from tree to tree as we could hear a Blackcap tacking and watch a Jay mobbing something unfortunate, plus Chaffinch,Blue Tit, Bee-eaters catching bees mid-air, 1male and 1 young Stonechat, House Sparrow, Sandmartin, Greenfinch, Black Redstart and a lovely male Linnet resplendent with his scarlet breast.  We enjoyed the green and black Dragonfly almost flying straight at us and marveled at the lichen, but I think a high spot of this morning's saunter was the chance to watch Fritillery, Scarce Swallowtail and Queen of Spain Butterflies on the lavender bushes.We also saw Beech Marten scat near the village.Typical of the welcome we receive in this part of Spain, we were invited into a villager's home to look at his photographs of the flora and fauna he has seen and recorded over the years in San Pedro.

A walk along the track at Villardeciervos revealed nothing of note, and we came in from the sun at 13:30 for a lunch of salad and melon, after which the sighting by Julie of a couple of Raptors a long way away developed into a group of about 30 Griffon Vultures, plus Black Kite. There were also several Spotless Starlings. Two Honey Buzzards, a male and a female, plus Black Kite, were circling above Cional as we explored the path at the back of Codesal. Two Linnets and Spotless Starlings were flying above this depleted pond as we could easily spot Iberian Water Frog and an interesting black and yellow Spider. Identification anyone please? There were no new tracks to be found along the hard, dry pathways and any wolfscat found was old. We did see a Stag at the wood edge and a family party of Linnets in the heather, plus Whitethroat and Greenfinch.

The road back out of Codesal had Carrion Crow and Common Buzzard over Villardeciervos, with Collared Dove on a rooftop.  There were 5 Griffon Vultures over the Hermitage hilltop. Black Redstarts,Barn Swallows and Bee-eaters were all in Ferreras de Arriba as the village prepared for fiesta time, with a light-phased Booted Eagle and several Spotless Starlings on the outskirts.

After a short rest, we were up at La Pista at 19:50 watching a Hind and her Fawn whilst a male Hen Harrier was hunting in the distance. At 21:30 two large Stags strode across the track.  As Nightjars whirred, we got our scopes onto Venus, only a tiny part of this magnificent sky for stars and night observations - although the space station kept eluding us, despite Julie's best efforts to track it down!

Saturday 17th August.

 It was an atmospheric start to the day with low mist drifting around the valley when we arrived at 07:15, and this persisted throughout most of the watch.There were several opportunities to watch Red Deer, plus 2 Roe Deer, although shots regaling from a hunter complete with gun,dog and jeep in the paddocks on the hillside at 07:50 did make us question the probability of any sighting this morning.  We contented ourselves with watching Dartford Warbler,young Stonechat and Iberian Chiff-chaff, punctuated by Roe Deer barks through the still-prevailing mist when suddenly..."Wolf!".  At 08:45 it was spotted going left of the zig-zag track and reportedly was lying down beneath some trees,but no-one could make it out now. It was seen, then not, and all sights were sporadic.  This "Can you see him?""Where is he?" lasted until 09:50.  We agreed that this sighting was a bit like the epigram:-

"I danced with a man who danced with a girl, who danced with the Prince of Wales."

Did you see it?  No... but she did!

Packing up our scopes beneath two soaring Short-toed Eagles, we returned for breakfast and then, refreshed, set off for Portugal at 11:25.

Birds spotted en route to Aldeiea Nova included Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel. We noted the standing stones leaning like gravestones, around small pastures In one instance they were the only things unharmed after a recent fire had destroyed meadows and buildings on both sides of the road.  A similar scene was noted just outside Moveros. House Martins were feeding their second brood at Aldeiea Nova, and the church site - James' "Gorgeous Gorge" -quickly gave us Crag Martin,Alpine Swift, Red-rumped Swallow,House Martin and the Blue Rock Thrush was heard but not located.Crag Martins were also swooping around us in 102'F heat at the dam at Miranda do Douro as we leaned over to see shoals of large barbel in the warm shallows.  We saw multiple Woodchat Shrikes plus Bee-eaters, as we made our way to Fariza, where straightaway we could focus on 13 Griffon Vultures roosting on the crags....almost too hot for them.The Griffons were coming in low to us, enabling a coveted view from above of this winged master. By 17:00, both Egyptian Vulture parents returned to the rock-face where their chick was roosting.

As one parent went in to feed the young, we could watch the other eating and preening. The Griffon Vultures then proceeded to give us a wonderful aerial display aka Red Arrows style of wing-tip accuracy and sequence,and just after this at 17:20, the raucous call announced the arrival of 2 Red-billed Choughs flying around us at head height, clearly displaying their blood-red bills, and then returning to dive directly above us.Neck-craning stuff, but worth it.

Apart from a flock of Bee-eaters, the way back was quiet,with Common Buzzard and Iberian Grey Shrike being reported.

By 19:50 we were back at la Pista where it was still 86'F. The swishing of a tail to deter flies brought a Wolf to our attention-but this was its only movement.However, after watching this unusually static example for some minutes, we look away for a few seconds,then look back...and it's gone!

Sunday 18th August.

We were in for a frustrating morning's watch at La Pista today, as we left San Pedro noting a Pipistrelle Bat. At various moments during the watch, up to 5 Wolves were spotted,but only fleetingly.They were there, but we weren't all getting onto them.So our personal total of mammals for this watch was two lovely Roe Deer crossing the road in front of us.

After breakfast we enjoyed a foray by the forest at Boya, where very fresh wolf, deer,badger and wild boar tracks were seen in sandy parts of the otherwise hard track, plus examples of wild boars enjoying mud wallows. We flushed a Red Deer hind in the meadow by the firebreak, and also enjoyed seeing Clouded Yellow,Frittilleries,the interesting Grasshopper which flies blue, Psamadrommus Lizard and 2 Iberian Water Frogs.

Julie finds cheap souvenirs!

The Roman road gave us Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Tawny Pipit and young Woodchat Shrike plus some very green Iberian Water Frogs, but no wolf scat. During an exploratory stroll at Ferreras where we looked at the now defunct hide,some wolf tracks and scat were noticed.

Lunch in Villanueva was certainly up to standard and we enjoyed it greatly.The entrepreneurial spirit of the owners was really put to the test as they tried to persuade us to buy acne soap?!?

