birding...

Hoopoe Upupa epops ©Joël Bruezière http://www.eyesonsky.com/birds.php

Castilla y Leon is the largest region of Spain covering 9 provinces from Leon in the northwest, next to Galicia, to Segovia in the southwest only 50 miles from Madrid. Both were important centres of power in medieval history, and have many fine old cities, castles and palaces.

The dominating geographical feature of Castilla y Leon is the high central plain around the regional capital Valladolid, and rising from the plains on all sides are high mountain ranges, except to the west where the Duero river valley runs toward Portugal. But even among the cereal prairies can be found a surprising amount of wildlife – we have even seen a pack of wolves within 500 yards of a combine at work!

Then in the many sparsely inhabited areas you can find graceful beach woods, pine forests, and marginal farming lands now reverting to birch and pine that are being recolonised by both Roedeer and raptor. In the west are the Lagunas of Sanabria and Villafafila, important winter wetlands for migrating and wintering wildfowl, and moreover the Villafafila National Reserve also contains the steppes that are an important world site for Great Bustard.

To the north are the Cantabrian Mountains and the Picos de Europa whose stunning rugged scenery attracts many walkers, including those who follow the pilgrimage route toward Santiago de Compostello. The Picos, with their stunning rugged scenery form a part of one of Spain nine National Parks, Montana de Covadonga, with the largest chamois population in Europe, and home to Black Woodpecker, Wallcreeper, and Capercaillie.

In the south is the Cordillera Central including the Guadarama and Gredos Mountains. These wild crags rise to 8,900 feet at Pico Almanzor, and here it is easy to find Ibex, Black Vulture, Golden and Bonelli`s Eagles, and also White-spotted Bluethroat, Rock Thrush and Rock Bunting. To the south these mountains give way to the cork oak woodlands of Extremadura and beyond with their Azure-winged Magpies, Black-shouldered Kite, Citril Finch and Golden Oriole.

This page brought to you in association with:
La Lagunilla Cottage - Candeleda, Avila

A self-catering private villa for rent accommodating 2 – 6 people, 6.5km from the town of Candeleda, Avila province, and 5km from the border of Extremadura Region in a pleasant rural area. On the southern slopes of the Gredos Mountains, in the Tietar valley, close to extensive cork-oak woodlands within easy reach of varied birding habitats: high mountains of the Gredos Regional Reserve; lower slopes with Pine and Chestnut woods; fast mountain streams flowing to the Tietar & reservoir, and the cork-oak dehesa. In the lea of mountains its mild micro-climate allows little frost, so there are balmy warm days even in December and January. It is a thriving horticultural community and a popular destination for Madrileños, but rarely visited by outsiders. Honey Buzzards, Imperial & Short-toed Eagles, Black & Griffon Vulture, Black Storks, Stone Curlew, Little Bustards, Azure-winged Magpies, Scops Owls, Hoopoe & Golden Orioles abound. For full details click the picture to visit the website or email Richard Kemp at lagunilla@tiscali.co.uk