Friday, November 10, 2017

πŸ“– Diary Update #71 ~ πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Έ Sierra Loja Revisited

πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Έ ☀️ 18C Friday 10th November 2017 ~ Leading on from my previous post and Mike's comments we decided to forgo a walk along the Rio Genil and head straight up to Sierra de Loja.

With the day fading fast, after picking up some provisions from the Abades services area we decided to head straight up the dirt track to the top, some 4,900ft! The climb was in fact only about twenty minutes, but what was more galling is the fact that during our visit on Wednesday, we'd turned around only 500 yards from the location Mike had referred to!

Ring Ouzel ~ An amazing spectacle to see so many of these gorgeous birds! 
As we rounded the bend an oasis of Hawthorn, ripe with berries was obviously the reason for so many thrushes, and there were plenty, with over fifty Ring Ouzel! After parking up and setting off on foot we literally didn't know which way to turn. All the species we'd recorded on Wednesday's Visit 
were to be found but there were a few additions including Blue Rock Thrush!

Just a single Redwing in amongst the Ouzels and Blackbirds
We spent a few hours enjoying both the scenery and the birding before the iminent sunset focused us on the descent. It was then that intermingled with the calls of Rock Sparrows and Rock Buntings another call focused us on two birds, Alpine Accentors! Normally very confiding birds but as we approched for a better look they flew up and across the rock face.

Iberian Ibex Capra pyrenaica victoriae
There were several Iberian Ibex to be found scattered on the rocky outcrops, quite robust looking animals and reluctant to move!

Hoopoe on the slopes lit by the setting sun..
The descent was a stop/start affair with plenty more movement and a few more areas to check out, but no additions to our impressive list. We arrived back on terra firma shortly after sunset, breathless!!

Ring Ouzel taken by Dee on the Canon SX... 

One more photo for the road!