Back in October, Anand proposed a January trip to Andalusia for Iberian Lynx. Unsurprisingly I was keen as were Zach and Jack, so the four spots were immediately taken. By late November, thanks to Anand's fluent Spanish which proved to be invaluable throughout the trip too, accommodation and a day with a guide had been sorted.
Day 1:
Setting an early alarm clock is bad enough, but 245am is as bad as it gets. Our flight out from Gatwick was at 630am and with motorway closures leaving myself and Zach on edge, we got to the airport sleep-deprived at a little after 4am. Sitting in the front helped me cash in on the first mammals of the trip, many Fox and a single Badger too. Already dead inside and trying to figure out how we'd survive the rest of the day, things were only made worse when Jack had his pair of pliers banished by security. I'm still not too sure why they were on the packing list in the first place, but no questions asked.
Even if sleep didn't really happen, the flight was smooth and made all the better by this sunrise, the best I've seen in some time. Upon arrival, an airport Lynx encounter preceded getting lost trying to find the correct rental car. We were soon on our way, starting our trip at a shopping centre car park. Anand and Zach went off to get food and drinks for the afternoon, me and Jack stayed back and spent the time car birding picking up Monk Parakeets, Black Redstart, Spotless Starling and a few Sardinian Warblers.
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| Iberian Lynx |
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| Sunrise |
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| Car-park birding |
Birding then began properly at Desembocadura del Guadalhorc, one of the better known Malaga nature reserves and right by the airport. Walking from the car to the reserve saw us distracted by Short-toed Treecreepers, Chiffchaffs and the melodic sounds of Serin ringing through the air, undoubtedly the sound of the trip. It wasn't long before Zitting Cisticolas and Crag Martins found their way onto the trip list, alongside plenty more Black Redstart and Sardinian Warbler.
It was a welcome sight seeing butterflies on the wing in January, alongside Stonechats, Blackcaps, a Water Pipit, Spanish Sparrows, Spotless Starling etc etc. A few Booted Eagle were the only ones of the trip. We eventually came across a viewpoint where a female White-headed Duck was one of the first birds I looked at, a male joining it shortly later. Penduline Tit was heard not seen, a sore point bird for me as the other three had all seen the 2021 Beddington bird Zach had found. Black Redstarts were in most bushes and fencelines, a stark difference to home.
More time was spent overlooking the larger of the lagoons from a viewpoint hide. Waders and wildfowl were numerous here - Black-winged Stilt, Avocets, Knot, 11 Sanderling, 17 Black-necked Grebe, Greater Flamingos and Spoonbill. The final stop was by the sea, which was better than expected. Balearic Shearwaters and a few auks were first seen by Jack, the best otherwise being Gannets, Sandwich Terns, Med Gulls and a pair of nervous Thekla's Lark.
In honesty, we'd packed for the mountains and Malaga was a lot warmer than anticipated. I was dehydrated from the flight and more so after this, Zach's first sun burn concerns of the year were evident and Jack's optimism had fallen silent so he also was likely suffering a bit. Leaving by 4 meant we could do most of the journey to Andujar in the light, giving us a good chance to car bird a bit whilst Jack dozed off for an hour. Myself and Anand likely had a Black-winged Kite, that's a lifer for me, so views were too brief to have it. Hundreds of White Stork, Red and Black Kite and the local Lidl were the final additions for the day. By dinner, we were all shattered so early bed before early lynx-ing was necessary.
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| Desembocadura |
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| Anand at Desembocadura |
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| Compulsory stop |
The region near Los Pinos (the restaurant and hotel complex we stayed at) had two main roads/tracks known for looking for Lynx, the main one being La Lancha (JF-5002 -> 04) and the second being the reserve Finca El Encinarejo. Research suggested we take the former for the morning - La Lancha's track was at times sketchy with regular sizeable potholes navigated around, but worthwhile each time for the breathtaking views alone. It was a little under an hour to drive to the dam at the end of La Lancha when starting at Los Pinos.