The evening wolfwatch at Boya began at 19:15 in clear evening sunlight with good sightings of Crossbills and Iberian Green Woodpecker, a clear Sparrowhawk at 21:00 and a Red Deer crossing the track. We were to be "entertained" from 21:30 onwards by intermittent microphone testing obviously for a nearby fiesta...and we could certainly attest that the sound was clear enough from where we were sitting! The wildlife sounds to note were frogs and nightjars from 21:45 onwards,with our watch finishing with a vixen shriek at 22:15.

Monday 19th August.

By 07:25, we were watching 2 Red Deer at la Pista on a cooler morning.  The inquistive Dartford Warbler, so much a feature of this site,was getting closer and balancing on nearby blackberry branches,whilst our attention was also drawn to large flocks of House Martins and an abundance of Red Deer this morning.Julie got onto a Pied Flycatcher and James spotted a young rufous-tailed Rock Thrush.

On the road past Mahide we stopped to note a recently squashed Smooth Snake;  there was also a dark-phased Booted Eagle and a Red Kite doing some drastic preening during this moulting time. A White Wagtail was bobbing by the pond.

The village of Flechas was recovering from its recent fiesta and we enjoyed a walk around its well-irrigated and well-stocked allotments admiring the picturesque, old church, with Clouded Yellows, Fritilleries,Iberian Wall Lizard, young Stonechat and Red Kite to be watched too.

The Gallegos road gave us Woodchat Shrike, Iberian Water Frogs, blue Dragonflies, Common Buzzard, several Wheatear...or White arse as the name originally was...Iberian Grey Shrike, Crested Lark and a large flock of Carrion Crows.The village of Gallegos also provided good photo opportunities of Crested Lark,young Wheatear, White Wagtail and House Sparrows.

After a pleasant lunch of local ham and goat's cheese at the nearby campsite,we stopped at a viewpoint to watch Bee-eaters, House Martins, and a Dunnock.  Another flock of House Martins performed their aerial acrobatics as we stopped to look at the huge old Sweet Chestnut trees at the entrance to Riomanzanas. These ancient trees of massive girth and intriguing bark patterns provide excellent habitats and we  watched them amongst Linnets,Serins and ,House Sparrows. Whilst standing on the bridge in this fascinating village, we watched the drama of a pale-phased Booted Eagle being mobbed by crowds of  Barn Swallows and House Martins; they were successful in seeing off this threat.

On our journey back to our hotel we saw Black Kite at Mahide, Short-toed Eagle and Crested Lark at the garage at San Vitero. plus Stonechat and Common Buzzard near our base.

The evening wolfwatch at Ferreras was quiet but the sunset here was outstanding. Our main sighting was of a very large Wild Boar at 21:30, but apart from an earlier Black Kite hunting behind the wood, and lots of corvids following the cattle, that was it for tonight.

A night drive did not unearth anything other than Nightjars.

Tuesday 20th August.

Julie was surprised to have to unearth her boots out of a pile of polystyrene balls after this very windy night.  This I suspect will remain a mystery to us all.  We avoided a rising Nightjar as we drove along the track to la Pista for our morning wolfwatch. There was a definite chill in the air at this early hour of 07:15 as the Dartford Warbler darted its greeting around us. By 07:30 we had seen and heard Red and Roe Deer, with Stags starting to spar in play, up on their hind legs in mock fights which would become much more intense in future weeks.

We left at 10:45 for a day at Villafafila. stopping the car to talk to a shepherd en route, where we also saw Common Buzzard and Black and Red Kites.

At the serene Rio Esla bridge, we saw 2 plucky pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago in the August heat and Julie was delighted to show us a Honey Buzzard on a low lying branch with a Hoopoe pecking the ground below. As this ground changed from meadow to sandbank just below the Hoopoe, we noticed obvious Kingfisher nesting holes. Another interesting sight was a Hobby flying over the bridge, plus Willow Warbler,Sand Martin and about 40 Mallard were nearby.

Two Lesser Kestrels were a preview to many more of these gregarious birds and as we stopped to look at one of the dovecotes they now use for roosting,we could also watch 2 sub-adult Golden Eagles being mobbed by Barn Swallows. Even though the impressive Villafafila centre was closed until September,there was plenty to see as we walked towards a depleted laguna. Our interest was alerted by 2 Curlews flying right, Black Kite, Redshank,Little Ringed Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Coot,Mallard, Shelduck, Greylag Geese,Turtle Dove and the drama was provided by a Short-toed Eagle lifting Lapwings from their resting place in the heat of the day. Eyes upwards watched a Montague's Harrier glide effortlessly above our heads,while lower down on the ground we could watch industrious Ants carrying wheatstalks much longer than themselves and performing impressive pole-vaulting manoeuvres to aid their progress. However, we were targeting a much larger species than ants today,and acknowledging the difficulty of spotting these huge birds which tend to lie very low in the heat, we set off down a side track in search of a Great Bustard.

In a strong heat haze,we saw 2 Lesser Kestrels and 1 young Peregrine on the dry earth while the shadows of low-flying GriffonVultures darkened the car. Noting Booted Eagle,Black Kite,and Common Buzzard in the air, plus Iberian Grey Shrike on a field-side fence, we spent some time looking at Scarce Swallowtail and Small White butterflies around us. All this,plus Raven, Marsh Harrier, White Wagtail, Wheatear and House Sparrow,when Julie used her excellent spotting skills to locate 2 Great Bustards in a field by our car. As we drew closer,we were treated to a close view of them lifting their enormous bodies in flight!

At the observacion des aves, as well as three Mastin dogs, we watched Tree Sparrow, Rock Sparrow,a young Grey Wagtail at the pool,Crested Lark, Pied Flycatcher, Wheatear, Lesser Kestrel and Booted Eagle.

At Otero de Sariego, in 102'F in the shade, we explored the deserted buildings, which include a public bar left with glasses and toothpicks still out.  "Open for Business" but now strictly for the birds.

On our return journey, as well as Raven, Coot and Stonechat, James was"inspired"to coin the phrase"unbeleagueable raptors" as we finished our day trip watching dark-phased Booted Eagle and Short-toed Eagle above Tabara.

We had enjoyed a full day of excellent sights so we were quite happy to relax and enjoy the Red Deer from 21:00 at la Pista,then to return for another of Antonio's delicious dinners: tonight it was egg/tuna mayonnaise,steak and chips followed by a huge, sweet,juicy plum.

