The frog in the well

The frog in the well

A puzzle for you:

  • A frog is at the bottom of a well, which is 30 feet deep (use metres if you prefer). Every day the frog climbs up 3 feet (or metres), but slides back 2. How many days will the frog need to get out of the well?

You can answer in the comments section if you think you have it. Or if you prefer, send us an e-mail.

We’re still waiting for a frog to appear, not in the well, but in the pool. So far, no frog, although we did have a whopping toad for one day. On another day, as I was filling an “olla” with water I was delighted to discover a small frog avidly swimming about inside. I let it crawl out of the top hole as I filled the olla, and didn’t replace the stone over the top of the hole, as I felt certain it would like to go back in sooner or later. That in itself gave me an idea: why not create “micro-reserves” with olles here and there, some with water and some without? Those without water would be refuges for spiders, beetles and woodlice, while those with might be encouragement for more froglets.

Common Toad, Bufo bufo

Common Toad, Bufo bufo

You can read more about “olles” here, including their function in permaculture, and how to make a terra cotta flowerpot olla:

https://wateruseitwisely.com/olla-irrigation/

home-made olla for watering

Home-made olla for watering

Like many of the gardening tasks, such as weeding, planting and the like, filling and inspecting ollas requires a fair bit of bending over. However, when bent over I don’t have to raise my head to know that one of the local Blue Tits is close, this time inspecting the nest box that I’ve put up for them on the dying persimonn tree. Last year they built a nest, but for some reason they abandoned before any eggs were laid. When I ascended to clean out the nest box there was the nest, but none of the dirt associated with a used one. I think the problem is that they are of a very nervous disposition and cannot accept my presence, even when I’m face down and bent over most of the time and only watch them through the corner of my eye!

Blue Tit nest box on persimon tree

Blue Tit nest box on persimmon tree

This year they haven’t nested, despite repeated attempts by the male to encourage the female to have a look around the lovely new residence he had discovered. I think she took a dislike to the neighbours (me) and that hers was the final word. Even the shading I had put up for the box to compensate for the lack of branches and leaves was not good enough for her more refined tastes.

Blue Tit, Cyanistes caeruleus, at drinking pool

Blue Tit, Cyanistes caeruleus, at drinking pool

If you are thinking about making, purchasing and erecting a nest box for hole nesting birds such as the Blue Tit, or indeed even a considerable array of other potential birds, you really should read up well to maximize the possibilities of success. You could do much worse than to buy this book published by the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology)

https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/bto-books-and-guides/nestboxes-your-complete-guide

At the Pou del Mano I haven’t seen much evidence of nesting birds. Certainly early in the spring we had a Corn Bunting singing almost non-stop for weeks above and around the couple of hay bales which we use for mulch, and more or less at the same time two male Sardinian Warblers were in avid pursuit of a female Sardinian Warbler. The Black Redstarts that frequented the rain roof throughout the winter were no longer there one day in mid-spring, while the singing Hoopoe from last year seems to have moved elsewhere. Golden Orioles nest in trees close to us, but not on site, and the Stone Curlew has been in fields close by for the last two breeding seasons. On the upside we’re getting a lot of interest from this year’s Little Owl juveniles, exploring the area close to where they were born, while doing their best to avoid the couple of marauding cats we try to keep off the site. A Black-eared Wheatear puts in the occasional appearance, and this year the Red-rumped Swallows seem to be a little less common than in previous years. 

Male Sardinian Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala

Male Sardinian Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala

Red-rumped Swallow, Cecropis daurica

Red-rumped Swallow, Cecropis daurica

But back to the frog in the well: the Pou del Mano is actually 13 metres deep, so how long would the above-mentioned frog need to get out of the well?

Next chapter: Tree planting – dreams and realities

BIS feedback, what real people say about us

Bill W., UK, May 2019
Unlike some of the others on the trip, this was my first time birding in another country, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. However, the fact that it was so enjoyable was undoubtedly due to being in the company of you both. From the moment you picked us up from the airport, we knew we were in good hands.
Your bird knowledge Steve, I found to be extraordinary, and I would never have seen my 52 “lifers” without your help.
Also, many thanks to you both for your help with Spanish translation and pronunciation. I am now seriously considering looking for a local Spanish conversation class.
All the very best to you both, and I hope we get the opportunity to meet again in the not too distant future.

Thanks Bill!

