Spanish Pyrennes

[Ivan]

Anybody been birding in this area of Spain? I plan to go this May and would welcome any help in selecting a base. My wife is not too mobile so long mountain treks are out, she does not like long car journeys but she would still like to see as much as possible. Any recommendations for accomodation, eating out etc would be helpful as personal experiences of these places far outway books or travel brochures.
I know this is a vast area but to optomise the birding potential is it better to stay in the mountains or the foothills?
Thanks in advance for any information

Ivan

[Dawn Balmer]

Ivan

I've been to this area quite a few times and can offer advice. Please email me personally:


Cheers
Dawn

[Steve G]

Hi Dawn,
Could I persuade you to share this info on the thread. Its an area I've always contemplated visiting & I would be very interested in your experiences. Please post (SG- on bended knees). Thanks in anticipation. ;)
Steve

[Jane Turner]

I've always stayed in Ainsa, which is nice and close to Ordessa

[leovb]

Hi Ivan,

Besides it being a beautifull scenery for hiking it is great bridwatching!

I haven't really explored the pyrinees extensiveley but perhaps the following may stimulate your apetite.
In and around the Ordesa there are some highlights like lammergeier of course, but I myself found the citrilfinches and rockbunting at the parkingsite at Ordesa-NP most charming!
Being on a camping near the Ordesa in 2000, I saw Egyptian vulture, and the first of many, many, many Griffon Vultures. At the stream passing by the camping there were redlegged partridges and redbacked shrikes. Serin, goldfinch, blackcap and Sardinian warbler were common (as it seems in every other place I have been in Spain). Near the chapel of san juan de la pena was a griffonvulturecolony but not as "impressive" as in Monfrague.

I furthermore can advise you Monfrague, the Ebro estuary (we travleled along the Ebro to the coast), the steppe near Zaragoza and the steppe near Belchite and of course the Extremadura (I have only seen the Northern part til now).

I've had extraordinary good birding in the four weeks I've been in Spain. To me it is the birding-country in western-europe! Never seen such a variation in Larks before!

Cheers,
Leo van Brunschot

[Tim Allwood]

Jaca is a good spot close to some excellent birding

you can get down the plains around Zaragosa quite easily from here for sandgrouse and larks etc

[Dawn Balmer]

Hi

You will find the Spanish Pyrenees a wonderful area. I've made three visits, all between the end of May and mid June. The first time I camped and travelled around (also taking in Ebro Delta and the steppe habitiat around Zaragoza). Camp sites are very clean, fairly cheap and quite well spread. Since then I've stayed at Berdun, a beautiful village on a hilltop, in the foothills.

It is easy to take a cheap flight to Bilbao and then hire a car. It is about 3-4 hours drive into the heart of the Pyrenees.

Good places to stay would be Berdun, Hecho and Jaca. There is a wide choice of accommodation in Jaca and it is reasonably well positioned. If if didn't want to drive much then staying at Hecho or Berdun might be best.

We used Jacqueline Crozier's guide to birdwatching in the Pyrenees and found it excellent. The maps are accurate and it covers all the main sites. There are quite a few places to go for the less-mobile, some valleys are quite gentle and have roads running quite high. Some of the most beautiful valleys can only be accessed on foot and the ground is a bit uneven.

Places to go which have easy access include:
Loarre Castle (near Riglos): good for raptors, shrikes, buntings, blue rock thrush, bonelli's warbler etc.
Riglos: the place to go for Black Wheatear. There is a level track that runs beneath the cliff face so it is not necessary to clamber around on rough ground.
San Juan de la Pena: good for raptors (we saw Bonelli's Eagle here), Citril Finch. Fairly gentle walks in the area.
Hecho Valley: a lot of birds up here, forest tracks to follow (for Black Woodpecker). Also a long-winding track up to Gabardito Refuge (drive, don't even consider walking) for Citril Finch, Black Woodpecker, Lammergerier, Wallcreeper.
Portalet: bit of a rough track but not too long. Excellent for flowers and Lammergerier, Water Pipit, Chamois, Marmot, Golden Eagle, also had Snowfinch here.

Hope this helps. Let me know if there is anything specific you want to know.

Cheers
Dawn Balmer

[Ivan]

Thanks to all for the quick and useful replies.

Dawn, thanks for such a detailed reply, after your input I went to the easyjet website and looked at flights from Stanstead to Bilbao midweek. I had to check the screen and clean my glasses because I could not believe the price. £6.99 out £8.49 return!! I cannot get a train to anywhere within ten miles for that price. I am now looking at accommodation around the Huesca/Jaca region. We would be staying in a hotel or b&b. Anybody got any ideas?

Leo, thanks for your report on where the birds are, that will certainly come in useful. Monfrague and Extremadura certainly are spectacular aren't they? We were there last year and could not believe the amount of raptors in the air together.

Tim, have you stayed around the Jaca area? As I said in my first post, a personal experience of a place is far better than any book.

Thanks again
Ivan

[richard dunn]

hi Ivan

was in the pyrenees last year stayed in Jaca at the Hotel Orel on the road out of town towards the ski resorts and the French border. if you stay here try the underground car park it is amazing we had a Citroen C5 estate and were down to the lowest level to park it was nearly impossible to get out with other cars around.

bird wise the mountains are good, enjoyed the Hecho area saw wallcreeper at Garbidito also Citril Finch here Lammergiers alover the place saw at least a dozen saw black woodpecker at san juan de le pena but we dipped on snow finch and alpine accentor, will just have to go back.

enjoy

Richard

[John Cantelo]

Benasque is a charming spot & buses will take you high enough to see Citril Finch, Lammergier etc.
John

[Tim Allwood]

Hi Ivan

yes we stayed around Jaca in a couple of places but I can't remember where. They weren't hard to find and were very good value; we also camped in a couple of places to to reduce driving times. The area around Hecho valley is excellent as Richard says and you can stay there in nice places too. There are plenty of good places to eat and you can buy great bread and cheese/ham etc for your days out.