La Janda and Fuente de Piedra. Andalucían Wetlands

Although our area has many streams and rivers, a true wetland is either 1 hour away to the east or 2 hours to the south-west. Both are places full of magic.

The Fuente de Piedra is a collection of several small lakes with brackish water making it a perfect place for Greater Flamingos which breed here every year sometimes in huge numbers such as 33 000 in 2011. But the place is not only about flamingos, there are about 255 species registered in the lakes, including migrants. Depending on the time of the year, there is always a treat waiting there for you. There is a well-equipped information centre at the main “lagoon” which is the Spanish word for a brackish small inland lake, a “laguna”.

La Janda is another magical place where rare species of birds can be found. 

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The Bald Ibis

The Yellow Narcissi Saga Continues

Narcissus bulbocodium

There are various lovely wild yellow narcissi which form an important part of the biodiversity of plants in the Grazalema and Sierra de las Nieves Natural Parks in Andalucía. However, they are not easy to identify and some are not that easy to find as they are becoming rarer.

On another stroll I was lucky to be acompanied by the very knowledgeable Sue Eatock. Our first item on the shopping list was the Narcissus bulbocodium. We found that it was sharing habitat with a few Narcissus fernandesii.Then we visited another site to have a look at how the Narcissus fernandesii was doing there; although there were fewer plants than I remember from about 5 years ago, it looks like there was no spraying or strimming last year and the plants are doing not too badly.

Narcissus fernandesii

We had a close look at the very vulnerable and strictly protected Crocus serotinus s. nevadensis, a lovely and delicate plant found very occassionally in certain parts of the Grazalema Natural Park. It is apparently more wide-spread in Jaen Province, however I haven´t confirmed this information yet.

Crocus serotinus s.nevadensis

We had a quick look at Fire Salamander larvae well visible in slow-flowing parts of a stream.Not many butterflies were flying yesterday, I only caught a glimpse of a Small Heath and a Wall Brown. I was in for a treat after that though, I had a good look at the first Hummingbird Hawk-Moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) of this year hovering around a Giant Orchid in bloom, and why-oh-why wasn´t I fast enough to focus the camera! I also thought it was very early in the year for it to be flying, but there was no doubt about the species, I was pretty much nose-to-proboscis with it.

Many more Ophrys fusca are in full bloom now with several flowers on one plant and many more buds coming up. I was happy to find two different subspecies  sharing the same site.

 

Note: I have just been told by Mick Richardson from Loja Wildlife that the fusca on the left is considered by many experts to be a separate species, subfusca, and the one on the right might become a species soon as the fusca orchids are being re-evaluated. Thanks, Mick.

I must admit I find it hard to be looking down at plants and focuss on  the birds, I have to "dedicate" each walk or outing to either creatures found on the ground or birds. I think an additional set of eyes on top of one´s head would be a very useful mutation to have.

However, we did hear the Common Kestrel calling continuously while hunting, there were many Griffon Vultures flying in a spiral over the Ribera section of Grazalema, Sue spotted a lovely male Black Redstart of the very dark variety in its breeding plumage (Phoenicurus ochruros aterrimus) and I had a brief glimpse of the winter visitor to our area, a Song Thrush. There were  several Great Cormorants perched somberly around the Zahara lake. In Montejaque I stopped at my favourite olive grove to see a mixed group of finches and other small passerines feeding on the ground amongst the flowers. I saw several Linnets, Serins, Goldfinches, Black Redstarts, Blackcaps, Sardinian Warblers, a Crested Lark and another winter visitor, a Siskin. There were several Griffon Vultures perched on rocks further up, but I could not locate antyhing worth waiting for, no visible carcass around. All in all it was a great outing.

Walking the Dog through...Biodiversity

Today it was one of the rare occassions when I did not forget to take the camera with me on a walk with Nellie the Dog and I did see something interesting: first Clouded Yellows (Colias crocea) and a Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), plus lots of bees pollinating the flower field in the olive grove just beside our house. Another warm day: 20º Celsius, no wind.

It is such a lovely habitat for butterflies, bees, beetles and so close to home. People were working on the neighbouring fields preparing the ground for planting potatoes. I was welcome to wander around with the dog under the olive trees.

The word biodiversity is used by many as an all-purpose word for whatever they are trying to sell; often to cover up their complete insensitivity to the natural world surrounding them. Today I saw a small example of biodiversity, a quiet and rare feeling. The short walk was pleasantly topped with the Common Kestrel (probably snacking on whatever I was trying to photograph) and a swirl of hundreds of Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) heading north-west.