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| First light at Los Pinos |
For the remainder of the trip the wake-up alarm call was 730am to be out at 8, so we took our first stop to look for Lynx at a little after sunrise at 830am. I don't think any of us, retrospectively especially, can quite believe what happened on that first morning. There were about 5 people at this first stop, and as we got out the car we were told that an immature Lynx had been found with a rabbit. Seconds later, we were watching our first Lynx at the crest of a nearby rocky hilltop playing with, before eating, its rabbity breakfast. As the four of us managing incredible views through bins/scopes/cameras, the mother was then noticed asleep on a rock a short distance away. To get brief views was one thing, but to see two Lynx for over 15-20 minutes very first thing was almost unimaginable. And that to a soundtrack of Hoopoe, Iberian Green Woodpeckers, Hawfinch, Iberian Magpie, Short-toed Treecreeper, Crested Tit etc.
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| Iberian Lynx (Anand Ramesh) |
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| Iberian Lynx (Jack Bartley) |
53PF+7Q7 Casas de El Encinarejo, Spain
It was below freezing until the sun came out, so we'd all felt the cold whilst watching the two Lynx. Some time later, once both had moved off, the numbers looking/stopping had increased massively, encouraging us to return to the warmth of the car and continue along La Lancha. The drive that followed saw Jack raise his camera at Red-legged Partridge, a disappointing act he was banned from repeating for the rest of the trip. It was mid morning by the time we settled next, this being at an actual viewpoint with a shelter, car parking space and plenty of wildlife to see whilst looking out across the mountains. Once again the view was amazing, I'd happily have spent hours longer there. And once again, it was somewhat ridiculous that within minutes, one of the many regulars who guided there found another Lynx, this being an adult male which had just caught itself its own breakfast Rabbit. Further away than the last two, but nonetheless, it showed incredibly on a ridge below us, disappearing just as I'd retrieved my scope adaptor. I still find it amazing how quickly they vanished - this one sat at the end of a track in open view before seconds later brushing past a few bushes not to be seen again.
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| La Lancha |
With the sun now up, birding started to get good. Iberian Shrike, Sardinian Warblers, Blue Rock Thrush, Little Owls were noted. As it was Saturday, there were masses of people around including several guides; one guide (who reminded us of Pedro Pascal, we think) helpfully pointed out Spanish Imperial Eagle on call, finding it sat in a tree soon after. The raptor tap was then switched on, the warmth bringing out triple figures of Griffon Vulture, with Black Vulture and Spanish Eagles in smaller numbers in between. The latter two were target species so we spent plenty of time watching both. This also marked the beginning of my personal struggles with sound recording Spanish Eagles, which I fantastically failed to do too well...
Lunch was spent at the dam at the end of La Lancha, where we tried and failed for Eagle Owl, perhaps the only species we really wanted yet never saw (nor heard, more on that part later). We managed Short-toed Treecreeper, Crag Martins, Chough, Blue Rock Thrush and fascinatingly the first House Martins of the year for the locality. Before going back for a break, Anand wanted to get a few photos of the view where several groups were lunching, and try for Iberian Ibex (success). A plan that worked a treat - when Zach detected movement on a cliff, 3 Alpine Accentors were an unexpected bonus. That's a lifer for me, and Jack and Zach, and several other people who came over to see them. Their calls were quiet on the cliff face until they flew directly overhead, making for some nice recordings, a rare sound success. Jack then had a very brief Rock Bunting, another target for us, which we all collectively failed to get on.
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| Spanish Ibex |
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| Crag Martin (Zach Pannifer) |
Heading back to Los Pinos produced more of the same along the way, the main stop being for a feeding flock of Iberian Magpie. A brief break preceded a relaxed evening at Finca El Encinarejo. Optimism had us think dusk here would be worthwhile, a punt that ended up being bang on. Otters were seen on the river and Iberian Magpies, Kingfisher and more vocalised before dusk. Then the owls got going, the first being a handful of strange noises produced by a Long-eared close in front of us. At least 5 or 6 Tawny and Little then joined the chorus seemingly all around us, one very aberrant adult male Tawny included. More subtly was another male Long-eared some way down, audibly infrequently but clearly. Darkness then fell and we headed back for dinner and some time in at the bar and restaurant, meeting Anand's friend Carlos who was joining us for the day after. It was, all in all, a perfect day for us - we secured Lynx early on in the trip, alongside many other avian targets, and so a celebratory pint or two was absolutely necessary.
