FINCA LA PARRILLA. Photo Hides. Hectares. FINCA LA PARRILLA Monfrague National Park Serrejon - Extremadura - Spain. N max clients each year 270 people

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1 FINCA LA PARRILLA Monfrague National Park Serrejon - Extremadura - Spain N max clients each year 270 people Opening period All year round Accommodation 3 stars casa rural inside the reserve, comfortable rooms with bathrooms, little library, birdgarden. Contacts laparrilla@skuanature.com 10 Photo Hides 1250 Hectares FINCA LA PARRILLA Porto Madrid Lisboa Sevilla

2 THE RESERVE In collaboration with: T. D Arcangelo The old Casa Rural in La Parrilla, now completely renovated and ready to accommodate its hosts, is situated in the heart of a 1250 hectares private estate. High on a hill, it offers a privileged view over the Tago river valley, over the dehesa and on the rocky cliffs of the Sierra La Parrilla. It is an eco-lodge with well-finished and charming furniture, modern and spacious rooms with en-suite facilities, a couple of living rooms where you can relax and a large table in the patio for open air dinners, so you will be constantly entertained by the flight of vultures: a real oasis of peace, where to adapt your pace to the pace of nature, with no hurry, for the Griffon Vultures are not in a hurry when they fly effortlessly in the blue sky. La Parrilla estate is inside the famous Monfragüe National Park, which, with its hectares, has been the first protected area to be declared in Extremadura, in 1979, and s ubsequently became a National Park in 2007, as well as being a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It s a real jewel of biodiversity, protecting mediterranean forests and shrubby areas, famous worldwide for its invaluable environmental and particularly ornithological heritage: it hosts a huge population of different vultures species, it has one of the highest densities of the endemic and very rare Spanish Imperial Eagle, and during the winter impressive numbers of Common Cranes are present Extremadura - Spain Finca La Parrilla - 59

3 PHOTO HIDES A drinking-hide built up in a tree immediately takes us in the shady atmosphere of a valley floor grove, where Golden Oriole and Hawfinch come to drink. A perfectly camouflaged rock-hide disappears among the rocks and stones on top of a cliff, offering a fantastic view over the dehesa down below and on the vultures coming back to their nests in the sunset light. A large drinking trough acts as a magnet for passerines in the surroundings of the lodge, from Linnets to Red-rumped Swallows and Crested Larks. A floating-hide allows to take pictures of very intimate moments, when scavenger birds take a bath after their meal.these are only a few of the many opportunities you have in this reserve. C. Romano innovative solutions to support animals s behaviour 60 - Extremadura - Spain Finca La Parrilla - 61

4 PHOTOGRAPHY C. Romano The estate offers countless opportunities to the nature photographer: from Red Deers in their rutting season, to an old stump of a Cork Oak where Blue Rock-thrush and Woodchat Shrike perch, to the various feeding spots where raptors gather. Some species regularly come to the drinking-hides, such as Barn Swallow, Spotless Starling and Spanish Sparrow, and with a bit of luck, and patience, many other species can turn up, from Dartford Warbler to Grey Wagtail and Sparrowhawk. The same is true for water birds from the hide at Los Majadales: Black Storks, herons and ducks frequently stop over here. Not to mention the vultures fighting in the water that rapresents a unique show. C. Romano C. Romano C. Romano C. Romano INFO skuanature.com - laparrilla@skuanature.com One of the very few hides in europe for photographing Golden Orioles M. Ferrari L. Quaresma L. Quaresma 62 - Extremadura - Spain Finca La Parrilla - 63

