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....