Day 3:
Sunday was spent with a guide, Paco. Our first stop wasn't far from Los Pinos, somewhere along the JA-5012 where mammals frequently walked along a dried riverbed. The hour or two after seeing Lynx prints (as well as badger, bird etc) saw us drive a scenic route to an area east of Andujar, supposedly better for lynx than the La Lancha range. Along the way, we had decent views of a number of species from the car including Crested/Thekla's Larks, Hawfinch, Hoopoe, Corn Bunting and Red Deer. A single Rock Sparrow, accompanied by singing Black Redstart and Blue Rock Thrush, was lucky to jam in on sat on the dam at Embalse del Rumblar as we looked for Rock Bunting. Convenient, ending up as the only one we saw.
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| Thekla's Lark (Zach Pannifer) |
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| Sunrise |
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| Iberian Lynx footprint |
After driving through a Lynxy area and seeing little, Paco had chosen a lookout for a coffee break which was typically scenic. The sun tempted out the first vultures and Spanish Eagles of the day, for me secondary to the singing Woodlarks and Hoopoes. Unidentified tinkling calls from the bushes confused Jack, going down as a mystery species.
Obviously most of the day was dedicated to scanning through olive trees and scrub in the hope for mammals, so birds were somewhat secondary. We were in the car for most of the morning, but after a fail at an Eagle Owl spot (Green Sand, Teal, Gadwall the best here), we settled down at a nice low-lying river lookout for (we soon found out) the rest of the day east of La Carolina. Given four of us had seen Lynx already, we were keen to go elsewhere too but alas. The five hours or so at this spot was suitably chilled, mostly seeing us take turns looking through scopes in between chatting and lounging around. On the open ground between the lookout and the river, Lapwing, Egyptian Geese, Choughs, Jackdaws, Iberian Shrike, Stonechat, Black Redstart were all seen and heard. The wooded area behind us was quiet on the whole, at obviously a quieter time of year for passerines. Firecrest at dusk was a trip tick at the time, a few Short-toed Treecreeper being the best otherwise.
Also heard for hours was the sound of bells, which in hanging off the local livestock quickly did my head in as I tried to sound record. Raptors (and Little Owls) were probably the highlight at this location - an immature Goshawk was met with Zach announcing it's a lifer for me, to my shock. Black and Griffon Vultures, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel and Spanish Eagles made up the remaining raptors, the latter again frustrating me. Every time they vocalised my recorder was off, not pointing the right way, not at the perfect recording input, cows, people, just always something. I did manage a few recordings, none of which were great.
It would be wrong to say it was a frustrating or uneventful day, but Lynx didn't play ball, heat affected Zach's happiness again, we missed a few targets and ultimately were just a tad bored by the end of five increasingly cold hours. We decided dinner needed a change so we headed into Andujar to try a new place where Anand might actually have some proper vegan food. Despite the questionable mob in a random car park nearby, dinner at La Rosetta was a good one, reasonably priced and satisfactory food. It was quite late by the time we were back, so we went almost straight to sleep.
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| View from the loookout |
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Day 4:
The weather was forecast to turn to rain and grey (like home), even if the sunrise deceived us into hoping for the opposite. To mix things up, we opted for a day trip to the steppe north of Andalucia and slightly south of city Ciudad Real. Targets were almost exclusively avian, classics like Bustards, Sandgrouses, Calandra Lark etc. The morning started well - we turned east off the CM-4111 onto a small track (Cam de Moledores), and the first two birds overhead were Black-bellied Sandgrouse. Anand found a Merlin with prey as we stopped to get optics and seconds later a Great Bustard low SE. A few doubles of Black-bellied Sandgrouse were added as well as Iberian Shrike, Corn Bunting, sparrows and Skylarks. Zach bizarrely had a disappearing wheatear sp - it looked like a Northern, but photos were inconclusive on whether it could be something else (better) or not. We eventually located a sizeable group of Bustards out on the plains south of the track, 12 birds at least strutting around. Just as we were going to cut our losses before lunch and rain, calls heard from the car had us running out to the sight of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. A few moments of waiting revealed there were some 40+ birds bombing it around, although only 3 were seen on the ground. A lifer for me, and indeed all four of us.