Wednesday 21st August.

The wolfwatch this morning at la Pista gave us the now almost customary fleeting views of Wolf amidst the high heather, but again it was difficult to get onto it in time. The light this morning was exceptional and Julie found the iridescence of the Spotless Starlings almost as it they were firebirds! So often we strain for the exceptional, the rarity, and in doing so can miss the beauty around us everyday and this morning's combination of dawn light and starling sheen reminded us all not to neglect the obvious.

After taking our leave of Antonio(s) and Soco, who once again had catered brilliantly for our every need, we set off for Somiedo...and the Cantabrian Brown Bear!

The view from our Somiedo Hotel.

Along the Boya/Cional road the continued exceptional light brought out the burnt orange breast and black head of a male Stonechat, plus also good examples of Wheatear and Serin.  We saw WhiteWagtail and Iberian Grey Shrike at the bridge by the confluence of the rivers Tera and Ciervos.

The best sighting as we travelled along the AP66 was of a Black Kite flying low above us with talons extended.  This was discussed over a lunch of local trout, followed by lemon mousse or rice pudding with cinnamon.

We were now at the entrance to the National Park, and it was a case of eyes right!...eyes left!  Within a very short distance we had watched a White Stork frogging in a field just before Heuvas with 2 Egyptian Vultures flying overhead.4 Griffon Vultures were flying by Meroy plus a Raven.

After settling into our hotel, we set off at 19:37 to Lammadahl. It had been a long day and this was the most accessible site.  Here we enjoyed our first sightings of Chamois, plus Red-billed Chough, Common Buzzard and Red Deer, after which we were happy to return to our hotel for dinner and bed.

Thursday 22nd August.

07:40 at La Peral.  The light was not at its best, but every day visibility was improving after the low clouds and mists of previous weeks in these mountains.However, by 08:00 we were watching our first Cantabrian Brown Bear of the tour;  a leggy, dark male, pulling down the branches of the Alpine Buckthorn on the bushes of the scree.This we watched for over an hour,interspersed with sightings  of Honey Buzzard and Short-toed Eagle. The Choughs could be heard calling and the walk back to our car gave us time to look at the pretty, star-shaped wild crocuses that were everywhere beneath our feet.

After a fine breakfast, we enjoyed a walk around the village, probably at its busiest, most bustling month.  The Bear Information Centre was helpful as ever and it made it even more interesting for James and Julie to watch the film as they had seen a bear doing much of the actions depicted on film that very morning.

The white-knuckle ride to La Perluna viewpoint is well worth it. To be almost surrounded by inquistiive Griffon Vultures provides lifelong memories and excellent photographic opportunities.  The close presence of a Common Buzzard went almost unrecognised in comparison. We also saw Swallowtail and Clouded Yellow Butterflies.

Lunch in Pola de Somiedo was a tasty omelette and chips at a table surrounded by photos of bears in less happy, less protected times. The very helpful waiter was proud to show his own photograph collection, which included the indigestible image of a snake eating a large trout.

This evening at La Peral we were watching the same dark Bear by 19:50,only to lose it.  But by 20:10 it was back in view and we could watch and share its pattern of walking from bush to bush almost stripping some branches, until the light faded at around 21:15.  There was also Red Deer, Red-billed Chough and a stationary cat hunting in a lower field which did raise our hopes for a wildcat sighting momentarily.

Dinner this evening included Fabada (a tasty local soup),calamari and lemon mousse.

What a good day! Two watches...and Bear in both!

Friday 23rd August.

Zoom in...it's there!

At 07:00 with early morning mist clearing quickly to provide excellent light, we were setting up at La Peral.  By 07:50 we had located our regular dark bear as it moved across the scree into vegetation and we felt happy that we had been able to follow this individual's progress for several hours over the last few watches.It was therefore quite moving when we followed the determined path of "our" Bear up the steep slopes eventually reaching the summit. As it paused on the skyline, we almost expected a Disney-style wave from this creature who had unwittingly played so big a part in our time in Somiedo! After it had disappeared over the top and into further distant valleys, we then moved our attention to 8 Chamois gleaming in the morning sunlight, Serins and a Common Buzzard being mobbed by a Common Kestrel, before returning to our hotel for breakfast.

The village of Villar de Vildas is set amidst beautiful scenery, at one with rugged crags and gentle valleys,where we watched two workers cutting their broom for thatch in a way unchanged for decades.House Martins were gathering in their hundreds, like locusts, on every available wire,preparing for migration. We took time to watch the efforts of groups of these plucky little birds as they tried to tempt young out of the nests in readiness for flight. As well as Scarce Swallowtail, Fritilleries and a Large White, we also saw a Camberwell Beauty and Escher's Blue Butterflies on our stroll around the village. Honey Buzzard and Common Buzzard were also noted. We enjoyed looking at the branias and of course the characteristic houses on legs which are a feature here.  During a pleasant lunch of local ham, cheese and salad plus a tantalising ice-cream called Stolen Kiss which James could not resist,we were treated to some local chorizo after learning about, and seeing photographs of,the local women who make this tasty delicacy.

The scenic journey back to our hotel preceded a short rest, after which we were back at La Peral at 19:30 on a cloudier evening.It was looking to be a quieter watch until hand signals and mobile phone messages from the lower viewpoint indicated bear in the lower valley. We ran over there...each at their own pace!...and at 20:50 we were set up watching a large Bear eating then resting until it was lost in the vegetation with failing light at 21:20.  We also noted Common Kestrel, Honey Buzzard and Roe Deer on this watch.

Saturday 24th August.

Overnight rain clouds had not fully cleared by 07:00 and low cloud prevailed in the mountains A short stay at Llammardahl only provided Jay and Magpie through the mist,and when we arrived at a clearer Gua at 08:45 we learned that a Bear had been seen there,but had since gone over the tops. 

However, the mist cleared in good time for our walk to Val de Lago.  In the early stages of our walk we noticed Rock Bunting, Robin,Serin, Willow Warbler, Great Tit,Honey Buzzard, Common Buzzard and a Short-toed Eagle carrying an unfortunate frog. The gentle Alpine-looking pastures with their equally sanguine cattle were bordered by crags housing Griffon Vultures and a herd of Wild Goats. Our eventual arrival at this glacial lake gave Julie a good excuse to cool down her feet, and we all agreed it was worth the effort.

