Holiday Highlights Andujar Lynx 1 5 February Sue & John Harrison, Anne & Terry Swainbank, Stephanie Perkins & John Tout

Transcription

1 Holiday Highlights Andujar Lynx 1 5 February 2018 Guide: Guests: Day 1: Julian Sykes Sue & John Harrison, Anne & Terry Swainbank, Stephanie Perkins & John Tout We all meet at the airport and get through to airside without too much of an issue but with limited time it s not long before our flight is boarding for Malaga. We set off on time and a pretty seamless flight means we arrive within our scheduled arrival time on a fairly sunny day in Southern Spain. We load the minibus and head off towards the Montes de Malaga noticing the almond trees in blossom, then as we continue north, Julian points out a few distant Griffon Vultures above the limestone massif of El Torcal. We drive on past Antequera turning west towards our first stop Laguna de Fuente de Piedra, getting there early afternoon. We head straight to the visitor centre seeing our first Northern Shoveler, Coot, Black-winged Stilts, Lesser Blackbacked and Black-headed Gulls of the trip. We stop at the car park and walk up behind the centre seeing more of the same species plus some groups of Greater Flamingo and Shelduck on the main lagoon. Below us there is a couple of Black Redstarts and Stonechat with Steph spotting our only mammal of the day Rabbit. We don t have much time so we turn back to the car park, stopping again to check another area, which pays dividends as Julian finds a single Stone Curlew. Back at the bus we set off again and drive round the edge of the brackish lake. As we pass alongside this huge lagoon we continue to see the same gulls, ducks and waders all in good numbers before arriving at some wheat fields surrounded by olives. Julian is looking for Common Crane and finds several in the distance, which he is very pleased with. Then, above the trees, a Common Buzzard appears and it s being mobbed by a second raptor, and we cannot believe our luck as it s a female Hen Harrier fantastic. We watch both of these for a while before the harrier peels off. It is now mid-afternoon and we need to leave as we still have a long way to go. So back to Antequera we go and stop just beyond the town at some excellent motorway services on the edge of some agricultural fields. As time is moving on, we are not here long and are soon heading north towards Córdoba. The drive is thankfully an easy one with an incredibly quiet motorway and on the route to Andujar we see a few Raven, single Black and Red Kites, Kestrel, more Common Buzzards and several White Storks sat in nests to add to the daily checklist. As we pass Córdoba Julian points out the Mesquita, a huge mosque that has a cathedral built within its walls after the Christians overran the Moors centuries before.

2 The road now turns east towards Andujar and is also quiet so good progress is made as we cross the Rio Guadalquivir several times before exiting the motorway at this industrial town. The drive now slows as we wind our way up into the Sierra de Andujar and our rural accommodation, arriving there at 6:00pm with the last vestiges of light. We are allocated our rooms fairly quickly and about an hour later we reconvene in the hotel dining room for our first fabulous meal. After this Julian conducts our first checklist after going through his road maps of this area and talking about the logistics of the next few days. We are all very tired after such a long day and are keen to get to bed, so shortly after the list and another brief chat we return to the accommodation for some very welcome sleep. Day 2: We set off from the hotel at 8:00am after a very good breakfast. Sadly Sue has opted to stay behind as she is feeling a little under the weather but we hope she has a nice relaxing day. The moon is clear and large in the sky as we wind our way up the mountain to Los Escoriales. We see our first Red Deer and then Fallow Deer as we get to the fighting bulls fields along with a few birds such as Black Redstart, Robin and Chaffinch. Julian spots a Little Owl sat on a rock and quickly realises there is also a second one there too and the Red-legged Partridges look sublime in the morning sunlight. We continue slowly driving through this farmland, with John H and Julian (in the.front) seeing a couple of Hoopoes fly up and disappear over the Holm Oak dehesa. Soon enough we reach the La Lancha valley and immediately find an Iberian Green Woodpecker on top of a telegraph pole. Julian stops the bus to shake hands with a few colleagues from previous visits before picking our spot near the bottom of the valley. Our guide instructs us on the watching protocol and that it can be a little testing at times, looking over the same space but just to keep the faith. We start well as Anne finds a few Mouflon on the opposite hillside and we get some good views through the telescope. It is cold today, more so than we realised, with a couple of us a bit under-dressed but we persevere scanning every rock, bush and track for our main target. Mid morning we start to see our first raptors, with Griffon and Black Vulture, then spot a cracking adult Spanish Imperial Eagle amongst them superb. A little later Julian spots an immature Golden Eagle above the ridge behind us and briefly we all forget how cold we are. The morning continues without any sightings throughout the valley but John T sees a gorgeous male Blue Rock Thrush along with the rest of us seeing Great and Long-tailed Tits, Sardinian Warbler, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and a Serin shows well for Anne. Around 11:30am as things seem to be quietening down and our concentration is waning, Julian decides we shall have a change of scenery and drives us down to the Jandula Dam wall to look for Spanish Ibex. The short journey down is wonderful as we get a rest from the biting wind, which has plagued us all morning. At the bottom of the track we park, adorn our winter jackets again and