We recommend:

Iceland awakes! An awesome spring birding tour

 

Figures of 8 – Pool-making considerations for humans

The drinking pool’s conception was easy enough, it’s being a parent of a thirsty and difficult pool progeny that’s the hard work!

grapevine at the Pou del Mano, Bovera

Heard it through the grapevine

Until we proposed the drinking-pool as a reality brother-in-law Jordi would come to the “Pou” with the tractor and plough the weeds a couple of times a year, and someone in the family would casually pick some of the bunches of grapes produced by decades-old grapevines. Occasionally, villagers may have visited and poked around the stone walls and fennel plants, looking for snails after a bit of rain – yes, we eat snails, and they are the same as the ones that many people poison in their gardens in the UK. What a waste! They are just delicious griddled and dipped in garlic butter!

Griddled snails, Lleida.

Cargols a la llauna, Lleida

Here’s a recipe for that very “Lleidatà” (from Lleida) dish, with garlic butter, salt, pepper … mmm, delicious!

Snails on the griddle

But back to the drinking pool and some of the initial considerations in its imperfect design.

  • Location: It should be away from human transit and hence disturbance, which narrowed down the possibilities to the far end of the plot. Uncertainty about the future use of the continuous flat area led me to site the pool in the vicinity of the big Holm Oak tree, on the small terraced slope. This choice would have consequences which will be dealt with later.
  • Dimensions: The pool, for the time being at least, would have to be filled by hand. I had already learnt from previous experiences with larger pools that that in itself could be an onerous and thankless task, difficult to keep up with in the summer, when water is most needed by the birds and other wildlife. So the pool wasn’t going to be so big that it couldn’t be filled by two or three trips with a wheelbarrow laden with 25 litre water containers. However, it also had to have some depth to ensure that summer evaporation would not dry it out in no time at all.
  • Shape: The final figure of 8 shape seems quirky at first sight, but makes it possible to retain at least some water in case of leakage or low refilling frequency by damming the “waist” if needed and dedicating the meagre water resources to only half of the pool.
  • Construction: Dig a hole to the right depth and shape, flatten and smooth the surface, remove any sharp objects, cover with old clothes, sheets, blankets, carpets – whatever –  roll out the liner, cut to measure, leaving overlap around the edges, make a ledge and fold over the edges, get some rocks and stones to weigh it down.
  • Aesthetics: We used stones to overlay the edges of the liner, as there were plenty of those about. We also used burlap, but that disintegrated before too long. Leaves and other debris get in the cracks between the stones, so it’s probably best to cement them in. We also had a supply of pebbly stones which were ideal for lining the bottom of the pool.*
  • Aeration: Little solar-powered aerators (made in China) seem like a good idea, but don’t have much impact and don’t last for more than one season. Think seriously about this and mosquitoes if you are in a hot climate. For us the eventual solution was to link the pool to the irrigation system and have a “jet” of water aerating the surface whenever we turn on the tap.
  • Stability: The slopes needed stabilizing, and also people walking around the edges have to be catered for. Reeds cut from the field edge (see photo) were remarkably effective in preventing slope erosion over what was very loose soil on quite a steep slope.
  • If you’re going to plant then the plants will need some attention. Winter shade and freezing temperatures just about polish off the plants that manage to survive the extreme heat of the summer. We’re still working on this.

For the birds: filling the drinking pool

For the birds: filling the drinking pool

* The pebbles were left in a heap by Florinda’s grandfather about 40 years previously. He was too old to do heavy work on the land so spent his time removing pebbles from the ground one by one and discarding them on a pile next to the well.

That’s a lot of work, when do we start reaping the rewards? And where are the birds?

Next: Tell us about the birds and the bees

What real people say about Birding In Spain :

Jeremy Bradshaw (Liverpool, UK) – Marvellous May Tour 2019 

We’ve just come back from a fantastic 7 days “Marvellous May” birding trip with Steve and Florinda in NE Spain.  From our first contact to our final goodbyes at the airport, we were treated with friendly professionalism.  Steve’s knowledge of bird identification is outstanding (particularly his identification by call) and his brilliant local knowledge of good bird sites enabled us to “tot up” a trip list of over 190 species including some difficult and much sought after birds, such as Dupont’s Lark, Sandgrouse and Alpine Accentor to name but a few. The hotel accommodation, in all three locations we visited, were well run and friendly with good food and well stocked bars!  Would I recommend using BirdinginSpain and Steve for a guided birdwatching holiday?  Yes, in a heart beat ! 