Lunch at 16:10 was one of local ham and blue-veined goat's cheese, after which we returned to our hotel for a rest getting close views of Crag Martin. Sparrowhawk, Chaffinch, Dunnock,young Pied Flycatcher and a very hairy caterpillar,probably a stage of the Garden Tiger Moth and therefore not advisable to touch!

By 19:10 we were out for a bear watch again,but the incoming mists made viewing difficult and cold.  We located 8 Chamois and 1 Nightjar as we returned for our evening meal, a highlight of which was the local beef stew and the local apple spirit served with melon.For us all,it had been a full and physically tiring day but despite this we had so much to talk about our stunning walk that day that we did not retire to bed until 23:50.

Sunday 25th August.

We set off on a clear but cool morning, 45'F, and were focusing on 7 Chamois and a couple of Carrion Crows,when we heard that a Bear was supposed to be somewhere in the right-handvalley. Then, at 07:50, James spotted it and he was able to ensure the others watching verified this bear with unusually light markings on its shoulders and neck which will forever be referred to in our company as the Dore Iberian Panda! We watched for an hour, but by 09:15 we had to leave this Bear still chewing on the freshly ripened Alpine Buckthorn, impervious to the attention it had created. Just avoiding a low-flying Buzzard on the road back,our eyes were fixed on the slopes looking for the bear; knowing it was still there.

After breakfast, it was a scenic journey to Oviedo (Asturias) airport to ensure arrival  in good time for James and Julie's flight back to Stansted flying out of this quiet airport which offers superb aerial views of this stunning coastline. Both areas of Spain are relatively unknown to most British travellers, although I am sure members of Cambridge Rugby Club will have heard quite a bit about Culebra and Somiedo by now!

Margaret Hallowell.

From another perspective!

Rosemary has written her own personal review of the Watching for Wolves tour July 2013, and I hope you enjoy reading this.  Thank you Rosemary for your work here, and we are pleased you feel you gained so much from your time in the Sierra de la Culebra.

Amateurs on a Wild Wolf Experience Holiday

Our holiday with John and Margaret was a wonderful experience.  We found the details on the Internet and booked the holiday primarily because we hoped to see a wolf, which luckily we did, but also because it is a part of Spain we had never visited.  Research on the Internet suggested the Sierra de la Culebra is a haven for all sorts of wildlife and so it proved to be.

Keith and I are geographers and nature lovers, so a visit to the Sierra de la Culebra gave us the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere of the region. If you like to have a good idea of where you are when travelling around, we would recommend the 1:200,000 Mapa Provincial  of  Zamorra (ISBN 84-9810-889-6) which covers the Sierra de la Culebra in good detail.  The whole area is a stunningly beautiful unspoilt part of Spain with pine forest covered mountains and valleys of heather interspersed with small farms.  Very old villages dot the landscape – buildings hanging over narrow cobbled streets, some with stabling for animals below the living quarters.   We soon realised why Margaret warned us in advance that ATMs were a rarity in the region!

On walks through the countryside we were struck by the abundance of wild flowers, herbs and myriads of butterflies of all different colours and sizes.  The intense smell of heather and the sound of the bees added to our enjoyment.  A lasting experience was being in close proximity to a clearing in the heather where we counted 76 bee hives with a honey buzzard circling above.

The wolf watches at sunrise and sunset were periods of total relaxation – far from the hustle and bustle of city life.  You could not hear traffic – there wasn’t any, only the occasional train passing by.  We just sat and drank in the peace and quiet and listened to the birds and bees, with the occasional sound of a shepherd calling or his dogs barking.  John and Margaret scanned the terrain with their telescopes and called us over to have a look. We were treated to views through their telescopes which through our binoculars were just moving shapes!  We had no idea the area was so rich in red deer, roe deer and wild boar.  Our view of a wolf came at Villafafila less that 5 hours after we landed at Madrid airport!

We are not experienced bird watchers, being only familiar with the birds which visit our garden!  We were worried that our ignorance would be a handicap but were soon put at ease by John and Margaret.  We were amazed at their ability to identify such an enormous range of birds – often in flight and at some distance away.  All sightings were backed up by confirmation from the bird guide which provided details of the species just seen.  Our bird identification skills improved over the holiday and we could soon spot the bee eaters which invariably flew off before we could photograph them, and we could tell the difference between red and black kites.  John and Margaret inspired us to buy the Collins Guide to European Birds on our return.

Margaret meticulously recorded our sightings and her blog describes in detail the abundance of flora and fauna we saw.  Thank you very much John and Margaret.

Trip Report Sierra de la Culebra 9th/16th July 2013

Sierra de la Culebra 9th/16th July 2013.

subtitled..."wolves in sheep's clothing?"

Tuesday 9th July.

It was a typical sunny Madrid morning as we waited to greet Keith and Rosemary off the plane at Terminal 1 and although we immediately felt a rapport and a desire to see as much wildlife as the Sierra de la Culebra could offer us, the sight of a Mallard as our first bird was slightly deflating. Our enthusiasm was fuelled however, by excellent views of Black Kite skimming around the Franco mauseleum. Two White Storks were spotted flying amongst Black Kite near Avila and we were delighted to see our first stork's nest of the tour at Orbita with parent Stork in residence. Noting the temperature of 32'C at 13:30, we just had time to enjoy the sight of the colourful Hoopoe crossing our carriageway before we stopped for a lunch of tortilla at Villalpando. Feeling refreshed, and having noted House Sparrow, Collared Dove and more White Stork by our lunch stop, we drove off to Villafafila, seeing Carrion Crow, Northern Wheatear and Skylark en route.

Definitely the birds of the day,several Black Kite could be  seen at close quarters looking for roadkill along the edges of our straight highway; a pretty rare opportunity for a lunch in these parts rich in their raptors. As a White Stork was gliding effortlessly to our left,we watched a Booted Eagle just above us!