3 walk out to the dam wall, with John T and Steph seeing our first Crag Martins flying around the huge stone-built pump house. Julian, Terry and Anne start to walk along the small track that follows the river below, where Julian picks out a pair of adult Golden Eagles sat on a distant ridge superb. It is still quiet here and there are no Spanish Ibex to be seen although Terry does spot a Red Deer, which is actually more unusual here. We continue to scan, seeing lots of vultures circling above and a couple of Black Redstarts on the adjacent rocks. It is now lunchtime so Julian gathers us together and we head back to the van and drive the short distance to the Mirador de Embalse de Jandula with lovely views over the very low reservoir. During our picnic we get fabulous views of a Crested Tit, along with the commoner Robin, Great and Blue Tits and another adult Spanish Imperial Eagle. Despite our lack of Lynx sightings, Julian decides to stick to plan and drive back to the accommodation, this time stopping at Los Escoriales for photos of the wonderful comederos de granito (300 year old granite feeding bowls). Back at the hotel we have a short break and meet up with Sue who is looking very well, having had a lovely relaxed morning around the grounds. When we are all ready we set off again, this time going out to the River Jandula, where we drive along the track to the Encinarejos Dam wall. We have come here to try and see European Otter but as they are more likely at dusk we have plenty of time to go for a walk along the river. It is now a lovely calm afternoon and we enjoy our stroll looking at the hundreds of Iberian Magpies. We also have brief looks at a Firecrest that Terry has found but he is really over the moon when Julian points out his second narcissus of the day Hoop Petticoat Daffodil, they are beautiful. We go up to the original Lynx watch-point and sit overlooking the river as Great Cormorant pass overhead and in with the Crag Martins we find a few House Martins. Steph and John are fascinated by the number of Chiffchaffs around, and we all engage in a debate about the fish in the river. Late afternoon Julian suggests we return to the rocks where the van is parked and we get there with plenty of daylight left. It is brilliant just to sit quietly and enjoy these tranquil surroundings seeing our first Grey and White Wagtails along with a fly-by Kingfisher, which looks like a tiny electric blue bullet in the sun. John H spots a Short-toed Treecreeper, which shows really well as it decides to come right down to the edge of the river. Julian is conscious of the time and the fact that it s starting to get cold again and says should we go? Then, looking back, he sees a shape in the pool and says excitedly Otter, where I am looking! Little did he know both Anne and Sue had also seen the shape at the same time and were on it with the rest of us struggling a little but we all do eventually see the animal. After quite a few seconds the Otter dives and disappears, not resurfacing for some time and now further towards the dam wall. We then realise that Anne and Julian are watching a second individual out in the centre of the main pool and we cannot believe our luck. The observations continue until the light starts to fade and Julian is conscious we need to get off these rocks safely as we haven t