We recommend …

 

 

El Pou del Mano, “Mano’s Well”

El Pou del Mano

Note: The translation of the title “Pou del Mano” from Catalan to English is “Mano’s Well”. “Mano” is the village nick-name of Florinda’s parents’ household, for this generation mostly applied to Salvador, Florinda’s father. 

Bovera, Les Garrigues, Catalonia.

The village of Bovera in the Garrigues, Catalonia

The village of Bovera in the Garrigues, Catalonia

A new chapter has opened in our lives, and it’s taking on ever increasing dimensions. In July 2016 things kicked off with my idea of building a small drinking pool for birds, down near the “pou” (well). The smallish plot, about 2,000m², once held apple and peach trees, which Salvador, my father-in-law, used to irrigate from the water he drew from a well in the middle of the plot . Rather tentatively I put the idea to Salvador and, fortunately, he had no reservations, “Do what you like with it”, he said. Even though the land had lain idle for about 30 years, after he had uprooted the drought-stricken trees, it was still a relief to me to hear those words, as I still felt like an outsider on most things related to Florinda’s village. Little by little though, the initial project would expand and take on new dimensions and provide a source of new endeavours, and some disappointments and headaches too.

The view towards the well – centre – and Bovera village – left

So, once in place with all the necessary materials for building a modest drinking pool – a roll of heavy duty black plastic liner, old discarded clothes, burlap (bought on the internet and sent from India), cutter, spade, pick-axe, hoe, string, tape measure – I was alone before the beast of doubt. What shape should the pool take? How deep? How would I stabilize the margins? Should I try and incorporate plants? Is there any need for an overflow? And so on.

Well, here are some photos from that very first day (and later), when there were more doubts than realities.

New drinking pool in the making

New drinking pool in the making I

 

New drinking pool in the making

New drinking pool in the making II

 

New drinking pool in the making

New drinking pool in the making – the finished  product?

That was almost three years ago. In that time the pool has been a focal point for much of the local wildlife, in particular birds, but also the odd toad, timid nocturnal badgers, foxes and stray dogs, dragonflies, bees and wasps, and mosquitoes. Damn the mosquitoes.

I also set up a hide, rescued from the days when we dealt directly with international photographers on the Lleida plains, coming to photograph Little Bustards, Little Owls, Stone Curlews and the like. However, after two years of accustomization the birds are fine with it, but I have yet to find the time to get in there and take some photos or videos! The trail cam, however, did much of the job for me, and after the first session of going through about 2,000 photos I proudly declared that we had already had 30 species of avian visitors to the pool, and that was even before the spring migration period had started. At that time Hawfinches were everywhere, and the pool was no exception, but the camera also recorded one of only two records of Brambling for the village, this one a fine male coming out of winter plumage. However, for me the most enjoyable scenes were the starlings, both Spotless and Common, which made a regular appointment in the early afternoon, to come down, drink, bathe and socialize in groups of 5, 10, 20 or more, before continuing the party by flying off to the roofs and the village church for the end of the day chatter and sing-song.

Starling festival at Bovera

Starling festival at Bovera I

 

Starling festival at Bovera

Starling festival at Bovera II

Next post: Figures of 8 – Pool-making considerations for humans

Autumn Iceland Tour 2018? Yeah!

When planning this Iceland Tour for 2018 and 2019, I was asked why the autumn? Everybody knows that the best time for visiting Iceland is in the short summer, when the days are long and the birds are frantically set on their breeding activities and on raising their young. By September most of the migrants (those that there are!) have already gone, the weather can suddenly turn,…

Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland

                          Skogafoss waterfall, Iceland

All that is true. So at the time I was less eloquent in my answer, babbling something about the Northern Lights (which are not seen in June, but there’s a reasonable chance in September), about Glaucous and Iceland Gulls everywhere, wintering and passage geese flocks, and the chance of some lovely autumn days. I don’t think I was that convincing.

White-tailed Eagle, Iceland

                            Immature White-tailed Eagle in northern Iceland

So now, after our first Iceland autumn tour I’ll let the photos do the talking – well, most of it! For the record though:

Humpback Whale

                                                   Humpback Whale spouting

  • We came close to Humpback Whales on a beautifully calm day, on a lovely old fishing boat, and with snow-capped mountains framing the photos
  • The Ptarmigans we encountered all had white “trousers” and were in different stages of donning their snowy winter plumage
  • We had flocks of geese: Greylag, Pink-footed, Greenland White-fronted, Brent and the vagrant Canada Goose.
  • On one day we saw 5 merlins and 2 White-tailed Eagles, among other things
Whale-watching boat and fjord, Iceland

                                   Whale-watching in northern Iceland

  • We had days when the scenery and the weather were aligned just perfectly (we also had days when it was windy and downright freezing!)
  • Glaucous and Iceland gulls were indeed all around, as were Common Seals
  • Gyrfalcon, Arctic Fox, Grey Seal, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Purple Sandpiper, Black Guillemot, divers, scoters and more were all memorable features and moments
  • Good food, hotels in great locations, easy-going Icelanders and a really lovely group of participants made us just so content that everybody was going home happy
Iceland tour participants

                                    Autumn Iceland Tour participants 2018

All things permitting, we’ll be doing another Iceland autumn tour in 2019. Oh yes, and a summer tour as well.

Birder’s house for sale in southern France: the photos

Birder’s house for sale in France: the house, the photos.

Birder’s house for sale in southern France: the photos

A charming sun deck and birdwatching spot!

 Birder’s house for sale in southern France: the photos

The house front: but what lies beyond?

 Birder’s house for sale in southern France: the photos

Comfort and homeliness, and plenty of natural light

 Birder’s house for sale in southern France: the photos

A room with a view

Birder’s house for sale in southern France: the photos

The green touch, the natural look.

Birder’s house for sale in southern France: the photos

Tea on the terrace, anyone? 

 Birder’s house for sale in southern France: the photos

To the south: the Pyrenees

Birder’s house for sale in southern France: the photos

Wildlife galore in the grounds and surrounds: a Bee Orchid

Birders house for sale in southern France

House for sale in France

Early retirement gave us the opportunity to pursue our dream of living in France. Tipped off by a French friend I met in Kuala Lumpur, we started our search for somewhere to live in the lovely city of Toulouse.  We would drive into the countryside exploring the surrounding areas and, to cut the story short, after 3 months we started renting a cottage near the town of Lavaur. Just over a year later we moved into the house which has been our home for 15 years. Being nature lovers we had found paradise!

Facing due south, situated at just over 300m, we have a magnificent view over the Agout valley and on clear days on to the Pyrenees. We have almost 1ha of land, with mature oaks and pine trees, a natural habitat for lots of wildlife. Roe deer and wild boar pass through, and we’ve also enjoyed pine martens and red squirrels, bats, lots of birds and wild flowers, particularly wild orchids. It’s a delight to sit on the large deck in spring and listen to the cuckoo, and then a bit later to hear that the Golden Orioles have arrived.  Hen Harriers, buzzards, Short-toed Eagles and kites often fly overhead, and we even saw Griffon Vultures one time. Nuthatches visit the bird tables in winter ,along with the usual robins, tits, etc.  Black Redstarts return in the spring and are a joy to watch, and we have had an occasional Hoopoe.

Now it is time for us to embark on another adventure and we are selling En Mimosa. Conveniently situated in a small community, only 6 kms from the nearest villages with shops, schools, market, Mairie and railway station, for easy access to Toulouse.  With lots of activities locally – golf, riding, etc., walks in the woods straight from the house, it is an ideal holiday location.

Centrally heated accommodation (170 m2) comprises 4 bedrooms, two en-suite, bathroom, fitted kitchen, large double height lounge/diner with wood-burning stove (self-sufficient in wood) and mezzanine. There are covered north and south facing terraces, each room has access to the outside, plus the large deck for entertaining or just sitting soaking up the tranquility and beauty of the surroundings.  We also have a full sized basement (150m2) with windows at one end, suitable as a studio, workshop or garage.

Mary Davis 

For further information please contact us as follows:-

En Mimosa

Lacapelle

81220 Damiatte

France

+33 563421528

Clive.gaitt@sfr.fr

Mary.davis@sfr.fr

Mary and Clive in the Pyrenees

* Steve’s note: Mary and Clive are long-standing clients of Birding In Spain, and we wish them all the best in their new life venture.

First International Meeting on Raptor Conservation, Photography and Responsible Tourism

At Montsonís

International meeting on Raptor Conservation at Montsonís

The First International Meeting on Raptor Conservation, Photography and Responsible Tourism was held at Montsonís, Catalonia, between the 16th and 19th March 2015. For a first of its kind it was undoubtedly a resounding success.

First International Meeting on Raptor Conservation, Photography and Responsible Tourism

The meeting itself was held at Montsonís castle and reception area on Thursday 19th March, and featured talks by photography and nature tourism wizard Staffan Widstrand from Sweden, Norwegian photographer and nature entrepreneur Espen Lie Dahl, and two Catalan raptor researchers, Joan Real from the University of Barcelona and Àngel Bonada of the Lammergeier Research and Study Group.

Among the rapt audience were representatives from the Generalitat de Catalunya, Diputació de Lleida, local mayors, barons of L’Albi, members of La Sabina, the organizers, and others. The baron and baroness very kindly contributed to the act by allowing it to take place in their home, the castle of Montsonís.

During the two days leading up to the meeting, special guests made good use of different raptor photography hides. The invitees included bird and wildlife tour operators from the UK, the editor of the digital magazine Wild Planet Photo Magazine, a photo tour operator from Slovenia, and the sales representative from a major camera and optics retailer in the UK. In the course of their visits they enjoyed encounters with birds such as Goshawk, Lammergeier, Bonelli’s Eagle, Wallcreeper, Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Red Kite, Black Kite, White Stork and more.

La Sabina’s reason for organizing the meeting was to promote good practices in development and promotion of nature tourism products, especially raptor photography, as well as to involve the local community and administrations by demonstrating the benefits of this kind of tourism for the environment and the local economy.

First International Meeting on Raptor Conservation, Photography and Responsible Tourism

According to speaker Staffan Widstrand the number of people enjoying nature tourism in the USA is greater than the sum of sports fishermen and hunters, and nature-oriented tourism is growing rapidly in other countries too.

Lammergeiers in the Pyrenees

Here is the second part of Ian Montgomery’s report on his recent trip with us to photograph raptors from our hides.

Now, at last, here is the one that I wanted to photograph above all else when in the Pyrenees: the Lammergeier, or Bearded Vulture.

Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus.

As with other species that have featured in the bird of the week such as the Black Woodpecker and Cream-coloured Courser, my interest or perhaps obsession was stimulated by my Petersen et al. Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe in the early 1960s. Unlike the woodpecker and the coursers, the European vultures were represented not on the coloured plates but in monochrome drawings. If anything, that made them more mysterious and elusive though two of them came spectacularly to life in 1963 when I saw Griffon and Egyptian Vultures during a family holiday in the Pyrenees. The Lammergeier, the mythical bone-breaker seemed destined to remain just that, as I knew it was very rare in Europe, extinct in the Alps, and found only over the highest mountain ranges. Even the name seemed straight out of Wagner’s Ring Cycle along with the Valkyries.

Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus.

I had been warned by the reserve rangers that the Lammergeiers would appear, if at all, in the afternoon after the Griffons had had their fill and I also knew that they were shy, would initially cruise over the area without landing and could easily be put off by the movement of a large telephoto lens. So the suspense was great, and it was a thrill when the first immature bird landed some distance away just before midday. They kept on the fringes and it wasn’t until about 2:30pm they came close enough for decent photos. The bird in the second and third photo is an older immature bird – they take six or seven years to mature – and the feathers of the breast and legs are getting paler. It also has the red eye-ring of the adult.

Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus.

In flight, fourth photo, they look quite different to other vultures with their back-swept rather pointed wings and long paddle-shaped tail. The thick plumage on the crown and neck sets them apart from typical vultures too, and when perched they hold their bodies in a horizontal eagle-like stance, presumably to keep their tails off the ground.

Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus.

Their shape plus the whitish head of the adult is quite distinctive so it was an exciting moment when I saw the first one soaring in the distance over the mountain range that overlooked the feeding station. Much later, they started checking out the feeding area without landing. I was too wary of alerting them by movement so I took the fourth photo of an adult in flight much later.

Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus.

Eventually, just before 3pm, the first adult landed, though like the juveniles, the adults stayed on the fringes as well and it wasn’t until 4:30pm that they came closer pick over the remains of the food carcasses and the real photography began.

 Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus.

The black bird on the left of the fifth photo is a Common Raven and it seems to be imitating the stance of the larger bird and saying ‘I’m a champion too’. It’s much closer to the camera which makes it look larger than it actually is. Thirteen seconds later the Lammergeier took flight right over the Raven’s head – it had to duck – as if to say ‘we’ll see who’s boss’, and the relative proportions are more obvious. The wing-span – to 280cm/110in – is similar to that of Griffon and Cinereous Vultures, but the tail makes it much longer – to 125cm/49in. Females are heavier than males, to 7kg/15lb, but both sexes are lighter than the other vultures.

Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus.