Feeling we'd had some success already, we headed to Laguna del Prado on the periphery of Pozuelo de Calatrava, a small settlement with a lovely looking cafe we paid a visit to after (Lola Cafe). Most of the next 90 minutes was spent at a new hide we actually didn't know existed until we got there. Birds were abundant, including 9 Kentish Plover, 83 Golden Plover, 24 Little Stint, 27 Black-winged Stilt, 3 Great Bustard, 80 Flamingo, 138 White Stork and a group of Larks, which included Thekla's, Wood and Crested Larks. Everything showed pretty well, even when rain rolled in. As hoped for too, we found shelter to still bird and sit around during the grim weather. Water Pipits, Marsh Harriers, Dunlin and a few ducks made up the best of the rest, as did Anand's 3 Snipe, the only species he saw on the trip which I didn't. A second even nicer hide added little extra so we soon departed, scarily leaving the boot open for 100 yards or so.
W5F9+64J Pozuelo de Calatrava, Spain
Rain stopped play for a short while until we braved the weather along the same track as the morning, seeing 34 Corn Bunting. It seemed wise to try the same track but running further west past the CM-4111 again. It was frustrating for close to an hour, heavy rain and mist making visibility poor and birds out of sight. Calandra Larks weren't playing ball, heard only twice. A moment of excitement came in mammalian form when several Egyptian Mongoose tootled across a nearby road. Unexpected but a cool bonus trip tick.
We were thinking of cutting our losses and heading home until a break in the rain kept us optimistic. By sticking my head out the window I glimpsed high-up silhouettes which turned out to be 39 very distant Little Bustards, another lifer. Filled with a glimmer more optimism when 22 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse also materialised, we returned back east on the track to give it a final bash, trying another side-road. A masterstroke from Anand when Zach and Jack noticed 38 Golden Plover in a field, with 80 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, 24 Black-bellied Sandgrouse, 3 Great Bustard and 52 Calandra Lark also in the vicinity. Spending a final 40 minutes or so watching and filming this collection of steppe specialities was exactly what we'd hoped for in the day, capping off our time away from the mountains.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/tsnjmphZu6vB2Lp29
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| Steppe |
Day 5:
The final full day was dedicated to looking for Lynx a final time, repeating the first full day's mission but inversely. Starting at Encinarejo again, we reached the reserve at 820 and soon stopped hearing a bunting sp. Jack located the bird, the hunch was Rock Bunting, but it never showed. A minute or so of calling was followed by a bird flushing and flying high out and away. Ironically, from looking at recordings, the bird on the ground was Rock, and the bird that flew was Cirl.
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| Encinarejos |
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We continued on, reaching the end for about 850am. A showy Otter family woke us from our morning snooziness. On the birding front, it was a tad quiet with the exception of a male Kingfisher. As we slowly drove back along the main road just under an hour later, 27 Iberian Magpie, a singing Hoopoe and Woodlark slowed us down, before what sounded like a distant Lesser Spotted Woodpecker had us out the car again. Splitting up at this point worked a treat - whilst angering a Great Tit on a path, a bunting just ahead bombed it into the undergrowth. A minute or so later a ridiculously smart adult male Rock Bunting revealed itself, disappearing again almost immediately. Thankfully it was replaced by a vocal adult female instead, which everyone connected with in between its vanishing acts. A Dutch couple stopped to see what the four of us were looking for, joining us in the hunt as Rock Bunting was a target for them also. Together, we all eventually were rewarded, photos to come eventually...
Anand chatted to Raymond and his partner as the three of us went looking for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. We were glad we gave them another crack, not a lifer for me or anyone else but for a disappointed Zach, who was sad to not see his first in the UK(?) Water Rails were a trip tick, Green Sandpiper overhead was nice, and a male Sardinian Warbler gorging on breakfast paid little attention to me nor Jack who crept up with his camera. Several attempts were then made to actually leave, all of which failed because of a singing Cirl Bunting. Running around after it led to nothing, so eventually we cut our losses and accepted it would be heard only.
