April Wildlife of Osuna, Ronda and Fuente de Piedra

Sub title: An extended Local Patch

Apart from leading and guiding a great many wonderful wildlife tours around the world, nature in my local area still holds great joys and surprises. It is always a pleasure to travel with likeminded folk and friends whilst trotting around some of the most exotic wonders of our natural world, but it is all too easy to forget the wonders on my own doorstep! Pondering the extended local patch I tour with people, also indulging myself in spare moments, I realize I have it all, from steppe to wetland areas and finally up high in my mountains of the staggering Serranía de Ronda. Such variety, such beautiful scenery, such a way of life makes for a very real privileged existence, one I appreciate and enjoy to the full.

The area or, probably more correctly, areas, are among the most important in the whole of southern Spain. On the steppe of Osuna you can still find good numbers of Great Bustard, in fact the largest concentration in Andalucia, while many sites hold good numbers of European Roller, Lesser Kestrel and Collared Pratincole to name just a few important species. Whilst northeast of Osuna there lies the most important breeding ground for Greater Flamingo in Europe, Fuente de Piedra.

Fuente de Piedra, a large saline lagoon, can hold up to 38,000 adult Greater Flamingo, while the lagoon also plays host to an enviable large colony of Gull-billed Tern. The spring can be a great time to visit this area with migrant waders showing well in their breeding plumage, with some remaining to breed including Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover and Little-ringed Plover, Stone Curlew breed in the surrounding countryside. Moving southeast we soon arrive in the mountains of the Serranía de Ronda.

The high elevation of the Serranía de Ronda and diversity of habitats results in a wide variety of raptors frequenting the area. From high mountains, rocky crags, dramatic cliff faces to woodland and open spaces, the area offers just about every habitat required by a vast range of raptor species. Our resident breeding eagles the Bonelli’s and Golden Eagle, both favour nest sites on vertical cliffs with a preference for an overhang to the actual nest site, although this is not always apparent when viewing the nest. Our summer visiting eagles, Booted and Short-toed Eagle, choose woodland or even small copses for nesting. Of course there are more than raptors here, so many mountain birds such as Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Thrush and Black Wheatear breed, whilst warblers are here in great variety.

All these areas beckon much needed tourism, but especially nature and cultural orientated tourism. In fact, tourism may be the only way these natural wonders may be conserved and preserved. In a world increasingly aware of the harm that tourism can do, helping to protect the environment - both at home and overseas - is very important. Visiting these areas can have an immense benefit on both the destinations and the people who live there. Helping to conserve natural and cultural assets and injecting often much-needed cash into local economies is hugely important to many of the rural places visited by environmentally aware tourists, so help protect the natural wonders here by choosing these areas as your next holiday, you won’t regret it!

A pictorial of this natural wonder

Why not join Peter on one his Day Tours? See Links below.

Serranía de Ronda – My Mountains – for further information read HERE

Osuna – Steppe Country – for further information read HERE

Campillos - Mountains to Lagoons - for further information read HERE

Strait of Gibraltar - Migration, wetlands and so much more read HERE

Wildlife of the Serranía de Ronda

The glorious Spanish Festoon 

The Serranía de Ronda and the Sierra de Grazalema are arguably among the most important areas for wildlife in Spain. The diversity of habitats makes the area a natural wonder for all who are fortunate enough to gaze upon its obvious beauty and splendour. The diversity of habitats is reflected by an equal and staggering diversity in the area's wildlife. Parque Naturals Sierra de las Nieves and Sierra de Grazalema are two major national parks, both declared UNESCO Biosphere reserves, and are contained within our boundaries. The reserves are of international importance.

European Bee-eater

Mammals are well represented and the picture further down the page shows a young male Ibex Capra hircus pyrenaica which occur commonly throughout the area. Fallow Deer Dama dama, Red Deer Cervus elaphus and Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus are all native residents with the wild sheep Mouflon Ovis aries having been introduced into the Sierra de las Nieves park area. With river systems that flow all year round, the scarce but magnificent Otter Lutra lutra can still be encountered, especially on the Rio Guadiaro and its tributaries. Genet Genetta genetta, Beech or Stone Martin Martes foina and Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon also add to the impressive array of mammals here.

