Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

In all our ornithological walks, we always try to pay close attention to all the wonders that surround us. 

In one of our last walks to find raptors in Picos de Europa National Park, furthermore than this marvellous Golden Eagle....

Golden Eagle in Picos de Europa National Park

... we could enjoy this amazing Hummingbird Hauk-Moth, and other nice butterflies.

Hummingbird Hauk-Moth

Picos de Europa National Park is one of the best destinations in Spain to enjoy butterflies. ¿Would you like to try it  next spring and summer?. From our accommodation, you will have easy access to the best ecosystemns for birds and butterflies.

Get in touch with us and we will arrange everything for you.

Birding Picos de Europa

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info@birdingpicosdeeuropa.com

0034 620239210

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Twitter: @birdingspain

Young Bearded Vultures

Some days ago in Picos de Europa National Park, we were lucky to observe these two incredible young Bearded Vultures, eating bones.

(Click the image to view the video)

Their names are Cares (male green and green wing marks) and Vitorina (Female Red and Red wing marks). 

Look Cares, which it is perched on the rock on the right, eating a bone. As you can see, they are able to eat bones of up to about 25 cm. long.

They both belong to the Reintruduction Program leaded by the Bearded Vulture Foundation.

Would you like to enjoy them? Get in touch with us and we will arrange everything for an unforgetable birdwatching experience in Picos de Europa National Park

Birding Picos de Europa

www.birdingpicosdeeuropa.com

0034 620239210

info@birdingpicosdeeuropa.com

www.facebook.com/birdingpicosdeeuropa

@birdingspain

Birds and Butterflies in Picos de Europa National Park

As you know, in our birdwatching walks, we always try to enjoy butterflies and moths.

Last week, we were in a subalpine place in Picos de Europa National Park. We could find a large group of passerines: Eurasian Wheatear, Black Redstar, Rock Bunting, Blue Rock Thrush, Yellow Hammer, and surprisingly a young and marvellous 3 years old Bearded Vulture.

Water Pipit

Rock Bunting

Young Bearded Vulture

Young Bearded Vulture

But furthermore, we enjoyed some good observations of  typical butterflies of Picos de Europa National Park: Hipparchia Alcyone (Rock Grayling), Apatura Iris (Purple Emperator), Pyrgus malvoides (Souhtern Grizzled Skipper), Collias croceus (Common Clouded Yellow), Argynnis paphia (Silver Washed Fritilary)...etc

Apatura Iris (Purple Emperator)

Hipparchia Alcyone (Rock Grayling)

Collias croceus (Common Clouded Yellow)

 Pyrgus malvoides (Souhtern Grizzled Skipper)

Argynnis paphia (Silver Washed Fritilary)

A nice wildlifewatching day with birds and butterflies.

Red-Backed Shrike

Red-Backed Shrike is probably one of the most amazing passerines in our birdwatching summer walks trough the cantabrian campaign.

Summer visitor and extremely territorial, is not difficult to find them in open fields and also in low altitude mountains, most of the times perched on branches trying to catch big insects and even small mouses. To spear some of their preys on bush thorns is a typical behaviour of this beautiful bird.

Young Golden Eagles

These amazing young golden eagles were interacting last week in the boundary of Picos de Europa National Park.

In my opinion they were a male and a female (bigger than the male) a bit older.

After 20 min. interacting they flew and disappeared  together. What were they doing?. I don`t really know. Maybe they only found and each one tried to protect a small territory.

Meanwhile a crow didn´t stop swooping down and disturbing all the time.

OUR THREE SCAVENGER RAPTORS

A historic photo made on September 2014

The three scavenger raptors in Picos de Europa National Park

This is probably the first time that our three scavenger raptors could be pictured all together in Picos de Europa National Park, thanks to the return of the Bearded Bulture to these mountains.

The Bearded Vulture, that is in the centre, is named Biziele and belongs to the Reintroduction Project lead by the Lammergeier Foundation.