By half eleven we were back along the La Lancha road, quite pleased with our morning's efforts, and keen to try and get one more Lynx. We took it easy, stopping whenever we fancied better views of Iberian Magpie, Woodlark, Corn Bunting, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Crested Tit etc etc. An hour for lunch at the main viewpoint, where we saw the adult male Lynx on Day 2, was suitably relaxed. Raptors were down on previous days due to cloudier conditions, the best being a Golden Eagle. Spanish Imperial, Iberian Shrike, Crested Lark, 3 Dartford Warbler and a subtly stunning female Blue Rock Thrush. We were joined by Raymond again, and together the six of us enjoyed some mammalian action even if no Lynx. This included Mouflons, a group of fighting Spanish Ibex and Red Deer.
At this point, we debated heading back for a rest/Lynxing. The possibility of Eagle Owl got the better of us and so we continued on to the dam again. Every time we made a decision like this it ended pretty well. Firstly, it had gotten warmer and so quite astonishingly, there were massive (to us) thermals of vultures up and about on the opposite side of the reservoir. 204 Griffon and 3 Black were counted, making for quite a sight. Then as we headed towards the Eagle Owl spot, again, myself and Anand looked up to see 2 Black Stork heading North directly overhead. A lifer for me, and a bird I'd always wanted to see. Two was also a very good record locally for the winter - Paco had said he'd only known of one in the area at the time.
From then on, some top class stringing took place as Eagle Owl seemingly evaded us again. A male Long-eared Owl, probably, sporadically hooted, which we assumed for some time was the Eagle - Zach was especially disappointed by this, before realising he'd wanted to hear LEO regardless. Beyond my depth of knowledge, Zach and Anand busily set about trying to figure out whether a dodgy Griffon was Ruppell's or not. Unfortunately conclusive evidence was never reached so it stayed a Griffon, though they had a strong case. Crag Martins, Alpine Accentor, Hawfinch, Rock Bunting and a brief Peregrine were noted in the meantime, but the day passed with no more Lynx.
Initially we'd thought about returning for some evening owl'ing at Encinarejo, but time and darkness had caught up with us. Instead we returned for a break, before driving to Andujar for a final dinner. On the way, a Common Genet was seen by Anand and Zach, this elusive species becoming yet another new species of the trip.
Day 6:
Myself and Zach's return flight was at 430pm, so we'd decided we'd need to leave the Andujar area by around 10am. Jack opted for a morning in, so the three of us headed out at just before 8 to Encinarejos for an hour. Really there were no targets, Lynx seemed especially unlikely, so we just soaked in the mountain air and scenery one last time. It was a relatively pleasant morning after rain overnight, cool and overcast/some sunshine. The highlight was finally nailing down Cirl Bunting for Zach. All the others I've seen have been showy so it was a surprise they didn't play ball all trip, including the elusive male we eventually saw. Zach was especially pleased, as was I with the sound recordings I managed of the singing bird. Shortly after, we reluctantly dragged ourselves back to Los Pinos to buy some gifts, watch Firecrest in the car park, then begin the drive back.
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| Encinarejos [+me] |
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Our drive back saw the weather improve - over 200 White Stork were up in the sun, alongside Buzzards, Kites, Kestrels and a slightly bizarre Harris Hawk near Cordoba. Having done some spying on eBird, I'd noticed a spot by the side of the motorway where there'd been a wintering Stone-Curlew flock. Seconds after stopping in a restaurant car park (well the delivery track) the first were seen, despite the fact the fields adjacent were being mown. Some unorthodox and typically birder activities took place, phonescoping a stone-curlew duo by resting the scope against a rock. Shockingly, this worked a treat as can be seen below. A fitting end for me in a way - I've never been on a holiday where I've taken so few photos, and concluded it phonescoping and videoing, oddly enjoying that more.
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| Stone-curlew |
This brought our time in Andalucia to a close, Zach and I got home safely by around 8pm UK time. After going to Rome in Dec/23, I knew a winter trip away to somewhere warmer and more importantly brighter would do me good and is dangerously becoming a necessity. Genetically it seems the UK's climate suits me and my sanity less and less, so winter travel feels a routine I could get used to. Lynxing ticked all the boxes, fantastic company, birds and wildlife, food, scenery, people, everything. It was pretty reasonable financially too, and a trip I couldn't recommend more. Sharing my immense gratitude to Anand for doing the bulk of the organising, as well as communication and driving, and to Zach, Jack and all the people we met along the way.
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| (The only group photo we took) |
