Northern Spain Wolves, Wildcats and Vultures Autumn 2016

Summary /Route

Bilbao

Ribesella

Riano

Picos de Europa

Alfaro

Sororio Ebro National Park

Las Bardenas Reales

Embalse de Sononera

Foz de Binies and Valle de Anso

San Juan de la Pena

Torla – Ordesa

El Formigal /El Portalet

Urdaibai

Bilbao

1. Introduction

I have been to this area before several years ago and interesting to see the changes. The

best time for birds and butterflies is June and July, but the focus this time was on wolves and

wildcats.

I decided to take more time to explore the usual birding areas, to find new sites and take

time to enjoy the great scenery and the warm of Spanish hospitality. Visits to the famous

caves at Ribesella and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao was also on the agenda.

Flights were cheap – from Geneva to Bilbao by Easyjet

Car hire at Bilbao through Thrifty - Accommodation made via Booking.Com

Weather conditions was variable – from blue skies (25°C) to rainy grey days in the North

(4°C).

Birds were not very active and very quiet during this time of year.

Guides used included:

http://www.cloudbirders.com/

Where to watch birds in North and East Spain by Michael Rebane

WildWatching Spain were used for the Wildcats and Wolves guide

2. Checklist of Birds seen

1. Gannet 2. Cory Shearwater 3. Artic Skua ?

4. Great Crested Grebe 5. Little Grebe 6. Great Cormorant

7. Little Egret 8. Great White Egret 9. Cattle Egret

10. Grey Heron 11. Purple Heron 12. White Stork

13. Eurasian Spoonbill 14. Mallard 15. Gadwall

16. Widgeon 17. Teal 18. Lammergeyer

19. Eurasian Griffon Vulture 20. Common Buzzard 21. Red Kite

22. Booted Eagle 23. Western Marsh Harrier 24. Common Kestrel

25. Water Rail 26. Red Legged Partridge 27. Eurasian Coot

28. Little Ringed Plover 29. Dunlin 30. Common Greenshank

31. Common Sandpiper 32. Green Sandpiper 33. Yellow Legged Gull

34. Black Headed Gull 35. Rock Dove/Feral Dove 36. Eurasian Collard Dove

37. Common wood Pigeon 38. Little Owl 39. Tawny Owl (H)

40. Common Kingfisher 41. Great Spotted Woodpecker 42. Skylark

43. Calandra Lark 44. Crested Lark 45. Great Short toed lark

46. Thekla Lark 47. Dupont Lark (H) 48. Sand Martin

49. Eurasian Craig Martin 50. Barn Swallow 51. Tawny Pipit

52. Meadow pipit 53. Water Pipit 54. White Wagtail

55. Yellow Wagtail 56. Grey Wagtail 57. White Throated Dipper

58. Dunnock 59. European Robin 60. Black Redstart

61. Eurasian Stonechat 62. Northern Wheatear 63. Song Thrush

64. Mistle Thrush 65. Eurasian Blackbird 66. Blackcap

67. Sardinian Warbler 68. Cettis Warbler 69. Western Bonellis Warbler

70. Eurasian Chiffchaff 71. Goldcrest 72. Firecrest

73. Wren 74. Great Tit 75. Blue tit

76. Marsh Tit 77. Short Toed Tree Creeper 78. Common Crane

79. Common Crested Tit 80. Long Tailed Tit 81. Eurasian Nuthatch

82. Southern Grey Shrike 83. Eurasian Magpie 84. Eurasian Jay

85. Red Billed Choughs 86. Alpine Choughs 87. Carrion Crow

88. Common Raven 89. Spotless Starling 90. Rock Sparrow

91. Eurasian Tree Sparrow 92. House Sparrow 93. Common chaffinch

94. Eurasian Linnet 95. European Goldfinch 96. European Greenfinch

97. Citril Finch 98. European Serin 99. Yellowhammer

100. Rock Bunting 101. Corn Bunting 102. Crossbill

103. Curlew Sandpiper 104. House Martin 105. Wryneck(H)

106. Snipe 107. Common Redshank 108. Willow Warbler

3. Mammals

(photo Wildlife Spain)

Red Squirrel(2)

Iberian Wolf (4)

Badger

Red Deer (2)

Chamois (seen by guide)

Wildcat (2)

4. Butterflies

Wall butterfly

Small white

Red admiral

Common blue

Marrow skipper

Brimstone

Speckled wood

Large white

Green veined white

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Clouded yellow

Cleopatra

Marsh frit

Grizzled skipper

Western dabbled white (mountain?)

Lang’s short tailed blue

Swallowtail

Marzine blue