Serra de Ronda - The final day.

Day five – Savouring the final day.

The holiday break is definitely the quickest time of the year, but it had been a great visit with some great species of flora and fauna and a lot of lifers so well worth it. I was determined to enjoy my last day but in the back of my mind I knew at some point it would come to a close. So with a positive attitude, I ventured out for one last day, and it was certainly not a disappointing one. The morning started off with a visit to the aves de observatorio – the magnificent bird hide in the Cork Oak woods with the constructed pool for birds to drink and bathe in, supplying them with much needed water, and it is also visited by the local animals and reptiles too. As we watched, Blue and Great Tits came in soon followed by Chaffinches and a Blackbird, but of note and great to see so close up, were several Subalpine and Sardinian Warblers – allowing for some good photo opportunities whilst they drank and bathed in peace and safety.

We spent the bulk of the morning here, watching the comings and goings of the birds and talking a million different topics. Some movement caught my eye amongst the rocks at the edge of the pool, and this movement soon revealed itself to be a Horseshoe Whip Snake. It slithered around for a minute or so before disappearing out of sight. Wow. A lifer and an unexpected surprise.  Eventually we headed off, and at Cartejiama we passed through the blue village as opposed to the typical white Andalucian villages. Peter told me the village had been painted blue for a Sony film promotion for the Smurfs movie – I wasn’t sure if he was winding me up for a change but it did seem a lot of effort if not. Entering the open countryside again a number of Griffon Vultures were dropping down, and it soon became evident that a Goat was providing some food for a feeding frenzy of Griffons. They really are big birds close up, and the scene with their raucous calls was like something out of a dinosaur film.

After lunch we headed into the Serra de Las Nieves area watching numerous birds and hearing another Golden Oriole calling. We approached a river section late afternoon and my heart knew I was approaching the end of my stay. A Squacco Heron was perched at the edge of a little island and surprisingly a second was hidden further back. A Hoopoe was busy feeding with a second one close by, and boy they can blend in well with the vegetation and the fallen leaves of the Eucalyptus trees. Serin, Nightingales, Blackcaps, River Trout, Little Ringed Plovers, Black-winged Stilts and Turtle Doves were also seen. Well this was it, the airport unfortunately beckoned, and with a roadside stop on a dirt track for me to change my footwear, a Monk Parakeet put a little smile back on my face. A Nightingale was actually in the open for a change and this was my last photo of what had been another excellent visit.

With a 134 species of bird seen, seven plant lifers not to mention nine orchid lifers, 1 reptile and 1 mammal lifer, I would like to personally thank Peter Jones of Spanish Nature for his patience, skill and enthusiasm for his beloved mountains – and for sharing some special sightings with me. Another visit is already being planned in my head. Looks like I may have to purchase some more Welsh cakes then!

Nightingale out in the open for a change.

All pictures copyright of N J Davies.