Here are the images from the short walk:

 

Warm Day in Ronda

Narcissus bugei

The Sierra de Las Nieves Narcissi bugei are in full bloom now, they were in tight buds on the 29th of February when I visited them first. Please remember, if you find them anywhere on your walks and outings, these are strictly protected plants both in and outside of the Natural Parks. Let´s take good care of these beautiful and special plants by not damaging them and admiring them discreetly. Drawing attention to the plants may cause others to damage the plants, pick them or dig up the bulbs which means the plants would not bloom again in this spot.read more...
 

Parque Natural de los Alcornocales in February

A week ago, on the 7th of February,  Tony and I ventured out to the feeding station for carrion birds on the outskirts of Cortes de la Frontera in Cadiz Province. Although just 45 minutes away from our village, Montejaque, the climate seemed much more mild . There were hundreds of Griffons circling around the station, a few young ones waiting on tree tops, and a few feeding on remaining scraps of what appeared to be a dead horse. I was surprised by the large number of Crag Martins (Ptyonoprogne rupestris) whizzing about just above station; the insects attracted by the carrion had probably, in turn, attracted them. There was a large, shiny Common Raven picking on a scrap it had carried up to the dead tree just above the wooden hide. Lots of Mistle Thrushes were chasing insects around the carrion. Further down the track we saw a Green Woodpecker and a small, probably young, female Great Spotted Woodpecker.

 

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Spikes and Buds

I had had enough of computer work today. Having read on another nature blog that the Ophrys tenthredinifera has started blooming in Doñana, I decided to escape for  a quick walk today to see what´s going on in our cooler climate in the Grazalema Park.

 

There were plenty of spikes of different orchids and other plants out but no buds or flowers on the orchid spikes. As every year, we will have to wait a bit longer.

 

There are buds and leaves of many plants about and it is good fun to try to locate familiar plants before they fully develop, a process which is not always successful...read more....

The First Orchids and First Eggs

The first orchids are appearing in the Serranía de Ronda area. In the right upper corner is a photo of the Barlia Robertiana taken near Montejaque. These can appear as early as November. The colours can vary between the quite rare pure white to dark purple. Another early species is Ophrys fusca from the "fuzzy bug" family, very different from the elegant many-flowered type of wild orchids.

Today was also a good day for listening to and watching the Sardinian Warblers and Corn Buntings, announcing that spring is in the air. Although humans may still not feel the coming spring, many birds are already repairing their nests and laying eggs. Robins are particularly active; Griffon Vultures are already fussing over newly-laid eggs.

Deer or Ibex?

The Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica), a wild mountain goat typical of high sierras in Spain, is a graceful and fascinating animal. The Grazalema and Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park are excellent areas for Ibex-watching. However, the animal can be confused, especially at a distance, with Red Deer with which Ibex can sometimes share parts of habitat. Here are a few quick tips how to distinguish between the two species.

Red Deer males

Whilst deer can climb mountain slopes up to a point, they do not posses the ability to scramble up sheer rock faces like Ibex. Deer males will stay in the open to fight during rutting season but in general deer dislike open areas. Ibex feel at home in the open and will often lounge on flat rocks for hours. Ibex do not require dense forests in their habitat the way deer do.

Group of Red Deer - the very large ears well visible even from far away

Group of Spanish Ibex - much smaller ears and unbranched horns both on male and female

Deer dash and run at the slightest sign of danger as soon as they hear, smell or see it. Ibex can endure human presence for longer and they tend to move away from the obsever more slowly though quite "deliberately". Ibex  will maintain a steady distance from the observer and only break into a run when suprised at a very close range or when the observer makes a lot of noise.

Red Deer is a much taller and slender animal than Ibex, its ears are very large, femals do not have horns while male´s antlers are branched. Ibex looks more stumpy than deer, with shorter stronger-looking legs, has smaller ears and black markings on shins; in males these markings are much more prominent and exted up to their thighs, chest and shoulders. Females, males and young have horns which are never branched.  Male´s horns are long and curved and can grow up to a metre.

Male Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)

 Ibex males do not bellow during rutting season the way Red Deer males do. Rocks rolling downhill can alert the observer of a group of Ibex passing by above but Ibex are mostly silent, they will sneeze and snort when disturbed and communicate using body language more than sound.

Male Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica)