Spanish lynx (1 Viewer)

[DerekSh]

Just back from a week in Sierra Andujar.
Managed to see a Lynx on our first evening trip but no more after that. Plenty of other mammals to keep us interested, including a couple of Moufflon, although most views were brief or distant. Red deer are just starting their rut with much bellowing.

We also visited Fuente de Piedra for the day to see the flamingos, not expecting to see many. Surprisingly, the lagoon was still full of water and there were plenty of flamingos present.

I will write a full trip report during the next couple of weeks.

Derek

 

[nicklittlewood]

Just back from a week in Sierra Andujar.
Managed to see a Lynx on our first evening trip but no more after that. Plenty of other mammals to keep us interested, including a couple of Moufflon, although most views were brief or distant. Red deer are just starting their rut with much bellowing.

We also visited Fuente de Piedra for the day to see the flamingos, not expecting to see many. Surprisingly, the lagoon was still full of water and there were plenty of flamingos present.

I will write a full trip report during the next couple of weeks.

Derek

Hi Derek,

Great that you scored lynx. Look forward to seeing the trip report.

Cheers

Nick

 

[Kent Olsen]

Does anybody know if Lynx are still being seen; there have not been any reports on here since August? It would be great if people could keep posting to confirm whether the situation last winter with many sightings is status que this winter. We are off to "Los Pinos" on January 4 for a week.

Cheers

Kent

 

[Julian Sykes Wildlife]

The Iberian Lynx are being seen

Hi Kent
The good news is the lynx are being seen all the time and at all times of the year - in 10+ visits I have yet to fail to see one at least. January is a very good time to go to Andujar as the males are looking to mate with females and can be be quite active and vocal. I am going there with 4 groups this winter twice at the end of Jan and twice in Feb (webpage here) so hopefully I can continue with the success rate!

Anyway good luck with you trip and I will of course be interested in hearing how you get on.

Kind regards Jules

 

[Steve Babbs]

It's great that loads of people have got to see Iberian lynx and hopefully helped the local economy thus giving more encouragement for their conservation.

Now if we could just do the same with European lynx.............

 

[rockfowl]

Now if we could just do the same with European lynx.............

Talking of which - Lynx to be relocated in bid to save the Polish lynx http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/polish-lynx.html#cr

 

[dantheman]

Talking of which - Lynx to be relocated in bid to save the Polish lynx http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/polish-lynx.html#cr

That's a slightly confusing article (even the title had me confused lol). Bobcats or Lynx??

 

[Steve Babbs]

That's a slightly confusing article (even the title had me confused lol). Bobcats or Lynx??

It's interesting to see that they are from Estonia, that may well be the best bet of seeing one. I think I may well give it a bash before too long, if I can get other people interested in joining me.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Talking of which - Lynx to be relocated in bid to save the Polish lynx http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/polish-lynx.html#cr

A couple of points on this article.

Healthy populations of Lynx remain in both Estonia (c.800-1000 animals) and Latvia (c.900), with a smaller population in Lithuania (c.50 animals, work underway to boost numbers).

However with regard this sentence "...illegal hunting still represents a major threat. In Estonia, it is estimated that more than 100 animals are hunted for their fur each year." It should be pointed out that hunting of Lynx in Estonia and Latvia is not illegal, it as a permitted species with annual quotas, the bag in Estonia amounting to about 80 animals per year. It is wholly protected in Lithuania. Illegal hunting would be anything above the quotas.

For would-be Lynx spotters, though the populations are healthy in the Baltics, the ease of seeing them is far from the situation with Spanish Lynx, I think even at the best sites an enormous dose of luck would be needed.

 

[Steve Babbs]

I'm sure Jos is right about the luck. But I'm thinking positively I certainly remember that Iberian lynx was considered 'untwitchable' not very long ago. It might well take a number of attempts, but I fancy a trip to Estonia anyway. It looks a good bet for bears and wolf is a possibility as well as quite a few other mamals/birds.

It might be somewhere where I go against my usual practise and consider a guide for bits, probably essential for bear.

It's worth looking here:

http://www.mammalwatching.com/Palearctic/palearctestonia.html

Cheers

 

[Jos Stratford]

It might be somewhere where I go against my usual practise and consider a guide for bits, probably essential for bear.

It would be necessary for Brown Bear, they have got a hide up there now and success is high ...however, although it is cheaper than Finland, this is not akin to the Finnish experience - going to Finland will be far more memorable, the number of bears at each hide is high and will be coming and going virtually all night (and of course no Wolverine in Estonia).