The lagunas were still replete with water and hence there was a lot of life at the water areas.We enjoyed watching two White Storks frogging with a hovering Common Buzzard above.  While we watched one of the fascinating Grasshoppers of the area, which resemble a blue butterfly once disturbed, our attention was drawn to a shepherd with his flock of sheep on the skyline. Little did we know then just how often our attention was to be drawn to such herds;indeed, a theme of most of our visits this week seemed to involve sheep with their accompanying Mastin guards, often at unnecessarily close quarters! We counted 24 White Storks lift into the air nearby, and what a lovely sight! This was topped with a male Montague's Harrier hunting on slender wings just to our side. By 15:45  we were treated to the amazing sight at close quarters of 6 Great Bustards taking flight just by our vehicle, dwarfing a Common Buzzard which was also flying above. Crested Larks were clearly displaying their striking crests and a Wheatear flashed its white tail as we watched both male and female Montague's Harriers through our scopes. A Raven flew into the trees by the Observacione des Aves,where we got close to Spotless Starlings,Wheatear,Rock Sparrow, Black-winged Stilt and Crested Lark Whilst looking at the Coots,we disturbed some Iberian Water Frogs on the same pond as about 15 White Storks, Gull-billed Terns;and a Mallard with ducklings.

At 16:40,we were just congratulating ourselves on a fruitful interlude, when the sight of something loping across the ploughed field to our right caused a sharp intake of breath. It was a Wolf!

Seen Bustards! Seen Wolf! What's next?!

And large male at that! In full view of all four of us and so unexpected we had no time or need, to set up scopes or cameras, we watched this magnificent creature turn, study our car, then lope off across the field and into a small copse on our horizon. This was unbelievable! We had seen clear, recent tracks and wolf scat last year by the water hole ( Trip report August 2012) but this clear, full view of the large predator easily seen by all of us with the naked eye was incredible. To see a wolf so well would be an aim of any tour, but to see this magnificent specimen within 5 hours of being collected at Madrid Airport "Beggar's belief!"as we all agreed.As well as being just wonderful to see, this encounter was invaluable to Keith and Rosemary as they already had a sense of the scale of their target species, even before their first "official" wolf-watch! John started up the car and we travelled down the track towards the copse when two huge Mastins came out of the same copse; obviously they had been lying up there in the heat, but with the arrival of such a wolf, they must have decided to move on! So indeed,did 6 Great Bustards which took to flight soon afterwards also in a similar act of self-preservation. The presence of Raven and Common Kestrel above this copse also denoted the presence of our wolf,but he had gone to ground. Keith's friends at the Golf Club had said as a parting shot,"Don't come back without a wolf!",so we noted that they could probably have gone back on the next Madrid flight if they wished, as all such criteria had been achieved!

But thank goodness Keith and Rosemary did not return to UK quite so quickly as a  wildlife holiday to remember was awaiting them.

By the centre at Villafafila we were able to see Avocets with chicks,Black-winged Stilt, Marsh Harrier,Hoopoe and Shoveller Duck. As we entered Otero de Sariegos we noticed Common Buzzard atop the plinths intended for the Lesser Kestrels.As White Storks frogged in the surrounding grassland,we noted Barn and Rock Sparrow, several Lesser Kestrels,c100 Avocets, feral Dove, Barn Swallow,Mallard, Shoveller Duck and a Peregrine Falcon playing catch- me-if-you- can on the telegraph posts beside our road out of this very atmospheric wildlife haven. Leaving the area of Villafafila was still paying dividends as we spotted another lovely Montague's Harrier,Turtle Dove and Short-toed Eagle in the sky above the road to Rio Esla.

As we travelled through into holm oak countryside, we could see Marsh Harrier above our vehicle for quite sometime.Stopping at the bridge over the Rio Esla gave us views of Serin, Crag Martin,Cormorant, Black Kite, Grey Heron,Beeeater,Raven,Yellowhammer,Blackcap amongst c60/70 Mallard and some huge Carp in the river. At the turn-off for Ferreras we watched a Carrion Crow being mobbed by a Red Kite.

Both Antonios were out to greet us as we arrived at our hotel along with some other local characters,all of whom were impressed at the wolf sighting we could report to them. We were all ready for a refreshing break enabling us to settle into our hotel rooms after such an exciting and eventful journey from the airport,so we arranged to reconvene at 20:30 for our first wolf-watch of the tour.

The Bee-eaters on the wires along to the pista were soon to become part of our tapestry for the area, and the quiet evening's watch , punctuated only by a Red Deer's rear in the distance!,proved a welcome balance to the excitement of the first day. For Keith and Rosemary, Gatwick airport seemed a long way away, and a long time ago, as we retired after an excellent dinner to recharge our batteries for our first full day tomorrow in the Sierra de la Culebra.

Wednesday 10th July.

07:00 was an assault on the senses with the smell of new mown hay and Swifts soaring against the angry red sun of this promising, clear morning at la pista,having already spotted a Dunnock on the short drive to our viewpoint. We were enjoying excellent views of several Red Deer, plus Wood Pigeon, when at 07:25 John saw a Wolf loping across the light grass well in the distance.  This was too far and too quick to get everyone onto it,but the view confirmed both that the wolf sighting yesterday had been exceptional in its closeness and clarity, and that the wolves were certainly still at this site which has been most rewarding this year. As the morning watch progressed, a thick misty haze swirled around dips in the valley, from where we could hear barks from Roe Deer.Nearer to our seats we watched a Dartford Warbler amongst the thick,bee-laden bramble bushes which also proved to be a haven for Marbled White Butterflies.  As the sound of the Green Woodpeckers chorused, we decided to return for breakfast at 09:00, but not before we spotted a Rock Bunting in the heather and the statutory Bee-eater on the wire.

The relaxing air of this village worked its eternal magic this morning as we set off at 10:50 for a short stroll which lasted for over an hour and a half and which just had to include a sit in the shade awaiting the re-emergence of an Oscellated Lizard.

This ploy was successful,and so justified the effort expended of such a long time sitting under the burgeoning apple boughs listening to the babbling stream whilst the lizard, which had previously just afforded us a brief glimpse,eventually came out onto the wall to present a very favorable photo opportunity. Previous to this, our stroll through the oak woodlands had given us wonderful times with a myriad of butterflies,including  Swallowtail, Small Chalk Blue, Fritillary, Demoiselles, Swallowtail,Brimstone and White Admiral. We had also spotted Jay,Dartford Warbler,2 young Black Redstarts with an adult, Whitethroat,Blue Tit, Linnet, White Wagtail and Serin.