4 got any torches with us. So we do leave now and carefully negotiate the path back to the minibus, then head back to the hotel, very pleased with our day, despite no Lynx sightings. Day 3: We have another 7:00am breakfast and today we feel much more rested after having a good nights sleep all round. We can feel the cold, even inside, and prepare ourselves better than the previous day, for the exposed valley of La Lancha. We leave the hotel at 7:45am and drive out towards Los Escoriales on a very starlit morning with a huge waning moon dropping to the horizon in the west. As we get to the fighting bulls area having seen our first Red and Fallow Deer, we see a lot of frost on the ground and the van s temperature recorder reads -4 C! Soon enough on this good track we reach the La Lancha valley and continue down to the bottom end as we had done the previous day. There is very little wind which makes things seem better as regards the cold or its just we are better prepared for these conditions in Southern Spain. It is not long before Julian says There s a Spanish Imperial Eagle sat in a Holm Oak as he steps away from his telescope allowing us all a look. This majestic bird is a long way off but clearly visible and looking fantastic in the early morning sunshine. While we are looking at this, our guide then finds a closer second individual, which is brilliant. We are getting good looks at these two very rare eagles before Julian hears, then sees, a couple of Red-billed Chough flying through the valley. We continue to search the valley finding lots more Red Deer but not our main target. The conditions are perfect for Lynx but the morning draws on with us seeing the usual Sardinian Warbler, Iberian Magpie, Long-tailed and Blue Tit. A Dunnock is a wee bit of a surprise to Julian, who doesn t see it here often. A bombshell is dropped when we hear that a Lynx has been seen at the top of the valley, which deflates us a little but we keep searching our view-shed. It is now after noon and Julian is very aware that we have tried our best and we getting tired of staring at the same rocks etc. He suggests another visit to the dam wall but this time to go to the Bat Tunnel and we are all grateful for a change, despite knowing a Lynx could appear anytime. Again we park at the dam wall and this time walk out across it, scanning the river below and find a Common Sandpiper and drake Mallard, which is great but no flipping Ibex either! Julian has his torch and Terry has brought a new one with him that he wants to trial so into the tunnel we venture. Quite soon and in a lit area we find our first Daubenton s Bat, which is a great omen. Further in we get to the darkness which makes definition better and we now find a couple more Daubs along with our first Schreiber s Bat, looking definitely paler and slightly larger than the Daubenton s. There are not loads of bats but we do get a fantastic look at a Schreiber s hanging from the ceiling and Terry lets loose with his bazooka torch. Now Julian has moved position and gets excited as he has found a third species and one he s not seen for some time Greater Mouseeared Bat. It s tucked right up the blast hole but clearly visible, especially with Terry s mega-beam and we all enjoy a good look. The rest of the cave is punctuated with the usual species and we are having a great time here and