Woodchat Shrike

Of course the local variety and the list of rare birds using the area are now world renowned. Whatever the time of year, then the area is a 'must' visit location for all who appreciate birds. One of the most notable claims to fame is the highest 'known' breeding density in the world for Bonelli's Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus and with over 400 breeding pairs of Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus, the area has much to reward the visitor. Raptors are further represented by breeding Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus, Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus and wintering Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti.

Sawfly Orchid

The picture further down this page shows an Ocellated Lizard Timon lepidus which can grow to enormous proportions and is a veracious predator of ground nesting bird's eggs and young in addition to other small lizards! The variety of reptiles will surprise many and thrill all!

Large Tortoiseshell

With over 2,000 species of plant in the area and several endemics, the area is without doubt hugely important to the Iberian Peninsula and Europe. There are now over 43 species of orchid listed, 164 vetch species, 24 campion and 27 species of thistle, just to name a few and wet the appetite for visiting botanists. A very comprehensive listing of the plants can be found by following the flower link below and is highly recommended for those planning to visit this remarkable area. From late October through to early June can be very rewarding for the enthusiast, with the spring show being the most spectacular during May. Of course the months of April and May also correspond to spring migration for birds, so these months can be an ideal time to plan a visit if you have the dual interests in both flowers and birds.

Ibex (male)

Currently our Butterfly species list has just exceeded 80! Obviously with so many plant species in our area, then the number of butterfly can be expected to be correspondingly high. The picture at the header of this blog illustrates one of our more common species the Spanish Festoon Zerynthia rumina and it has the rather charming local name of Arlequin.

Ocellated Lizard Timon lepidus

A small photo gallery of wildlife in the Serranía, I hope you like it?

Why not join Peter on one his Day Tours? See Links below.

Serranía de Ronda – My Mountains – for further information read HERE

Osuna – Steppe Country – for further information read HERE

Campillos - Mountains to Lagoons - for further information read HERE

Strait of Gibraltar - Migration, wetlands and so much more read HERE

World Bird Wednesday

Morocco, Birds and things!

Common Bulbul joins us for breakfast!

Just arrived back home from guiding/leading yet another tour and what a contrast Morocco is from the last 2 tours in Costa Rica. I am always amazed at the diversity of this North African country, from the plains of the Atlantic Coast and northern interior, to the High Atlas Mountians and their snow covered peaks and then a descent to the rock and sand deserts that form the Moroccan Sahara. Staggering scenery, wonderful nature, superb accommodation and culinary delights to please the most discerning of tastes, makes me hungry just thinking about the food! I am posting up a few photographs to give you a feel for the country, not just the nature, but also scenery. The winter scenes in the High Atlas contrast sharply with the desert sands and their heat, so I hope you enjoy this offering, whilst a full trip report will follow at some point in the near future (famous last words).

Erg Chebbi dune complex

Our route in the High Atlas Mountains - breathtaking!

Spotted Sandgrouse entertained us in the southern deserts

Mountains were a feature of the eastern desert landscape

House Bunting (male) was an ever-present and cheerful companion

Roaming Camels file across the stone deserts beneath the Sahara Mountains

Staggering rock formations found in the Gorges de Dades

Ruddy Shelduck took advantage of temporary stands of water

The Palmeries near to Zagora held diverse birdlife

The High Atlas Mountains dusted with late snowfalls

Atlas Horned Lark seemed at home in the snow

I hope you enjoyed this brief, but varied, look at the journey we made into the middle and southern reaches of Morocco? Please do comment and why not consider joining me next March (2015)? The link to our next Safari Tour HERE

Why not join Peter on one his Day Tours? See Links below.

Serranía de Ronda – My Mountains – for further information read HERE

Osuna – Steppe Country – for further information read HERE

Campillos - Mountains to Lagoons - for further information read HERE

Strait of Gibraltar - Migration, wetlands and so much more read HERE