Gredos
Birdwatching in Spain | Birding in Spain | Birdwatching tours in Spain
THE SIERRA DE GREDOS (6 days)
At trip to discover the contrasting and varied habitats of these sierras
Dates:2 -7 June 2007
Day 1 : After meeting at Madrid airport at a pre-arranged time (usually around midday) we head towards the Gredos Mountains. This is a three hour drive but we stop along the way for a picnic and a short walk to the north of Madrid, in an area of rolling hills studded with holm oak and prickly juniper for a first look at local birds such a Hoopoe, Azure-winged Magpie and Booted Eagle. Our drive takes us through vast forest of cluster pine, the medieval town of Ávila and finally we reach the small village of Navacepeda de Tormes tucked away in the central part of the mountain range. We settle in the simple country hotel called the Capra Hispánica, our base for the duration of the trip. The Gredos Mountains, a magnificent range of granitic ridges with several peaks well above 2000 metres, divide the great central plateau of the Iberian Peninsula into the Northern and Southern Mesetas. The two faces of the mountain range are very different which, together with the dramatic changes in altitude within a short range, make for a wide diversity of habitats and wildlife in a relatively limited area.
Days 2-3-4 : We spend these three days exploring the various habitats, birds 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 Pyrenean oak woods, Scots pine forests, mountain streams, mountain pastures, heaths and scrubland where Bluethroats, Ortolan and Rock Buntings, Golden Orioles, Rock Thrushes, Skylarks and many birds of prey breed. We start our first day here with a gentle walk along the Tormes river and its valley where we can expect to see Golden Oriole, Red-rumped Swallow, Melodious Warbler and the Dipper of course. In the afternoon we visit a nearby pine forest where we shall look for the Pied Flycatcher, Citril Finch, Crossbills and other forest dwelling species.
On our second day, we take a circular route in the car to visit a number of habitats from high mountain pasture to lowland plains and holm oak woodlands and stopping at a series of "hotspots" for a flavour of these varied landscapes and their characteristic species. We can expect to see Ortolan and Rock Bunting, Rock Thrush, Tawny Pipit, Skylark and Crested Larks, Hoopoes, Griffon and Black Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Subalpine and Dartford Warblers, Cirl Bunting, and many more.
The third day here is spent exploring the higher grounds of the mountains where we will be enchanted by the harsh landscape of huge granitic slabs, boulders and screes covered in fluorescent green lichen, witnesses of the past glacial era. This is the home of an interesting variety of amphibians and reptiles and flora. A healthy population of Bluethroat breeds here in the low-growing broom scrub, we can expect to see Yellow Wagtail and Water Pipit in the subalpine meadows, and we will be permanently accompanied by Dunnocks and Northern Wheatears. Skylark, Rock Buntings and Orlolan Buntings are also common. Choughs breed here and we can expect to see Vultures and other raptors fly overhead. The Spanish Ibex live in these mountains in very large numbers so we shall have a good chance to admire these beautiful animals.
Day 5 : The day is spent exploring the southern side of the mountains. In contrast to the northern slopes, typically Mediterranean vegetation grows at the foothills of the southern slopes which are characterised by sheer drops, falling 2000 m in a space of 10 km. They act as a barrier against the cold winds from the north while stopping the moist atlantic winds from the southwest, making for a very particular warm and damp climate. The cluster pine may be found on the higher grounds and evergreen holm oak starts to appear in the valley together with the sweet scented daphne and rockrose. There are also important plantations of olive, cherry and fig trees on terraced grounds. Apart from the typical forest species which can be found in the pine forests, Azure-winged Magpies, Bee-eaters, Great-spotted Cuckoos, Red-rumped Swallows, Shrikes, Hoopoes, Spanish Imperial Eagle and many other birds frequent this area. At the end of the day we make our way back to our hotel on the northern side of the Gredos.
Day 6 : We leave the Gredos in the morning with sufficient time to explore a Celtic settlement perched on the hills overlooking the plains of Ávila which provide for good birdwatching. Black-eared Wheatear, Crested Lark, Booted Eagle and Griffon Vultures among others can be seen here. We aim to be at Madrid airport by 14.00 hours.
Cost per person : 950 Euros