The same group that organises the bear hide also do trips for wolf and lynx, but note, they are trips to see signs of the animals, not the animals themselves. Better to contact them direct, but I don't think they have any sites where actually seeing lynx are anything more than a faint possibility.

That said, if you are prepared to do several trips, try it. As said, plenty of other things of interest to see there. Also, one other point, I may be wrong here, but I would imagine Lynx is actualy easier to track and potentially see in winter than summer, but of course for bear, you need summer.

PS. it may come as no surprise, I have yet to see Lynx despite several trips this year, but the area is not a long drive for me, so generally go when I am bored!

 

[Isurus]

Does anybody know if Lynx are still being seen; there have not been any reports on here since August? It would be great if people could keep posting to confirm whether the situation last winter with many sightings is status que this winter. We are off to "Los Pinos" on January 4 for a week.

Cheers

Kent

Some of the punkbirders connected earlier in the month apparently....
http://www.freewebs.com/punkbirder/iberianlynxtripreport.htm

 

[Kent Olsen]

Hi Kent
The good news is the lynx are being seen all the time and at all times of the year - in 10+ visits I have yet to fail to see one at least. January is a very good time to go to Andujar as the males are looking to mate with females and can be be quite active and vocal. I am going there with 4 groups this winter twice at the end of Jan and twice in Feb (webpage here) so hopefully I can continue with the success rate!

Anyway good luck with you trip and I will of course be interested in hearing how you get on.

Kind regards Jules

Brilliant… just great news

I’ll post the outcome when back in Denmark on January 11

Cheers

Kent

 

[John Muddeman]

Good luck!

I don't know if it's been noted before in this thread, but part of the reason that so many have had sightings this year is due to a huge increase in relative numbers in the main Ibe lynx watching area, mainly due to habitat improvements (increases in rabbit popns, etc.). I believe one area which had just one ind., has now had over 20 inds in the last 12-18 months and I know of some who've gone 'and got bored of seeing them' (tongue in cheek evidently), but seeing 3-5 different animals in a long weekend is more than possible.

It's also far easier looking for Ibe lynx in this terrain (as difficult as it remains) than looking for European lynx in woodland, which I'm sure is also an important factor in the number of obs.

There was a wallcreeper on the Jándula dam earlier this winter, an I've no idea if it's still there, but always worth a check...

 

[Kent Olsen]

Thank you all for the info. We had a successful trip and returned last week.

On our third day we found a lynx and saw it decently though at some distance. We were pleased and happy. But because the area was so great we extended our stay for six days instead the four planned and that decision gave some more sightings. In the end we had five visual and one audio encounter with lynx along the La Lancha road.

Common Genet was seen during a night drive along the picnic area on the western bank of Rio Jandula downstream Embalse de El Encinarejo.

I’ll prepare a trip report soon, but until that’s available please have a look at my blog where I have posted some photos and video: http://birdsdk.blogspot.com/2011/01/sierra-de-andujar-natural-park-spain.html

Cheers Kent

 

[Steve Babbs]

I love the pictures. Glad you had a good time, it is a great place I'm certainly intending to go back sometime.

 

[Julian Sykes Wildlife]

Hi

Just a quick update I have been here with a small group for the last 3 days and have seen Iberian Lynx on every visit to La Lancha between 10 & 11am!. Superb

 

[DMW]

Hi

Is anybody interested in joining me for a short trip next month (February) to look for Iberian Lynx? I'm looking to do the standard thing - fly from London to Malaga and hire a car for a few days.

I'm flexible on dates.

Cheers

Duncan

 

[Julian Sykes Wildlife]

Hi All

Another quick update - We were watching a male yesterday for an hour and a half (mostly sleeping out in the open) and today we saw 3 animals (2 females & the usual male) including some interaction between the male and a female, distant but fascinating.
It was like an East Coast twitch though with all the people there today!!! However the great majority were young Spanish, which can only be a good thing.

Cheers Jules

 

[Stephen Fletcher]

Just got home after driving back, and got some very poor long distance photos of the same pair playing in the open. Even better sightings this morning of one sat in the open soaking up the sunshine. Lots of Moufflon and Deer, an Otter, a couple of pairs of Spanish Imperial Eagles displaying, Golden Eagles, Black and Griffon Vultures, Goshawk plus the usual small stuff flitting about.