DAILY LOG
24 August.
Arrived in Madrid early evening, set out for the 450 km drive north to Pola de Somiedo, heart of the Cantabrian Mountains. One fatal road accident on route temporarily closing the motorway, plus several Booted Eagles and Short-toed Eagles.
25 August.
Pre-dawn, one Red Fox trotting along the road, one puncture! These aside, I soon arrived at the small settlement of La Peral. Here, a picture perfect setting, mountain slopes rising in each direction, rocky crags high above. These were the slopes favoured by the Brown Bears, pockets of forest and expanses of open landscape dotted by the berry bushes that entice the bears out at this season. Just before I arrived (darn that puncture), a bear had already ambled across, so it was high hopes that I settled down and joined quite a few Spanish observers to scan the slopes. Warm sun rising, three Pyrenean Chamois on the slopes, several early Griffon Vultures launching into the skies, Hobby circling above and Black Redstarts flicking across the rocks. Three hours drifted by, not unpleasant at all, but as the temperature rose, it was clear that no more bears would be seen this morning.
No point sitting on this mountain ridge too long, time to look for butterflies! After repairing the puncture, I started with a random meadow near the village of Gua, one that immediately proved good - Speckled Woods and Gatekeepers aside the hedgerows, then Clouded Yellows and Marbled Whites in abundance on the slopes, a little more investigation soon adding Chalkhill Blue, a few Weaver’s Fritillaries, a single Chapman's Blue, a Southern Grizzled Skipper and dozen or so other welcome species - I was impressed, I had not expected so many butterflies still on the wing.
At midday, I moved to meadows beneath La Peral, these also proving most excellent. As temperatures approached 30 C, dense masses of blues began 'puddling' on damp patches along a track aside a stream: mixed Chalkhill Blues in the main, supplemented by Mountain Argus, numerous Small Whites, a Queen of Spain Fritillary and, a gem indeed, an exquisite Lang's Short-tailed Blue. On the hillside above, yet more Clouded Yellows and Marbled Whites, plus Mallow Skipper, Lulworth Skipper, High Brown Fritillaries, Silver-washed Fritillaries and many more.
About 4 pm however, deep rumblings sounded out as thunder approached, the skies rapidly darkening. Within fifteen minutes, heavy rain lashing the mountain side, soon followed by massive hailstones and a temperature plunging to about 16 C. That ended the butterfly action! No bad thing, bears are not big fans of the blazing sun, so the cooler weather was far more likely to bring them out into the open.
So, with a break in the rain, back to the ridge I went, a good couple of hours earlier than planned. Most atmospheric it was, wisps of clouds hugging the tops, thunder echoing through the valley, two Griffon Vultures drifting across the dark sky, Black Redstarts on a fence and there, nonchalantly ambling from berry bush to berry bush, one Brown Bear!
Big blond shoulders, a fine individual indeed. Watched this bear for about half an hour until it chambered up onto a large rocky outcrop. Then, after a period of stretching to reach berries on an overhanging shrub, the bear chambered down behind the boulders and vanished. Spots of rain returned, the bear didn't emerge ...until maybe 15 minutes later when not one, but two Brown Bears appeared in view! Blonde shoulders and another fairly pale individual. Together, they slowly proceeded across the slope, up and over rocks and finally into an area of woodland. Heavy cloud again approaching, I decided that was a splendid finale to the day, so back to the car I jogged as ominous big drops of rain began splattering down. A night of impressive lighting storms thereafter followed.
