Gredos
Birdwatching in Spain | Birding in Spain | Birdwatching tours in Spain
THE GREDOS MOUNTAINS AND MONFRAGÜE - 6 days
The stunning beauty of Spain's backbone and the European raptor paradise
Dates: 21-26 April 2008 and 5-10 May 2008
Day 1 : We meet at Madrid airport usually at 13:00 hours and drive to the Gredos mountains. This is a three hour drive but we stop along the way for a pic-nic and a short walk for a first look at local birds. Arriving at the picturesque village of Navalperal de Tormes situated in the heart of the Gredos, we settle in the beautifully located country hotel Cruz del Gallo where we shall be based for the following two days. The Gredos Mountains , described by the 20th century Spanish writer Unamuno as Spain 's back-bone, divide the great central plateau of the Iberian Peninsula . They form the frontier between the harsher continental conditions to the north and the milder Mediterranean climate to the south. This gives rise to a rewarding diversity of wildlife in a relatively limited area.
Days 2-3 : We spend these two days exploring the various habitats and wildlife of the area of the gently rolling slopes of the northern side of the mountains where the climate is globally continental, and characterised by small oak woods, Scots pine forests, mountain streams, mountain pastures, heaths and scrubland where Bluethroats, Ortolan and Rock Buntings, Dippers, Rock Thrushes, Skylarks and many birds of prey breed. We start our first day here with a gentle walk from the hotel, in the valley of the Tormes river, followed in the afternoon by a visit to a nearby pine forest. On our second day here, we drive to a series of "hotspots" for a flavour of the various landscapes of the area and their characteristic species.
Day 4 : In contrast with the northern slopes, typically Mediterranean vegetation grows at the foothills of the southern slopes which are characterised by sheer drops of several hundred metres that act as a barrier against the cold winds from the north.
Driving across one of the main passes which cut through the mountain range we make our way down towards the southern plateau, travelling through terraced plantations of olive, cherry and fig trees, through cluster pine and sweet chestnut trees, finally reaching the wide open country of the plains of Extremadura studded with cork and western holm oaks and a myriad of wild flowers. These are the so called “dehesas”, the result of centuries of interaction between man, cattle and the Mediterranean forest. They cover wide regions of Spain and are of great ecological importance. This is the land of the Azure-winged Magpie and the Spanish Imperial Eagle.
Located amidst these dehesas is the National Park of Monfragüe. This reserve is a magnificent remnant of the scarce genuine Mediterranean forest and scrubland where evergreen oaks, strawberry and turpentine trees, and wild olive trees thrive. This thick vegetation provides an ideal breeding habitat for the Spanish Imperial Eagle, one of the most endangered raptors in the world, and for the Black Vulture which is abundant in the area. On and around impressive rocky outcrops scattered through the park, Griffon and Egyptian vultures, Bonelli's and Golden Eagles, Eagle Owl and many other raptors are found as well as Choughs, Alpine Swifts, Blue Rock Thrush and the shy and scarce Black Stork. Monfragüe is one of the best sites in Europe from which to observe raptors. Sardinian, Sub-alpine and Dartford Warblers are often seen in the bushes of rock roses and daphne.
This whole day is spent in this raptor paradise stopping at a series of strategic viewing points of the park.
In the evening, we settle in the small rural hotel El Alcaudón in the village of Serrejón, situated on the edge of the Park and surrounded by the savannah-like landscape of the dehesas.
Day 5 : We spend the whole morning on the shores of the nearby Arrocampo reservoir which has an interesting community of wetland birds such as Purple Gallinule, Little Bittern, Night and Purple Heron and Fouthern Grey and Woodchat egrets among many others. After a midday rest at our hotel, we set out again in the afternoon for a tour through the beautiful surrounding dehesas in search of its typical birds such as the Hoopoe, Azure-winged Magpie, woodlarks, Bee-eaters, Great-spotted Cuckoos, various species of Shrikes and the elusive Black-shouldered Kite.
Day 6 : We drive back to Madrid airport aiming to be there at 15:00 hours, making various stops along the way and keeping an eye open for the many raptors that soar through the sky above these vast plains of Extremadura and Toledo, with the Gredos Mountains in the background. Our final stop will be for a drink and some typical Spanish tapas by the medieval castle of Oropesa from which we shall enjoy spectacular views of the landscape and the acrobatic displays of many Swifts, Swallows, Martins, and Jackdaws.
Cost per person : 1.000 Euros