5 forget the uneventful morning at La Lancha. Eventually we leave the tunnel and return to the warm sunshine as its now time for lunch, again at the mirador. As we walk back across the dam wall Julian is still looking for Ibex but is rewarded with a handsome male Blue Rock Thrush sat on the wall and in full illuminated view through the telescope. We get back to the minibus and drive back up the hill to the mirador where we have our picnic lunch in the sunshine. We again see the Crested Tit and in the distance a Nuthatch is calling. Julian then spots a large, pale bird and says Goshawk as this really bright male towers up and back down into the pine woodland below how tantalising is this as it does not return but we clearly see it in display! We obviously hang around a while and after a several minutes Julian says Spanish Imperial Eagle calling and we can hear this strange call ringing out so we search the skies. It is Julian who picks them out and there are a pair in full courtship display, which is just sublime and a real privilege to be part of with John H thinking this is just wonderful!. The pair soon move out of sight and this heralds our need to depart, with a plan to go back to the hotel and have a rest before coming back out in the afternoon. As we reach the La Lancha watch-point we are greeted with our second bombshell of the day another Lynx has been seen. This time it was where we had stood all morning and appeared just five minutes after our departure Julian could have wept! However, we are also informed that this Lynx could be resting out of sight near this place as it was not seen to leave earlier. So the question is asked stay for the Lynx? or go back to the hotel - with the former being a unanimous decision. We now get out of the minibus and stand with the other people hoping a Lynx will wake up and walk into view. This goes on all afternoon and the nearer we get to dusk the resignation that it might have slipped the net strengthens our luck is certainly not in today. This is mammal watching at its most difficult but we are resolute and keep going. Julian knows that tomorrow s weather forecast is dire and this is our best chance, so is reluctant to leave, starting now to check the other known areas in a hope for finding an animal. It is very late afternoon when our guide does briefly see a Lynx disappearing behind a Holm Oak and into a valley, with no-one else seeing it. We drive further up the valley to try and second guess the cats movements but it s too late, too dark and we are just fed up with looking it is obviously just not meant to be today. We drive back to the hotel, where we again meet up with Sue, who s had another lovely day around the grounds. In fact, at the log check time, it is obvious she has had a tremendous time in the on-site bird photography hide seeing Hawfinch, Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker along with Great, Blue and Crested Tits. Also a walk in the adjacent pine woodland produced another fantastic record Red Squirrel, a mammal Julian has never seen here previously, which is just superb. Maybe we all should have stayed behind!!!

6 Day 4: Julian looks out of the hotel before breakfast and is pleasantly surprised to find that it is just lightly spitting and not the full-on rain that was forecast although it is still very damp and miserable. After another lovely breakfast we get ready with our wet weather clothing and set off once again to the La Lancha valley. Sue and this time John T have stayed behind, which a couple of us think is pretty sensible given the conditions time will tell! As we climb up towards the fighting bulls finca of Los Escoriales we encounter cloud and the visibility dramatically lessens. However, this does improve slightly higher up and we do see a few roadside Red and Fallow Deer, with a Little Owl sat on the tarmac being the highlight before reaching La Lancha. It is still very poor visibility in the valley so our guide decides we shall drive the track all the way to the dam in the hope of a Lynx using this easy and drier walkway. It is incredibly quiet, quite eerie really as there is no sound at all, even the Red-legged Partridges have stopped calling. We can see the occasional Rabbit even in the mist, which gives us some encouragement but there are no cats sat or wandering about in the gloom. Below the deserted village we quickly check for Spanish Ibex on the granite hillside but no luck there either so we turn round and drive back up to the watchpoint.. Here we get out and stretch our legs but the view-shed is still poor and even Julian knows we need a seriously close Lynx to pass by or we would not see it hopefully it will improve. After a couple of hours of virtually nothing and an increasing disappointment Julian suggests we have a warm up and drive again down the valley as it was clearer there, earlier in the morning. We all think this is a sensible idea and off we go back now down to the dam wall where we can see a lot further so go looking for the Ibex again. Julian spots a genuine Rock Dove flying away but it s the cloud of Crag Martins that is really impressive, there must have been hundreds in the swirling flock! Julian now looks down into the slow moving river, seeing a pair of Mallard today and then something else moving and breaking the surface of the still water it has to be an Otter? It then shows better and we confirm his suspicions while Julian and Terry get their telescopes on the animal (or at least the general area). It is not easy as it constantly moves but we all eventually get to see this lovely European Otter in the scope, which brightens our day no end. As we are watching this aquatic mustelid Julian is conscious the weather is improving, and Steph says she can even see a sliver of blue sky. We need to return to the La Lancha valley. Julian had always said we would return to the hotel and now being midday he says we have a little over half an hour before we leave the Lynx watching and resign ourselves to missing it on this short break. However the visibility has improved significantly and the other watchers are being more resolute so you never know your luck! We have been there about ten minutes when Julian spots excited movement from further along the track and says GO they have found one! It is now a case of just going for it with Steph leading the charge along with Anne,