The trails around Boya are also packed with abundant butterfly life at this time of year, and here we noted Brimstone and Clouded Yellow butterflies and beautiful Dragonflies. There was evidence of Wolf with scat of differing ages, and we were excited to see tracks of Wolf,Wild Boar, Red  and Roe Deer. John and Rosemary were lured by the sound of croaking,and sure enough,there was still a lot of frog life here along with large blue Dragonflies.Two Iberian Water Frogs were seen as we also noted Great Spotted Woodpecker and Tawny Pipit whilst hearing Bonelli's Warbler.

A most welcome salad lunch at Villardeciervos preceded a fruitful short trip back to our hotel, during which time we saw Stonechat, WhiteWagtail,Swifts,White Stork and Black Kite. Storm clouds were gathering as we got back to the Veniata for some free time and when we reconvened at 19:45 for our evening wolf-watch, it appeared that most of us had slept through the thunderclaps that afternoon. As we sat by the little mill-stream beside the hotel, we could watch Blackcaps and an Iberian Wall Lizard by our seat.

Our evening wolf-watch meant that we became reacquainted with the Bee-eaters on the wire...3 this time...and the constant buzz of busy honey and bumble bees nearby. A Blackbird flew across our route as we prepared for anything! There were times when the background of constant buzzing would stop immediately,only to resume after about 10 minutes without any reason for this interruption which our mere human senses could decipher. The highlight of this evening's watch was a large Wild Boar with three young routing around on the flat field by the quarry. Such low vegetation gave us good views and Keith in particular was delighted with his first view in the wild of this huge creature. Deer sightings were restricted to a Red Deer Hind grazing the circular pattern of low grass before being lost to our view in the low heather.We also heard Roe Deer barks again close-by. As the light faded at 22:15 we heard the hint of  a Nightjar and a definite Green Woodpecker,plus a couple of Roe Deer barks, as we left this atmospheric valley to play out its nocturnal dramas without our prying eyes.

As we drove along the track, the headlights picked
up a Nightjar in flight.

Another wonderful dinner,cooked by Antonio,finished off a full and fruitful day.

Thursday11th July.

07:00 on a slightly breezy morning of 17'C saw us setting up our scopes at Flechas where there had been reports from locals of a wolf and cubs regularly being observed.  Every lead has to be followed up, plus the site at Flechas has a particular atmosphere.Straightaway a Red Fox trotted across the road and we all were hopeful for a lot of sightings here,but not in quite such numbers as transpired! The large sheep, and even larger Mastins,plus the little herding dogs and their 2 shepherds,quite literally took over the area,much to the amusement of Keith and Rosemary.

I was a little concerned about my scope and tripod, but it was obviously not edible so the sheep weren't interested, and not a threat so the Mastins weren't interested!

 After this invasion, we drove along to visit the old village of Flechas with Red-legged Partridge flying in front of us. As we strolled around the small hamlet, picking out several "des res?!?", a Songthrush sang out from somewhere amongst the fertile subsistence vegetable plots and we noted an old lady dragging her firewood along the road towards her home.  This is no picture book idylll of rural life, rather an area which has remained unchanged for generations and which lives with the wolf in its midst now as has always been.

Breakfast duly enjoyed...thank you Antonio...we set off at 10:45 for Portugal;  still with a slight breeze but certainly very sunny and bright. Keith pointed out a large female Black Kite atop a telegraph pole and that set the pace for lots of interesting sights en route. These included Bee-eater, Iberian Grey Shrike,White Stork,Common Buzzard, Montague's Harrier,Stonechat,Magpie,Spotless Starling, Jay,White Admiral Butterflies...and sheep of course. We were interested to note the standing stones style of marking boundaries as we neared the border, and our first bird in Portugal was a Spotless Starling, closely followed by Wood Pigeon and four White Storks flying alongside our car as we progressed to Aldeia Nova.

This picturesque village,so definitely Portuguese and not Spanish, was sleepy as ever, with the old black dog dozing in the village square,while two little girls played,  happily greeting us, with House Martins and Red-rumped Swallows swooping around our heads.

The gorge gave us tremendous views of Crag Martin, Alpine Swift, Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Mallard, Common Kestrel within a short while, but the highlights of this stop were the two Egyptian Vultures putting up quite an aerial show, and the sight of Blue Rock Thrush after hearing several taunting sounds of this shy bird. After spending sometime watching Golden Oriole and  a Golden Eagle soaring above us in 36'C, we felt exhilarated but also ready to escape the heat so we set off for lunch in Miranda do Douro.

We ate our lovely salad lunch with accompanying Black Kite views from our window table, and then set off for Fariza.  At the dam we marveled at the size of the carp,with Crag Martins, House Martins and two Egyptian Vultures flying around us.A Golden Eagle was very close to our car as we entered Spain again and we noticed the temperature drop from 41'C to a mere 35'C as we began to climb. We saw Northern Wheatear on the wires plus Woodchat Shrike.

Black Kite and Egyptian Vulture flew very low over us as we entered the village of Fariza, but a real highlight was watching Golden Eagle being mobbed by Alpine Swifts and Griffon Vultures at our viewpoint.

We spent sometime watching a young Egyptian Vulture waiting for its mother who duly returned to the rockface nest site several times. When not watching this scenario on our right hand,we could always feast our eyes on several Griffon Vultures to our left. What an amazing place!

Avoiding Iberian Wall Lizard on the road, we stopped to photograph the Clapper bridge on our way out of Fariza and we returned via Alcanices where we saw Black Kite fly over the road.

After a short rest break, we were back in action at la pista, noting the Bee-eaters on the wire,and straightaway enjoying 4 Stags running across the track and in the low heather in good light and warm conditions. A Honey Buzzard spent most of the evening perched atop a rock to the left of the pista. Other than this action,it was a quiet night, and we returned to the hotel at 22:00 for a sumptuous meal of egg & tuna mayonnaise starter, pork tenderloin in orange sauce followed by very sweet cherries from a local tree.

Friday 12th July.

After a night of torrential, dramatic electrical storms,we set off for Ferreras in 14'C temperatures watching several Blackbirds in the red sunrise. As we turned into the wooded area of Ferreras, the wind dropped and rain ceased. By 07:40 we were set up at our watch site, looking at 6 Red Deer grazing whilst continuing to be on the move. As the morning progressed we could not but notice the number of helicopters flying low over the area carrying water, and after some joking about the purposes of these craft, we became well aware of the difficult  reality of patrolling and safeguarding these dry forested areas. By 09:00 we had seen Great Spotted Woodpecker,Red Kite, Crow, Crossbill, Dartford Warbler and Bee-eater but our best sight of the morning's watch was a Light-phased Booted Eagle in the sky above us on our return.