5 BIRDS So far 180 bird species have been recorded in Monfragüe National Park, with more than a hundred breeding: La Parrilla estate hosts a lot of this biodiversity, including arguably the biggest colony in the world of Cinereous Vulture and the second biggest of Griffon Vulture. And these are by no means the only raptors present here: at least three males of Eagle Owl sing from the rocky cliffs in front of the lodge, while a pair of Spanish Imperial Eagle has its nest nearby; Red Kites, Golden Eagles, Bonelli s Eagles and Sparrowhawks fly over the area almost every day. Typical mediterranean species such as Thekla Lark, Red-rumped Swallow, Blue Rock-thrush, Woodchat Shrike and Spotless Starling can be seen in the more open areas, while the shrubby areas host a plethora of Sylvia warblers: Dartford, Subalpine, Sardinian, Common, Western Orphean and Iberian Chiffchaf. In the more humid areas, like the valley floors where streams flow, there are high densities of Golden Orioles, and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Jays, Azure-winged Magpies and Hawfinches are all present. It is possible to organize expeditions for finding and photographing particular birds inside the estate or in the immediate surroundings, dedicated night sessions for spotting owls, and also to set up temporary hides in order to maximise the photo opportunities. Find out how to do it! Inside the estate one of the biggest european Black Vulture colonies T. D Arcangelo 64 - Extremadura - Spain Finca La Parrilla - 65

6 MAMMALS INSECTS & PLANTS Since La Parrilla includes a wide section of the integral natural reserve of the Monfragüe National Park, a lot of the over 50 mammal species present can be seen, with a bit of luck. Not only the Red Deers coming close to the lodge in their rutting season, but also Red Fox and Beech Marten often come close to the buildings at night. Even Wolf has been seen inside the property, while very interesting species present are Wild Cat, Common Genet and Egyptian Mongoose, typical african species, as well as Otter and Badger. Among smaller mammals, Garden Dormouse and Southern Water Vole are worth mentioning. It is possible to organize special expeditions for finding and photographing particular plants, insects and mammals, with dedicated walks and jeep rides, both at night and during the day, and it is also possible to set up nocturnal photo sessions. Find out how to do it! The landscape of the property is made of two main environments: the dehesa, with scattered holm oaks and huge cork oaks, whose existence is guaranteed artificially through the grazing of goats, sheep and pigs; and the mediterranean scrub, of natural origin. Both these two environments host a large variety of plants and insects species. There are extraordinary bloomings of Common Gum Cistus and Broteroi Peony, along with a lot of other mediterranean species like Spanish Foxglove or Tongue Orchid, among which fly elegant butterflies like Spanish Festoon, Spanish Swallowtail and Two-tailed Pasha. A. Battisti R. Sindaco 66 - Extremadura - Spain Finca La Parrilla - 67

7 AMPHIBIANS & REPTILES R. Sindaco T. D Arcangelo R. Sindaco Though arid, the mediterranean scrub and the dehesa of Monfrague host an unexpected abundance of amphibian species, which reveal themselves during wet days and nights: Iberian Ribbed Newt, Pygmy Marbled Newt, Iberian Painted Frog, Western Spadefoot, Natterjack Toad, Mediterranean Tree Frog are only a few of the numerous species present here. It is possible to organize special expeditions for finding and photographing particular reptiles and amphibian species, with dedicated night walks and jeep rides, and it is also possible to set up nocturnal photo sessions and temporary terrariums and aquariums to maximise photo opportunities. Find out how to do it! The peculiar geological history of the Iberian Peninsula has strongly influenced its reptilian fauna: the temporary closure of the Gibraltar Strait has guaranteed an exchange between european and north african species, while glaciations have only lightly touched northern Spain, thus allowing the survival of tertiary fauna, unlike in the rest of Europe. All of this, together with the orography of the Iberian Peninsula and the climatic peculiarities typical of the mediterranean habitats, has made the Iberian Peninsula, and even more so the Monfragüe National Park, a real herpetological biodiversity treasure: a large part of the species are endemic or sub-endemic, like Iberian Worm Lizard, Ocellated Lizard, Ladder Snake, or species for which Spain represents the very core area of their distribution, like Spanish Pond Turtle, Iberian Wall Lizard, Horseshoe Whip Snake and Lataste s Viper. L. Boscain G. Bissattini 68 - Extremadura - Spain Finca La Parrilla - 69