This was a day of mixed fortunes the morning was a bit of a wipe-out due to low cloud and the afternoon was quite the opposite with glorious sunshine.
We started with a walk along the lane just outside the hotel at 6:30am, it was very quiet and we didn't see much. Red Kite, Garden Warbler, Cirl Bunting, Song Thrush and not much else. It was clear morning and dry.
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| the group at El Planeron, in bright sunshine, before we drove up to the Pyrenees |
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| From sunshine to snow - the Plains to the Mountains |
After breakfast we set off for a trip into the mountains hoping for views of several species not yet seen, including Black Woodpecker. Just before the town of Hecho we stopped to look at group of Egyptian Vultures that were perched on a hill side, there were 10 of them, they all flew off as we got nearer to try to photograph them. A second stop produced Garden Warbler, Common Nightingale (singing) and a Raven.
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| Early Pruple Orchids with gentians and buttercups |
We drove across to the Anso Valley which runs parallel to the Hecho Valley where we were staying. A few stops in the valley produced very little so we drove to Zorita at the head of the valley, birds seen along the way were Mistle Thrush, Egyptian Vulture, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail and a Red-backed Shrike.
Having not heard a single woodpecker we drove across to a third valley called Roncal. This has a road that winds its way up over the top of a pass and drops down into France. We worked our way up this road and as we got above the tree line we stopped to look at orchids and a few birds. Our first Water Pipits showed well, they were singing and parachuting in flight song. We also saw Black Redstart, Northern Wheatear and lots of Red-billed and Alpine Choughs.
We could see a thick bank of cloud coming in from behind, we had been warned of a thunderstorm coming in the afternoon, it was a little early. Thunder grumbled in the distance so we made haste to the border trying to keep ahead of the bad weather. Near the border we found more Pipits, some Linnets and a male Ring Ouzel was singing from the top of a bush.
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| I haven't looked this one up yet - probably Sawfly or Woodcock Bee-Orchid |
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| Tawny Pipit |
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| Greater Butterfy Orchid |
The cloud came in and blocked our views completely so we drove down into France to try to below the cloud. But that didn't happen it got worse, the cloud thickened and it started to rain. Some 30 minutes later we finally broke out of the cloud as we headed back to Spain along another route. A quick stop to eat our picnic lunch found us watching a couple of Red Kites and some Blue Tits!
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| a very tall Pyramidal Orchid |
We rove back into Spain at Somport and immediately hit thick c;loud again. Our visit to Astun was a waste of time, the visibility was virtually zero, we saw Black Redstart, Grey Wagtail and a couple of Yellowhammers.
We decided to forget the mountains and rove down the valley into Spain stopping at Candanchu for coffee before passing through Jaca and onto towards the hecho Valley. The lower we got the better the weather, blue sky appeared and sun shine at last.
Our stop at the Rio Gas was to look for Woodpeckers but what we got was Spotted Flycatcher and Golden Orioles, very nice. It rain heavy thunder spots fell on us for a short while. Then the sky cleared and the rest of the afternoon was wonderful. We drove along a road to Arres which runs parallel to the river Aragon, large open fields on one side and open scrub on the other, we spent a lovely time stopping at three locations and listing some nice species.
Many Corn Buntings were singing, Crested larks flew off the track as we passed and Cirl Bunting sang from the wires. We stopped to look at some Stonechats and discovered a beautiful male Ortolan Bunting which also sang to us. A Tawny Pipit was another good find, it sat and posed well for the cameras.
After a few kilometers we came to a large bridge over the river, we parked up and walked into an area of woodland, scrub and open reed marshes, it was called Sotos de Matres. The area was alive with bird song and good numbers of Bee-eaters were flying around us. We found our first Robin, were heard Cetti;s Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Garend Warbler, Common Nightingale, Common Cucukoo and we saw Hoopoe, Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Yellow-legged Gull and a Turtle Dove.
It was now approaching 6pm so we set off back to the Hecho Valley and up to the hotel for dinner.
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