A Tale of Two Trips

I have just returned from (almost) back to back short breaks to arguably the best mountains ranges Spain has to offer, along with their associated Plains area to the south.

The first was with Robert & Kathy Dowsett, Jim & Viv Harvey to the Belchite Plains and the Aragon Pyrenees where we were searching for Dupont's Lark, Citril Finch, Wallcreeper, Lammergeier, Red necked Nightjar, Ortolan Bunting, Rufous tailed Rock Thrush, Western Orphean & Western Bonelli's Warblers. Luckily we managed to find all of these species and many more, making for a wonderful 5 night break.

This was quickly followed by a trip to the Sierra de Culebra & Picos de Europa with it's unbelievably stunning scenery and wildlife to match. This was a combined trip with tourist company Planet Whale and 2 ladies from Singapore - Kim & Betty. Again the targets achieved included a pair of Wallcreepers, Snowfinches, Alpine Accentors, Alpine Choughs, Black Stork, Great Bustards, Honey Buzzard, Lesser Kestrels, Red backed Shrike, Iberian Chiffchaff, Western Orphean Warbler and Ortolan Bunting. Plus lots of reptiles and amphibeans such as Bocage's Wall & Iberian Rock Lizards, Marbled & Alpine Newts, Fire Salamander, Schreiber's Green & Ocellated Lizards. Mammals included Rebeco (Chamois), Red Fox, Marmots, Soprano's Pipestrelle, Red & Roe Deer. Brilliant.