After breakfast, we were lucky enough to get good views of a Short-toed Eagle at the crossroads at Mahide with White Stork above and a very brave Woodchat Shrike and Crested Lark below. The White Admiral Butterflies were almost getting in the way they were so plentiful at the Gallegos pond!  After some discussion,it was agreed that the snake found here was a

Southern Smooth Snake;  we also found some shedded snakeskin,but not enough for a handbag. Much evidence of Wild Boar rummaging below the oak trees was noted and we enjoyed our time here finding Hoopoe, Skylark, Common Buzzard, Blackbird, Northern Wheatear, Lesser Kestrel, Crow feeding young and about 56 White Storks feeding by a road littered with butterflies warming up on the tarmac.

A short walk in a nearby oak copse garnered a family of the elusive Bonelli's Warbler with lots of Iberian Marbled White Butterflies.Sixteen Lesser Kestrels were counted on the road past this copse, along with Common Buzzard,Woodchat Shrike, plus 2 White Storks together on top of a pylon in exactly the same position at the Mahide crossroads as when we had passed them that morning!

By 14:00 we had reached the village of Riomanzanas, a place where you have to have been to believe....every description of this place sounds like hyperbole unless you have actually seen it. Keith and Rosemary certainly can say they have seen it,meeting local characters going about their business whether that be animal husbandry using methods from bygone ages, or renovation of houses but obviously without any Health and Safety requirements.

After spotting Common Buzzard on the way,we all enjoyed a hearty lunch at Roberto's and emerged to see a female Montague's Harrier at close quarters.

As we set off for an evening wolf-watch at Ferreras, we spent time watching a White Wagtail in the stream at our hotel while a dark-phased Booted Eagle soared above us.Birds seemed to be active this evening,with Orphean Warbler flying by the road just before Ferreras de Arriba, while an Iberian Green Woodpecker flew across our path soon after with Iberian Grey Shrike on the roadside wires. A strong wind whipped up at 20:30 and a Black Kite seemed to be enjoying its show of aerobatics on the blasts. At 21:30 two large Wild Boar ran across the field edge at speed,lifting the Crows from the low-set field behind, only to disappear into the neighbouring wood. By 22:05 we had decided to pack up and after another super dinner,this time consisting of  soup,chicken and... a speciality of the house..., Antonio's rice pudding, we spent an enjoyable 15 minutes watching Nightjars flitting around the local church tower.

Saturday 13th July.

This was a still morning at la pista with the general calm only occasionally broken by a dog barking and the distant jaffel of an Iberian Green Woodpecker.A grazing Hind in the distance also seemed to exude calmness and some of us allowed our minds and scopes to focus on personal favourite areas within our sights; I  enjoyed watching a distant apiarist adding more boxes to the already tall hives to accommodate the fruits of such working honey bees as we hear in the bushes at our feet.  Keith continued to scour the area and he pointed out an impressive Stag trotting into the copse. Apart from a transient but insistent Dartford Warbler, this was a quiet morning's watch.

By 10:50 we were spotting Iberian Green Woodpecker as we left our hotel to visit Puebla de Sanabria,a charming medieval market town nearby.  We stopped to watch Booted Eagle and Black Kite sparring in the air above Cional pond and were impressed with sightings of Honey Buzzard above Sagallos.

Puebla de Sanabria was bustling with a wedding at the castle and there was news of a regatta in the picturesque and normally deserted area of Sanabria. We only found out too late that this was a motorbike regatta! Throughout the afternoon we were treated to thousands ( I do not exaggerate) of motorbikes competing with the screaming of the Swifts as the normally quiet streets were filled with both. A detour to a normally quiet river to look for Dipper etc merely left us surrounded by...you've guessed it...herds of sheep with ever-present shepherds and Mastins; I was beginning to suspect a recurring theme to this tour.What a contrast to this morning's peaceful beginning!

However, we enjoyed a splendid lunch at Ribadelago but we agreed that today the sultry atmosphere, plus motorcycles, had affected our chances of wildlife sights.

The memorial to the families who perished in the flood at Ribedelago

As we departed the area, we narrowly missed a Red Deer hind which decided to cross the road. Here we weredefinitely pleased to be on four wheels rather than two. At the confluence of the rivers Tera and Ciervos, there were Bee-eaters on the wires and we also saw Woodchat Shrike at the entrance to Villardeciervos. We enjoyed seeing a Blackcap singing just at the entrance to our hotel, plus Serin and Greenfinch. Within a few minutes of our return, thunderstorms rent the skies as we watched from the security of our rooms during which time we almost felt sorry for any homeward bound motorcyclists!

The temperature had dropped to 13'C  and water was evaporating from the road causing mist clouds as we drove to Boya for our evening's wolf-watch. Once settled in the woods, we scoured the area for a close sight, to the sound of croaking frogs. We heard a Nightjar and later one flew across our road but this was the only close encounter with wildlife that evening...with the exception of the midges.  Rosemary heard the sound of a Tree Frog behind her, but in truth it had been a quiet watch. A lovely dinner of soup, very tender steak and homemade lemon mousse was very welcome,thank you Antonio!

Sunday 14th July.

The air seemed cooler at 14'C but more settled as we set off at 07:00 for la pista when a Roe Deer ran across the road close in front of us, We set up our scopes to the sound of Roe Deer barking and we soon had several Red Deer within our sight, including a grand Stag at the rendez-vous site. A Short-toed Eagle was perched on a rocky outcrop, beneath a scenic sky of long cigar-shaped clouds serrating the sun.

At 08:50 we were delighted to see a Stag,Hind and a small spotted Calf walking in single file through the high heather.  John called our attention to a shape he had seen fleetingly running along the track on the  horizon of the pista;  he was sure it had been a wolf but no-one else had been focusing in that direction. By 09:30 we returned for breakfast acknowledging our regular Bee-eater on the wire along the track.