The Lammergeiers wait until the others have finished because their food of choice is bones and bone marrow. In fact these make up 85% of the diet making them unique among birds and probably also vertebrates. The one in the sixth photo has found the favourite morsel, the digits of a cloven-hoof herbivore such as sheep and goats. Smaller bones ones are swallowed whole, larger ones – up to 4kg in weight – are dropped onto regularly used rocky areas called ossuaries to smash the bones. The usual pattern of the birds here was to scout around for suitable food, carry it off and then return perhaps 20 minutes later. They’re called ‘quebrando huesos’ (breaking bones) in Spanish. They’ll also take live prey such as tortoises, which get the same treatment. Legend has it that the Greek playwright Aeschylus was killed around 456 BC by an eagle – clearly a Lammergeier – dropping a tortoise on his bald head, mistaking it for a rock.

Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus.

Conservation efforts have seen the Pyrenean population grow from 75 pairs in 1993 to 125 pairs in 2008 and the species has been successfully re-introduced to the Alps. It also occurs in eastern Africa, South Africa and Central Asia. Estimates of the global population range from 2000 to 10,000 individuals. Until recently, it was not considered globally threatened until recent declines outside Europe and it is now classified as near threatened. The greatest concern is the veterinary use of the anti-inflammatory and pain-killing drug Diclosfenac. Highly toxic to vultures, causing kidney failure, it has been solely responsible for the 99% decline in vulture populations in India, where it is now banned.

Horrifyingly, this drug has recently been approved for veterinary use in Spain and Italy. This insanity jeopardises the wonderful conservation efforts being carried out. BirdLife International has rallied to the cause, see http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/vultures-africa-and-europe-could-face-extinction-within-our-lifetime-warn, and funds are being raised here https://www.justgiving.com/stop-vulture-poisoning-now/.

Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus.

I’m going to donate. If we think that because there are no vultures in Australia, it’s someone else’s problem, it’s not unfortunately quite so simple. There is recent evidence that Diclofenac is toxic to Aquila eagles too. That includes the Wedge-tailed Eagle and this drug is approved for veterinary use here (e.g. ‘Voltaren’ for horses) and widely prescribed for human use. Studies have shown that it increases the risk of strokes in humans http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-09-14/study-links-voltaren-to-strokes/2260424. Photographing Lammergeiers is a personal missió complerta (Catalan for misión completa). A much more important mission accomplished will be the global banning of this completely unnecessary and dangerous drug – there are safe alternatives.

Can Jan – the House!

Can Jan – the House!

Can Jan - the House!

http://canjan.co.uk/

We at Birding In Spain are delighted to announce that Can Jan now features as the main focus of attention for our recommended accommodation links. Birding-oriented visitors and nature lovers seeking quality accommodation for groups and for special celebrations in an idyllic setting need look no further!

Can Jan - the House!

Can Jan is a unique experience of luxury accommodation for up to 24 people.Here you can relax in complete serenity, or party as hard as you like within 500 acres of private woodland.

Can Jan - the House!

Whether it’s mountain biking, bird-watching, hiking, canoeing, horse riding or golf, Can Jan is the perfect base. See the sights of the charming, medieval town of Besalú only 10 minutes away, or simply relax by the pool.

Can Jan - the House!

Can Jan - the House!

Can Jan is situated in over 500 acres of private woodland including a great many hiking trails to explore on foot or two wheels, and these adjoin the extensive La Garroxta Natural Park. You will discover an extraordinary habitat full of birds (including nightingales and birds of prey), butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, deer, wild boar, polecats, weasels and wild mink. 

Can Jan - the House!

The Aiguamolls de l’Empordà nature reserve is a short drive away, and a visit here can be complimented with birding around the Cap de Creus or the Montgrí massif.

Can Jan – who wouldn’t?

Birding Pyrenees Trip Report: some images

Birding northeast Spain

Here are some images to accompany the trip report we posted in the last blog entry:

Birding trip report images from Pyrenees and northeast Spain

 Birding trip report images from Pyrenees and northeast Spain

Birding trip report images from Pyrenees and northeast Spain

Birding trip report images from Pyrenees and northeast Spain

Trip Report: Images from Late Winter Birding in Northeast Spain

A birding trip report kindly reproduced by permission of its author Steve Lane. We invite you to read this amiable report about how his group encountered Wallcreepers, Lammergeiers, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Black Wheatears and more in February last year.

Enjoy!  

Page 1 of 6
1 2 3 6