Gredos
Birdwatching in Spain | Birding in Spain | Birdwatching tours in Spain
THE LAND OF THE IBERIAN WOLF: MOUNTAINS, VAST PLAINS, WETLANDS AND RIVER CANYONS OF NORTH-WESTERN SPAIN – 5 days
Dates: 20 – 24 April 2010
Cost per person: 900 Euros (single supp. 100€)
Minimum group size: 4
The region of Castilla y León which spans over a great part of the North-Western portion of Spain, has some of the richest natural heritage in Europe, hosting a great diversity of landscapes and, of course, birds. This tour will take us through rivers, vast plains, lagoons, forests, moors and river canyons. It is also the home of the Iberian Wolf.
On Day 1, after meeting at Madrid airport, we drive North-West through the cereal-growing plains of Castille until we reach the small reserve of Castronuño, on the banks of the river Duero, which hosts a colony of Purple Heron and where Night Heron, Marsh Harrier and Kingfisher breed. We then continue to our final destination of the day, the small medieval town of Toro where we shall be spending our first night.
Day 2 will be spent a little further North in vast undulating agricultural plains, a steppe-like habitat which is home to the largest population of Great Bustards in Europe. Birds such as Lesser Kestrels, Montagu’s Harrier and various species of larks also inhabit this area. We shall visit the lagoons of Villafafila where Black-winged stilt, Avocet and Gull-billed Tern breed. In the afternoon we shall head to our next destination: the Sierra de la Culebra, the stronghold of the Spanish population of Iberian Wolf. Possibilities of seeing these secretive animals are always scarce but, for those interested, we shall go to strategic places at dawn and dusk to try to see them. We shall be staying in a small country house-hotel beautifully located in this remote and wild part of Spain.
Day 3 will be spent exploring the pine woods and heath lands of this long ridge of moderate altitude where Crested Tit, Firecrest, Bonelli’s Warblers, Dartford Warblers may be seen.
On Day 4 we head South towards one of the most spectacular landscapes of Spain: the canyons formed by the river Duero (known in Spanish as the Arribes del Duero) and which form the border with Portugal. This is an excellent place for raptors, especially Bonelli’s and Golden Eagles, Griffon and Egyptian Vulture, and also for Black Stork, Chough, Blue-Rock Thrush, Red-rumped Swallows etc. Our last night will be spent in one of the small villages of the area.
On Day 5 we make our way back to Madrid, aiming to be at the airport around 15h00. We shall make an early start to stop for an hour in Salamanca, to allow you to visit on your own one of the most spectacular Renaissance cities in Europe and then, time permitting and depending on what species we have seen or missed so far, we shall stop at various locations on our way to Madrid.