Noting the large cherries growing in the fruitful orchards and allotment areas, we set off after breakfast for Codesal aiming to walk the area behind  la pista where wolf had been seen earlier this tour. We enjoyed a good view of Red Fox on the roadside by San Pedro with Honey Buzzard just above the road outside the hotel. Looking for Iberian Hare, we were almost taken  in by a rather trickily shaped Iberian Rock!,but we did spot Chaffinch, Sub-alpine Warbler and Stonechat with White Admiral and Marbled White Butterflies in adundance as Deer ran past the bee-hives.

The peaceful pond at Codesal gave us excellent views of Iberian Water Frog and Dragonflies; it all seemed to be a butterfly heaven imbued with the scent of honey. After a lovely interlude just sitting by this wildlife haven,home to the Red-backed Shrike,we set off to walk the tracks and were soon treated to excellent evidence with wolf scat and very recent tracks. These were of a large wolf and were fresh imprints in mud;  all this supported  John's sighting at that very place earlier today. We also found a baby Toad! Colourful Bee-eaters were aplenty plus Serin and Goldfinch.

After lunch at the interesting Bar el Lobo,we walked around the tracks at Ferreras,noting wolf scat and tracks of Wild Boar and Deer. A cheery Robin was at the millstream upon our return to our hotel for some free time before the evening wolf-watch.

Thunder and lightning pervaded our rest time and the rain started at 19:30 but it had dried up within half an hour as we set off for la pista with thunder still rumbling in the background. The Bees were still valiantly working through these conditions,and we had a quick glimpse of two Wild Boar at 20:45,but by 21:00 rain was the victor and we decamped to the forest edge to watch from our vehicle. It was soon evident that this too was going to be non-productive and so we returned to enjoy dinner with friend Jaime and Antonio. Of course,an excellent night was enjoyed by all,eating good food (Antonio's own paella recipe), good local wine and excellent company.

Monday 15th July.

On a cooler morning, we set off for the Villardeciervos site, lifting a Turtle Dove as we left our hotel.Two Mallards flew nearby as we enjoyed the natural beauty of the low-lying mist mixing with the rising sun. A young Fox ran across the road as we reached the lay-by.  We were prepared for the noisy farmer and his dogs,and by 07:30 we had already noted three Stags gleaming in the sunlight,two Quail,and Iberian Green Woodpecker. Owing to thickening mist,we then left to drive towards Villanueva where  we saw White Stork in the fields and Common Kestrel on the wires...all with the same intent of hunting for food. Also in the search for food was Black Kite and Common Buzzard on pylons with Bee-eater complete with a beak of bee. Whilst watching at Ferreras we noted several Crossbills and White Storks,while a Coal Tit flew past.

11:10 saw us all out and about at Boya on a pond-dipping session and we were lucky to find 2 young Bosca's Newts and Turtle Dove,with a strong scent coming from the mint growing wild around the ponds. A walk around part of the large lake at Cional gave us all a chance to stop, sit and wait for nature to come to us. A huge Carp swam close to our feet and we all saw and heard Golden Oriole. There were also sightings of Honey Buzzard,Jay and Cormorant, plus strong evidence of recent otters with the crayfish remnants left around.

Lunch was enjoyed by this lake and we then returned to our base for some free time,during which John and I saw Short-toed Eagle flying just above us with a snake in its beak. Still the search for food where-ever you watch.

We all enjoyed the peace of the evening's wolf-watch further along the pista, where we could spy lots of Bee-eaters,and had excellent close views of a Stag,Hind and Calf, amongst other good deer views this evening. By 22:00 the Nightjars had started whirring and as the light was going, we packed up after a pleasant watch to enjoy dinner of green bean starter, steak with tomatoes then flan. We were delighted to toast Keith and Rosemary's wedding anniversary with generous measures of "The Queen's Choice" whisky and we hope this is an anniversary they will remember for a long time!

Tuesday 16th July.

07:00 The calm,almost eerie stillness of this atmospheric valley, part mist shrouded beneath a glowing red sun, encouraged a personal stillness and satisfaction as we took time to savour this place before our return to city life.  "There's a lovely Stag!" "Look at the velvet antlers on this one!" As the morning progressed,both Keith and Rosemary enjoyed their improved spotting skills and as the 07:50 train tooted its greeting, we reminisced upon that first day when as well as Great Bustards, we all saw that Wolf, in daylight and a full view! Our discussions stopped however when we noticed that the deer seemed to be quite skittish and they were certainly keeping on the move all the time. But if there was a predator there,it was not allowing us to see him.A rufous-tailed Rock Thrush landed on a nearby wire with a caterpillar in its beak as we had to pack up to return for breakfast and the journey back to Madrid. The Bee-eaters were on their wire, plus Chaffinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker put in an appearance as we returned to our hotel.

The journey back to Madrid provided lots to see as per usual, and these included Short-toed Eagle,Cirl Bunting,Black Kite, Swifts, pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago and surprise,surprise,plenty of sheep complete with shepherds,and Mastins. At the Rio Esla bridge,we saw 30/40 Mallard, two Grey Heron,two Egyptian Vultures and one Black Kite. We noted how the fields of sunflowers had ripened in the short space of one week,but then we realised just how much we had achieved in this time too!  Lesser Kestrels were flying around the dovecotes and we enjoyed the sight of the effortless flight of three Montague's Harriers at Villafafila. White Storks were plentiful in these fields along with a young Peregrine Falcon in a ploughed field next to the road.As we took time to go off-road a little,we disturbed a Little Owl and we also watched Hoopoe and Northern Wheatear.

The A6 provided us with views of Booted Eagle,Black Kite,Griffon Vulture and White Stork...quite an impressive list for an airport run! We said our "Good-byes"to Keith and Rosemary at Madrid airport leaving them with happy memories of their notoriety within the community of the Sierra de la Culebra if only for the speed with which they saw "their " wolf!

P.S.Keith, you will always be able to find employment with us as man i/c stools.

Margaret.


"Thank you both very much for organising such a wonderful wild wolf holiday.  It was a truly memorable experience for so many reasons. We couldn’t have chosen nicer people to show us around such a stunning part of Spain (and Portugal).  Your wealth of knowledge, expertise and generosity humbled us. The Veniata was great – both Antonios so hospitable and the accommodation so comfortable.  Many thanks for collecting and taking us back to the airport which made it so easy travel wise, and you even laid on a wolf! Our holiday with you was quite unique, and will long remain a favourite of our wildlife experiences."  

 Rosemary.