Northern Spain Wolves, Wildcats and Vultures Autumn 2016
Summary /Route
Bilbao
Ribesella
Riano
Picos de Europa
Alfaro
Sororio Ebro National Park
Las Bardenas Reales
Embalse de Sononera
Foz de Binies and Valle de Anso
San Juan de la Pena
Torla – Ordesa
El Formigal /El Portalet
Urdaibai
Bilbao
1. Introduction
I have been to this area before several years ago and interesting to see the changes. The
best time for birds and butterflies is June and July, but the focus this time was on wolves and
wildcats.
I decided to take more time to explore the usual birding areas, to find new sites and take
time to enjoy the great scenery and the warm of Spanish hospitality. Visits to the famous
caves at Ribesella and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao was also on the agenda.
Flights were cheap – from Geneva to Bilbao by Easyjet
Car hire at Bilbao through Thrifty - Accommodation made via Booking.Com
Weather conditions was variable – from blue skies (25°C) to rainy grey days in the North
(4°C).
Birds were not very active and very quiet during this time of year.
Guides used included:
http://www.cloudbirders.com/
Where to watch birds in North and East Spain by Michael Rebane
WildWatching Spain were used for the Wildcats and Wolves guide
2. Checklist of Birds seen
1. Gannet 2. Cory Shearwater 3. Artic Skua ?
4. Great Crested Grebe 5. Little Grebe 6. Great Cormorant
7. Little Egret 8. Great White Egret 9. Cattle Egret
10. Grey Heron 11. Purple Heron 12. White Stork
13. Eurasian Spoonbill 14. Mallard 15. Gadwall
16. Widgeon 17. Teal 18. Lammergeyer
19. Eurasian Griffon Vulture 20. Common Buzzard 21. Red Kite
22. Booted Eagle 23. Western Marsh Harrier 24. Common Kestrel
25. Water Rail 26. Red Legged Partridge 27. Eurasian Coot
28. Little Ringed Plover 29. Dunlin 30. Common Greenshank
31. Common Sandpiper 32. Green Sandpiper 33. Yellow Legged Gull
34. Black Headed Gull 35. Rock Dove/Feral Dove 36. Eurasian Collard Dove
37. Common wood Pigeon 38. Little Owl 39. Tawny Owl (H)
40. Common Kingfisher 41. Great Spotted Woodpecker 42. Skylark
43. Calandra Lark 44. Crested Lark 45. Great Short toed lark
46. Thekla Lark 47. Dupont Lark (H) 48. Sand Martin
49. Eurasian Craig Martin 50. Barn Swallow 51. Tawny Pipit
52. Meadow pipit 53. Water Pipit 54. White Wagtail
55. Yellow Wagtail 56. Grey Wagtail 57. White Throated Dipper
58. Dunnock 59. European Robin 60. Black Redstart
61. Eurasian Stonechat 62. Northern Wheatear 63. Song Thrush
64. Mistle Thrush 65. Eurasian Blackbird 66. Blackcap
67. Sardinian Warbler 68. Cettis Warbler 69. Western Bonellis Warbler
70. Eurasian Chiffchaff 71. Goldcrest 72. Firecrest
73. Wren 74. Great Tit 75. Blue tit
76. Marsh Tit 77. Short Toed Tree Creeper 78. Common Crane
79. Common Crested Tit 80. Long Tailed Tit 81. Eurasian Nuthatch
82. Southern Grey Shrike 83. Eurasian Magpie 84. Eurasian Jay
85. Red Billed Choughs 86. Alpine Choughs 87. Carrion Crow
88. Common Raven 89. Spotless Starling 90. Rock Sparrow
91. Eurasian Tree Sparrow 92. House Sparrow 93. Common chaffinch
94. Eurasian Linnet 95. European Goldfinch 96. European Greenfinch
97. Citril Finch 98. European Serin 99. Yellowhammer
100. Rock Bunting 101. Corn Bunting 102. Crossbill
103. Curlew Sandpiper 104. House Martin 105. Wryneck(H)
106. Snipe 107. Common Redshank 108. Willow Warbler
3. Mammals
(photo Wildlife Spain)
Red Squirrel(2)
Iberian Wolf (4)
Badger
Red Deer (2)
Chamois (seen by guide)
Wildcat (2)
4. Butterflies
Wall butterfly
Small white
Red admiral
Common blue
Marrow skipper
Brimstone
Speckled wood
Large white
Green veined white
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Clouded yellow
Cleopatra
Marsh frit
Grizzled skipper
Western dabbled white (mountain?)
Lang’s short tailed blue
Swallowtail
Marzine blue