7 Terry not far behind and Julian bringing up the rear with John H, and helping another lady (Pam from our hotel) with her husbands outsized telescope and tripod! It is further than we think and thoughts race through the mind of the animal disappearing but we can see active looking and pointing ahead so it looks good? Steph arrives and a kind Spaniard points towards the animal as she sees the rear end and tail disappearing behind a bush! The crowd are moving and looking for the animal when the rest of us arrive and Julian soon gets there and receives the news it s disappeared. He understands these cats though and walks on to where there is an open fire break and waits only for a few seconds before this male Iberian Lynx (Gallo) crosses in full view. The group had stopped with the main crowd but soon join Julian but the Lynx has again disappeared but Julian suggests we wait with him a little further along the track overlooking another open area. The wait is agonising and as the minutes tick by the belief it has changed direction starts to creep in and a few people start to move off. However, our Speyside guide has been here many times before and the sight of a couple of Magpies behaving oddly arouses suspicion and through the Gum Cistus bush he sees an odd movement like a black feather waving about. He asks John (Pam s husband) to use the scope (he had carried!) and there, like a magic eye, is Gallo washing himself the relief is enormous. All scopes are now trained on this beautiful animal and even though we could only see the full head occasionally it is fabulous in the magnified view. The Lynx has now washed and moves again into full view and this is when we see an Iberian Lynx in all its glory, moving purposefully but gracefully through this pristine Mediterranean landscape. Darker than we had imagined with subtle spotting along the flanks, short tail on a muscular rear end built for jumping. Over the next hour all thoughts of lunch have gone as we follow it down the valley, mostly being lost from view but getting further looks at this gorgeous animal. Julian and John walk back the mile or so to get the minibus and as Gallo is now lost from sight, believing he is asleep, we decide to have lunch with smiles all round. Julian is keen to see Sue and John T. to see how they are doing so makes the decision to leave after the picnic as things have again gone quiet. We drive back starting now to see the usual suspects of Iberian Magpie, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and our Little Owl still on the same rock. At the hotel we arrange a reconvening time to go to the river later this afternoon. Most of us head to the bird hide that Sue has told us about, getting incredible looks at Crested, Blue and Great Tits. A Great Spotted Woodpecker shows well for John and Sue, with John and Steph, going for a walk through the pine woodland. We have been here about half an hour when Julian gets a text saying that Gallo has been found again, asleep in full view another decision is needed. Julian asks the group if we want to try for it or still go to the river? Almost unanimously its go for it including John T and Sue. Our other John is happy with the views he has had and opts to stay watching the birds come to the feeder, which is quite successful getting fabulous extended looks at a Nuthatch and also a new bird for the trip Sparrowhawk. The rest of us go and Julian again negotiates the winding roads and tracks, with Anne receiving updates from his mobile as we get nearer to La Lancha. The dark

