Spanish Pyrenees - this weekend! (1 Viewer)

[MSA]

Going with 3 others to Jaca as a base, to target a few of the specialities of the area, leaving Thur evening and back Mon eve.

Does anyone have up to date info of what's where at the moment?

We have Villanua Quarry and Hecho Valley for Wallcreeper, also Riglos; San Jaunde la Pena (monastery?) for Black Woodpecker, Lammergeier and Citril Finch, with the ski resort at Astun for Alpine Accentor, Snowfinch and Alpine Chough, although this latter site may be too far to reach in the limited time available.

We also intend to try Belchite/Zaragoza for Duponts and Bustard.

If anyone can add to this list, or provide more specific locations in the area, I'd be most grateful. :t:

 

[john-henry]

Going with 3 others to Jaca as a base, to target a few of the specialities of the area, leaving Thur evening and back Mon eve.

Does anyone have up to date info of what's where at the moment?

We have Villanua Quarry and Hecho Valley for Wallcreeper, also Riglos; San Jaunde la Pena (monastery?) for Black Woodpecker, Lammergeier and Citril Finch, with the ski resort at Astun for Alpine Accentor, Snowfinch and Alpine Chough, although this latter site may be too far to reach in the limited time available.

We also intend to try Belchite/Zaragoza for Duponts and Bustard.

If anyone can add to this list, or provide more specific locations in the area, I'd be most grateful. :t:

Just a couple of suggestions, try Portalet for Snow Finch and Alpine Chough, if you haven't got time to do Astun. There's usually some of both wintering and seen on the scree slope about 1/2 mile from the road, along the track that goes from behind the shops etc on the left as you approach Portalet from the Jaca direction. Not sure about Alpine Accentor here though.

Lammergeier is pretty regular around the area where the road from the Hecho Valley joins the Anso Valley.

Good luck

John

 

[davids]

Going with 3 others to Jaca as a base, to target a few of the specialities of the area, leaving Thur evening and back Mon eve.

:t:

Hi

I would appreciate news of your trip as I will be off to the Pyrenees in 3 weeks. Like you I will be targetting the usual specialities


David

 

[Phil O'Scopus]

Hi

I would appreciate news of your trip as I will be off to the Pyrenees in 3 weeks. Like you I will be targetting the usual specialities


David

We've just returned from 11 days in the area (6th to 16th March) though I'm afraid this will be too late for the original request.

We saw Wallcreepers at Vadiello Dam (a well-known site near Huesca), Riglos (difficult and no Black Wheatears or Alpine Accentors here) and on the cliffs at Alcolea de Cinca (not a known site - not to us anyway). I'm not sure how late they stay at these wintering sites but I've read mid-April.

The ski resort at Astun produced up to 30 Snow Finches, 8 Alpine Accentors and lots of Alpine Choughs, all feeding at your feet in the car-park and around the hotels. However, we were told that the Snow Finches in particular move up to higher ground as soon as the weather improves (it was deep snow when we were there but some birders from Lincs dipped on Snow Finch in better weather 2 days later). Astun is not too far from Jaca, we stayed at the Hotel Charle just outside Jaca and it took just 20 mins to get there and even the famous Boletas Birdwatching Centre is just an hour and 15 mins drive away. Portalet was closed the whole time we were there.

Lammergeiers were easy and you don't really need specific sites.

We dipped on Black Woodpecker and Citril Finch. Oroel (where we've seen BW in the past was very snowy and even inaccessible on one attempt) while we could not reach San Juan de la Pena or the Upper Hecho Valley due to snow and ice; this will presumably be different in 3 weeks time.

Dupont's Larks performed well at El Planeron near Belchite but we found just a handful of Little Bustards - and no Great - and they wer near Candasnos.

It will be a while yet before we produce a full trip report but just let me know if you think I can help further. It's a great area and I'm sure you'll have a terrific time.

Regards
Ian.

 

[Brian Stone]

Just back from the area (16-20 March) and agree with most of this but everywhere was open (ploughs just keeping stuff back at Portalet.

Snow Finch - at Portalet on the hill opposite the border shop
Alpine Chough - Portalet and Somport (100s)
Wallcreeper - twice at Vadiello, one at Riglos
Dupont's Lark - very active at El Planeron with one singing just above head height. Also seen at La Lomaza.
Lammergeier - easy in most places but probably best opposite the first garage down from Candanchu.
Black Woodpecker - very noisy at San Juan de la Pena (new monastery)

Loads of other good stuff including a flock of c.130 Rock Sparrows at Quicena and an odd raptor at Somport. See here:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=54209

It could be a bit different in 3 weeks time I guess.

 

[Carl Baggott]

Hi,

I visited the area a few years ago and was lucky to learn the whereabouts of an Eagle Owl, which we saw very well. Eagle Owls have been resident at this site for at least twenty years I was told. I guess they should still be there, and the site is between Jaca and the Hecho Valley, etc. so it would be worth a look. I've included some directions below. Please e-mail me for further help [email protected]

Travelling from Jaca westwards on the N240 you will pass through Santa Cilia de Jaca. Keep going westwards and about 4 km before the turning for the Hecho Valley you will come across a minor road on the left signed towards Alastuey.
Just past this turning is a campsite called Pirineos (www.pirinet.com/pirineous). You will see a sign on on the right hand side of the road saying Centro de Vacaciones , which is just past the turning for Alastuey. If you miss the turning you can turn round in the campsites driveway.
The road to Alastuey is a minor road. Drive up the road and park just past the first bridge where there is a small pull in for a car. Just round the corner of the road there is a good vantage point. The owl would generally appear in one of the taller trees on the ridge and perch there silhouetted against the dusk sky. It would then fly along the tree-covered ridge and disappear. Our best view of the bird was actually from the first bridge, as it actually flew along the road and perched up above us in good light. I also saw the owl briefly just after first light one morning. We were succesful in seeing an Eagle Owl four out of five times.
I hope it is still present if anyone looks for it.

Carl Baggott