Blogging from the Pyrenees » Birds & Fauna

Ibon de la Sierra

Phil — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:55:04 +0000

The cirque of Rincon de Balsera

Explored the remote Ibon de la Sierra and was rewarded with great views and wildlife including a lammergeier, chamois, kestrels and my first marmots of the season.

It’s an area of the Valle de Tena that I’d wanted to hike in for ages but never seemed to get round to it. It’s a long walk in but really worth it as you get to some really wild valleys lying under the imposing peak of Punta Escarra.

Stemless Gentians - one of my favourite early flowers

The weather’s been beatiful the last couple of weeks and the spring flowers are really starting to come out. Saw my first orchids of the season – elder flowered orchids. These come in both yellow and purple but both are the same species and can be seen in their thousands in June. In sunnier spots gentians were out too – mainly spring gentians but a couple of patches of lovely stemless gentians.Where the snow had recently melted a few alpine snowbells were coming out too – these are fantastically delicate and spring out of the ground as soon as the snow cover has gone.

Alpine snowbell

The marmots have come out of hibernation and I heard lots of warning whistles and saw plenty of them grazing on the fresh grass.

My first marmot of the season

Also saw a group of Chamois – one of which posed silhouetted on a small peak nearby.

Chamois posing on a ridge

When I got to Ibon de Sierra I was quite surprised to find it covered in ice which was a bit surreal as I was hiking in sorts and t-shirts. I was even more surprised to see several fully grown frogs swimming under the ice – they must survive all winter under there.

Ibon de la Sierra

The wildlife highlight of the day was a lammergeier flying close overhead. I could really see it’s colours and get an idea of it’s huge wingspan (which can be over 2.5 metres). Its always a delight to see these vultures.

Great day out and a good new area discovered that I’m sure I’ll be visiting again this summer.

The Iberian Lynx

Phil — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:40:04 +0000

European Lynx at La Cuniacha animal park in the Valle de Tena

The Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) once roamed over most of Spain but has recently had the unfortunate label of the world’s most endangered feline. Numbers began falling at the start of the 20th century but in the last few decades numbers have fallen dramatically from an estimated 1100 in 1988 to just 120 in 2005.

Instantly recognisable with tufty ears, long sideburns and beautiful spotted coat the Iberian Lynx is about two feet tall and three feet long. Adults weigh around 25 pounds.

Iberian Lynx used to be seen regularly in the Pyrenees – often in the more Mediterranean climate of the Sierra de Guara. It is thought that they shared the range with European Lynx which are found in the Alps and further north. Sadly the last sightings in the Aragonese Pyrenees were in 1930 in Linás de Marcuello near the cliffs of Riglos and 1940 near Berdún – both animals were killed by hunters.

The main cause for decline in the Pyrenees was thought to be hunting but elsewhere the recent drop in numbers has been put down to a reduction in rabbits which is the mainstay of the lynx’s diet along with with the large number of road, rail and dam projects which have taken place since Spain joined the European Union. These have disrupted Lynx, destroying their habitat and separating populations into smaller and smaller unsustainable groups.

One place you can see lynx is at Parque Faunistico in the Valle de Tena. There are several European Lynx in a large enclosure and in 2010 three young cubs were born. They’re quite hard to spot but it’s a magical sight if you are lucky enough to see those fluffy ears pointing up out of the grass. I’ve previously posted this video of the lynx cubs.

Today only two populations of Iberian Lynx remain both in the south of Spain. A group of around 20-25 lives in Doñana National Park but this number is thought not to be genetically diverse enough to survive. Another larger population of around 70 lynx are in the Sierra de Andújar are thought to have a more sustainable future.

In 2003 the Lynx Life program has been set up and is having some success so much so there is even talk of moving the lynx status from ‘critically endangered’ to just ‘endangered’ which still isn’t great but is a move in the right direction. Lynx Life has several strategies including boosting rabbit populations where Lynx are present. Young pairs of Lynx have been trapped and introduced to new areas of wild land that had been specially prepared to be provide the perfect habitat for both rabbits and lynx. A breeding program has been set up with the idea to take young animals bred in captivity and release them into the Doñana population to increase genetic diversity. These measures have increased the population to an estimated 300 individuals so fingers crossed the Iberian Lynx can come back from the brink.

The Guardian recently published an article about the Lynx Life program.

Lynx cubs at La Cuniacha

Phil — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:56:52 +0000

La Cuniacha animal park near Piedrafita welcomed 3 new Lynx cubs this spring. Apparently they were born very early and the park wardens are concerned that they won’t make it through any cold spells.

Keeping my fingers crossed for them as they look incredibly cute in the video and would be great to see them as young cubs this summer.

The park helps preserve animals that were once native to the Pyrenees. They’ve european bison, ibex, wolves and are part of the Przewalski horse breeding program.

The Bath Boys Hike the Pyrenees

Phil — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:41:01 +0000

Len and the Bath boys

Thanks to Len, Phil, Julian, Peter, Alan and Trevor - our first guests of the summer. They walked a new village to village itinerary staying each night in different villages in the Valle de Tena. Hope you had a great week guys.

Bit unseasonly cold at the beginning of the week but we were rewarded with fantastic views and one of the best birding days I’ve had in the Pyrenees. On the final morning we first saw a booted eagle, shortly followed by a short toed eagle that hunted near us all morning. Next a pair of golden eagles came not too far away followed by the obligatory griffon vulture. Day was rounded off by 2 sightings of a lammergeier and then a kestrel which looked tiny after seeing all these huge birds.

The unmistakable profile of a lammergeier with it's long diamond shaped tail, dark wings and rusty coloured body. A magnificent vulture.

Brilliant bunch of guys – thanks for a great week – really enjoyed music, football and election chat (but not the singing!).

Read Len’s and other previous guests comments about their Hike Pyrenees walking holiday.

Looking across the snow capped peaks of the Valle de Tena

Blacks nature guides

Phil — Mon, 10 May 2010 09:15:16 +0000

I find Blacks Nature Guides really useful. Good mix of an identification fieldguide with interesting information about each species too.

Wild Flowers of Britain and Europe covers most of the species we find here in the Pyrenees although misses some of the Pyrenean specialities such as the fantastic ‘Corona del Rey’ (saxifraga longifolia) and ‘Oreja del Oso’ (Rymondi Myconi).

Birds of Britain and Europe has clear pictures for identification and is great for the birds of prey that the Pyrenees are famous for. Lammergeier, golden eagles, griffon vultures, short toed eagles and kites are all regulary spotted in Ordesa and the Valle de Tena.