First Iberian Lynx trip of 2012

I have just completed the first Iberian Lynx in Andalucia short break of the year and it was incredibly successful seeing this rare cat on all our days on the reserve. This was also backed up with fabulous views of several Spanish Imperial & Golden Eagles, Booted Eagle, Goshawk, Peregrine, Wild Boar and Mouflon. However finding a Lesser Flamingo (a European rarity) amongst 1000's of Greater Flamingos was very special.

Search for the Royal Owl

Buho Real (Royal Owl) is the Spanish name for Eurasian Eagle Owl and a text from my good friend Fran, saw us heading out to the hills surrounding our home town Oliva at dusk. Fran had been out previously listening for Eagle Owls as they are quite vocal now getting ready to nest with their mate, and had some success. So we arrived at the base of the hill and waited in anticipacion until the light started to fade, seeing a pair of Kestrels, several Song Thrushes, Sardinian Warbler and a Wren. We heard a low deep hoot in the distance and our attention was definitely grabbed. Then from down the valley a huge bird flew towards us -  a male Eagle Owl but it frustratingly landed out of site above where we were standing! The female then flew across the valley and landed in full view in the entrance to a small cave, where she stayed. This was superb and to add to this excellent event a Eurasian Woodcock flew right over our heads, only my second ever in Spain. It was now too dark to see but the night sky was bright so we spent our last couple of minutes watching Jupiter and its moons through the telescope. A fabulous couple of hours.

Great Start to 2012

It's been a really good start to the year in terms of wildlife. I have been working in Scotland for the past ten days. The weather has been kind and I have been lucky enough to see lots of fabulous species. I was in Argyle for a week researching an area, which produced a lovely 1st winter Iceland Gull, several Great Northern and Black-throated Divers, Black Guillemots, Common Scoter, Slavonian Grebes, European White-fronted Geese, Whooper Swans and in the hills a pair of Golden Eagles, male Hen Harrier and lots of Raven. One bizarre experience was seeing a small flock of 6 male Bullfinches around a very wind swept trig point at over 400m on a desolate hill. Further south in South Lanarkshire I got excellent views of several flocks of Pink-footed Geese, another cracking male Hen Harrier, female Merlin and yet another Iceland Gull.

Looking forward now to getting back to Spain and readying myself for the first three short breaks of 2012 in the Sierra de Andujar looking for the very rare abd incredibly gorgeous Iberian Lynx. Here's a photo from a trip I lead back in October.

There's still a couple of places left for the 1st - 5th Feb trip if you're quick! See the full itinerary - HERE

HAPPY NEW YEAR

We wish everyone a wonderful, prosperous and wildlife-filled 2012, we here at JSW are certainly very much looking forward to it.

We are in The Lake District at the moment with Jane's folks having a fabulous time in Newby Bridge. A week spent basically over-indulging, playing party games, getting beaten at squash! and enjoying the hotel's excellent facilities. Despite the poor weather, we have managed a couple of local walks and its always nice for me to see species like Goldeneye, Goosander and Dipper, all of which are very rare in my part of Spain.

Hope to see or hear from you again this year

Julian