8 clouds are gathering and Julian says we don t need rain as we reach the valley. It does start to rain as we make our way down to the gathered crowd and by the time we are parked it s a serious storm. The Lynx is still there though, now hunched up against a granite rock and partially hidden by a bush but visible through a telescope. We are getting soaked and cold as we watch it, with the crowd starting to disperse; in fact after 20 minutes of this, only Terry is left outside! Eventually the rain is stopping so we venture back out but the cat has moved and the search is on again. Most people have gone now but after a while we are signalled and there it is, slightly closer, munching on a Rabbit fantastic. These views are better and some decent images are taken before it sets off again, back to the rock it was crouched under out of the rain. It now proceeds to climb on top and sit, watching for another tasty morsel to pass unsuspectingly by. What a brilliant view through the telescope and we now enjoy this beautiful creature in the fading light as the sun is dropping towards the horizon. We are more than happy now with these views and decide to leave it in peace as we might find another on the way back home. It is a very happy journey back that has one last twist as Julian spots another colleague of his up ahead who is flagging him down? It is another Iberian Lynx and close to the road feeding on a deer carcass you could not write the book! Most of us are out of the minibus or watching through the windows and getting another superb showing but the light is disappearing fast and after about 15 minutes of this animal at just 30m range we have to leave. It has been an astonishing final day to the short break, making up for all the disappointments of the previous day but that s wildlife watching! The evening meal and celebration is a worthy finale of all the effort and hard work we have put in over the last four days. Day 5: After our final breakfast on another damp morning we set off on schedule at 8:45am and drive the winding road to Andujar, then westbound on to the motorway. The roads are quiet and we make good progress to Córdoba seeing Common Buzzard, Raven and Cattle Egret before we are treated to White Storks on their nests. Beyond Córdoba and now heading south we see more storks on pylons looking like candles on a Christmas Tree, but the journey is quiet through hectares of olive grove, vine and cereal fields. Nearly two hours into our trip back to Malaga we call into a motorway services for a hot drink and very tasty cake (as we are celebrating Anne s birthday). Back in the van we drive on south to Malaga passing through the lovely Montes de Malaga now with snow on the higher peaks incredible in just a few days. We eventually make the parking place outside the departures terminal slightly later than hoped (due to a new system!) and after saying goodbye and thank you to Sue, Steph and the two Johns, Julian takes Terry and Anne to their car hire company, thus bringing to an end this very successful short break to the Sierra de Andujar.

9 Species of the Trip All agree Iberian Lynx but also one extra - Sue Crested Tit John H Spanish Imperial Eagle Anne Crested Tit Terry European Otter Steph European Otter John T European Otter Julian Crested Tit Place of the Trip Sue Encinarejos (Jandula River) John H La Lancha valley Anne Bat Tunnel Terry Bat Tunnel Steph Encinarejos (Jandula River) John T Encinarejos (Jandula River) Julian La Caracola Magic Moment Sue Seeing the Hawfinch at the bird hide John H Seeing the Lynx ears through the bushes Anne First proper view of the Lynx as it walked out Terry Seeing the Lynx ears through the bushes Steph Seeing the Lynx ears through the bushes then watching it wash! John T Seeing the Lynx ears through the bushes Julian The relief of a Lynx after seeing something different moving in the bushes

10 Bird List Shelduck Mallard Eurasian Teal Common Pochard Red-legged Partridge Cormorant Cattle Egret Grey Heron White Stork Greater Flamingo Griffon Vulture Black Vulture Golden Eagle Spanish Imperial Eagle Red Kite Black Kite Hen Harrier Common Buzzard Sparrowhawk Goshawk Common Kestrel Moorhen Common Coot Common Crane Black-winged Stilt Stone Curlew Lapwing Common Sandpiper Black-headed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Rock Dove Feral Pigeon Woodpigeon Little Owl Hoopoe Common Kingfisher Iberian Green Woodpecker Great Spotted Woodpecker Crag Martin House Martin White Wagtail Grey Wagtail Dunnock Robin Black Redstart Stonechat Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Blackbird Blue Rock Thrush Blackcap Sardinian Warbler Dartford Warbler Cetti s Warbler (heard only) Common Chiffchaff Firecrest Wren Blue Tit Great Tit Crested Tit Long-tailed Tit Nuthatch Short-toed Treecreeper Red-billed Chough Jackdaw Azure-winged Magpie Magpie Raven Spotless Starling House Sparrow Chaffinch Goldfinch Greenfinch Serin Hawfinch Mammal List Iberian Lynx Rabbit European Otter Red Deer Fallow Deer Mouflon Wild Boar Red Squirrel Greater Mouse-eared Bat Schreiber's Bat Daubenton s Bat Amphibian List Iberian Wall Lizard Plant List Common Jonquil Hoop Petticoat Narcissus Friars Cowl Storksbill