Biziele

If you want to enjoy these fantastic birds in Picos de Europa National Park, keep in touch with us. We can provide you all you need: Accommodation, guide services, National Park permisions...etc

Birding Picos de Europa

www.birdingpicosdeeuropa.com

info@birdingpicosdeeuropa.com

www.facebook.com/birdingpicosdeeuropa

Twitter: @birdingspain

Young Bearded Vultures and Golden Eagles

One of the greatest threats to young Bearded Vultures are the territorial attacks of  Golden Eagles. Last year, in Picos de Europa National Park, an extremely aggressive young Golden Eagle swooped and killed a young male Bearded Vulture called Güeña, belonged to the reintroduction project leaded by the Bearded Vulture Foundation.

Güeña, a young male Bearded Vulture in August last year.

This year, in Picos de Europa National Park, two new females are suffering also the attacks of an adult female, maybe because they are flying near of one of her nests.

Quebrantina, one of the new young females of Bearded Vulture (marked with red and yellow flags) 

and the Golden Eagle in early November.

 Fortunately, at the moment they are only common territorial displays and not direct attacks.

It is time to go for young Golden Eagles

These days, in Picos de Europa National Park, the young Golden Eagles begin to leave the territories when they was born. It is a hard moment for them and frequently their parents must convince them aggressively.

A male adult Golden Eagle tries to kick out  the young one from his territory, while 

adult female observes from above

But sometimes, the young eagles come back again, often looking for easy food, and parents patiently  wait to go back again

The young Golden Eagle came back few days after

This time, the adult female only waited

All these displays and behaviours can be observed in Picos de Europa National Park.  ¿Would you like to enjoy it? Keep in touch with us and, from our cottages, we will arrange everything for you.

www.birdingpicosdeeuropa.com

info@birdingpicosdeeuropa.com

www.facebook.com/birdingpicosdeeuropa

Twitter: @birdingspain

00 34 620239210

The Law of Nature

In our birdwatching walks, in addition to the birds, we also spend time enjoying the other wanders of nature. 

This time, in a route through the Cantabrian campaign, we could be amazed with this stunning Praying Mantis.

Praying Mantis / Mantis Religiosa

Furthermore, when we were observing this beautiful moth Agapeta zoegana, suddenly the law of nature, appeared in front of our eyes:

Agapeta zoegana

The law of nature

 Nature is sometimes cruel, but always wonderful.

Butterflies in Picos de Europa (II)

Some days ago, in one of our birdwatching routes in the surroundings of Covadonga Lakes in Picos de Europa National Park, we could also enjoy a nice group of butterflies

Aricia cramera (Morena Serrana / Browm Argus)

Aricia montensis (Morena / Mountain Argus)

Erebria meolans (Montañesa Banda Larga / Piedmont Ringlet)

Lasiommata maera (Pedregosa / Large Wall Browm)

Pararge aegeria (Maculada / Speckled Wood)

Polyommatus coridon (Niña Coridón / Chalk-Hill Blue)

Vanessa cardui (Bella Dama / Painted Lady)

All of them were seen between 1.100 m. and 1.400 m above the sea level. A nice complement for a fantastic birdwatching day.

Butterflies in Picos de Europa National Park

In our birdwatching routes we always try to enjoy other amazing aspects of the Picos de Europa nature. This is the case of butterflies.

Polyommatus dorylas (Turquoise Blue / Niña Turquesa)

Pieris napi (Green-Veined White / Blanca Verdinerviada)

Lasiommata megera (Wall Browm / Saltacercas)

Iphiclides feisthamelii (Scarce Swallowtail / Chupa Leche)

Erebria triaria (Prunner´s Ringlet / Montañesa Vacilante)

At least 124 species of diurnal butterflies can be found in the National Park (54% of the total number of Iberian Peninsula and Baleares Islands). A fantastic reason to visit this marvellous mountains.