As names go, the Parque Pure Hoces del Alto Ebro y Rudrón isn’t the snappiest. It’s a spectacular space of deep gorges in Northern Spain the place the Rivers Ebro and Rudrón have, over thousands and thousands of years, minimize their manner deep into the limestone, forming a collection of spectacular steep-sided canyons (hoces) and gorges, with slender, forested bottoms overshadowed by spectacular rocky cliffs. It’s within the far north of the province of Castile and León, simply south of Cantabria. The park was fashioned in 2008, and covers over 45,000ha (111,150 acres). It’s an space little visited by vacationers, not to mention British birdwatchers, but is lower than a two-hour drive south of Santander airport, which is only a 90-minute flight from London.
The Valle de Sandano within the Parque Pure Hoces del Alto Ebro y Rudrón. The surroundings is spectacular
Over time I’ve been fortunate sufficient to have travelled extensively in Spain, however although I’d been shut, this was an space I had by no means travelled in earlier than till earlier this month, once I made my first go to. The journey was a short one – simply seven days, which incorporates time spent on the coast and within the rugged and historical Cantabrian mountains. It wasn’t lengthy, nevertheless it was ample to present an opportunity to discover slightly of this wild and largely untouched space, and to see a choice of birds and some butterflies.
Spain is predominately a dry nation, however not within the north, the place the mountains of the Picos de Europa and the Cantabrians obtain excessive rainfall, with successive fronts rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean. It’s the kind of climate an Irishman would really feel at house with. The Parque is within the rain shadow of the mountains to the north, nevertheless it nonetheless receives loads of rain and, within the winter, occasional heavy snowfalls. It rained throughout our go to, and when the solar did shine it was tempered by a cold wind; it didn’t cease us seeing birds, although we didn’t achieve this effectively with butterflies.
One of many points of interest of visiting the world was there probability to remain on the Posada Molino del Canto, a pleasant rural lodge run by Javier Morala (above), who occurs to be a passionate birder. He subtitles his posada Mattress, Breakfast and Birds, which is slightly deceptive as he cooks superb dinners, too, however if you wish to know something in regards to the birds of the world and the place to seek out them, he’s your man. He’ll take you out for an escorted day’s birding too, one thing which, with hindsight, we should always have completed, as nothing beats native information.
A Noticed Flycatcher in her nest above the entrance door of the Molino del Canto
Molino del Canto is in a typical deep gorge, with the Ebro flowing previous only a stone’s throw from the entrance door. It’s a kind of splendidly distant locations the place there’s no passing site visitors, and the one sounds to interrupt the silence are the songs of birds and the circulate of the mighty river. Griffon and Egyptian Vultures soar overhead, together with Brief-toed Eagles and Black Kites. Crag Martins, the chunkiest of Europe’s swallows, hawk over the river, whereas within the backyard you will discover a number of birds extra typical of northern Europe than Spain, akin to Bullfinch, Nuthatch and Nice Noticed Woodpecker, together with a number of that we not often see in England, akin to Firecrest, Golden Oriole and Serin. There was a pair of Noticed Flycatchers nesting (in a field made by Javier’s daughter) simply above the entrance door. Javier’s backyard listing is over 100 species, and consists of such delights as Lammergeier and Wallcreeper, although these two species are winter birds, so we weren’t going to see them.
A Firecrest photographed within the backyard of Molino del Canto
Although each Wolves and Brown Bears could be discovered not far-off, there was no probability of us seeing them throughout our brief go to, however one night, after dinner, I walked right down to the Ebro and glimpsed a pair of Otters fishing within the river.
Egyptian Vultures have a wholesome inhabitants on this space of Northern Spain
Griffon Vultures are one of the vital attribute of the birds of the Parque
Black Kite: a standard summer time customer to the world
As a birdwatching base, Molino del Canto is ideal, as you’re within the coronary heart of the Parque. The problem for us was how lots of the particular birds we may discover in our two full days right here. The Griffons and Egyptian Vultures have been simple, so too, have been Booted and Brief-toed Eagles, however frustratingly we failed on Golden Eagles, although Javier advised of us of native pairs. Golden Eagles have massive territories, so it’s a matter of luck connecting with one, and that luck wasn’t with us. As for Bonelli’s Eagles, Javier advised us that the inhabitants had collapsed this century from 10 pairs to only one, so this was one hen we didn’t anticipate to see. In England we are actually used to seeing Purple Kites, however right here the widespread kite was the Black, a profitable and considerable species. There have been additionally Honey Buzzards, widespread birds right here, however a hen that has a particular fascination for British birders, as they’re uncommon and elusive in Britain.
British birders at all times get pleasure from discovering Honey Buzzards
Merindad de Valdivielso, a typical moorland space with breeding Iberian Gray Shrikes and each Hen and Montagu’s Harriers. Choughs wish to feed right here. This engaging space is simply exterior the perimeter of the Parque Pure, to the east of the CL-629
A cock Montagu’s Harrier – at all times a gorgeous hen to look at
Above the gorges are intensive areas of high-altitude moorland, very completely different from the moorland we now have in England which I wrote about final week. They do, after all, have their very own particular birds. Each Hen Harriers and Montagu’s Harriers breed, however the climate was towards us as we hunted for these good-looking raptors, and it was solely on our final morning that we lastly linked with a few splendid cock Montagu’s Harriers. Neither introduced good alternatives for pictures, nevertheless it was a delight to look at these good-looking birds searching.
Iberian Gray Shrikes nest on the moors, together with Stonechats, Northern Wheatears and Skylarks, the final three additionally typical of the English moors. When you’re fortunate you would possibly discover Little Bustards and Stone Curlews (we weren’t), however we loved listening to Tree Pipits, Woodlarks and Quail. There have been Choughs right here, too, and I used to be shocked to discover a flock of red-billed Choughs along with a pair of yellow-billed Alpine Choughs. Javier advised us that Alpine Choughs are irregular right here, so this was a very good document.
This Alpine Chough wasn’t a hen I anticipated to seek out
There aren’t many villages within the Parque, however in these there are you may anticipate finding White Wagtails and Swallows, Black Redstarts and Spotless Starlings, together with the inevitable Collared Doves and Home Sparrows. One village, Dobro, was reputed to have breeding Rock Sparrows, however we failed to seek out them. I by no means did see a Rock Sparrow throughout this journey, however I did handle to listen to birds calling in one of many canyons.
The board explains (in Spanish) in regards to the Senda Ornitológica de Montecoza, and its most vital breeding birds
Butterflies are a particular curiosity of mine, I hoped to discover a good selection, however these bugs are solar lovers, and with out solar they’re inconceivable. There have been simply a few sunny intervals which allowed slightly butterflying, and I discovered Small, Widespread and Adonis Blues, Southern Grizzled and Small Skippers and a Southern Marbled Skipper. There was only one fritillary, a Queen of Spain, the best to determine of all of the small fritillaries, and a single Scarce Swallowtail. In the course of the week I famous a mere 21 species of butterflies: given higher climate I might have anticipated thrice that.
Queen of Spain Fritillary
The brightest of the blue butterflies: an Adonis Blue
Birdwatching isn’t nearly itemizing species and discovering rarities. A lot of the pleasure of this journey got here from the delight of watching hovering vultures in such splendid and spectacular environment, to not point out returning to the Molino del Canto every night for a gourmand dinner and a glass (or three) of the native wine. The Parque Pure Hoces del Alto Ebro y Rudrón is way too rugged and difficult a spot to disclose greater than a fraction of its avian delights in simply two or three days: I should return.