In mid-February we went birdwatching with Juancho and Picaruelo to the ZEPA Encinares de los ríos Alberche y Cofio (SPA Holm-Oak Forest of the Alberche and Cofio Rivers), on the south-west of the province of Madrid.
The tour got off to a good start: short after having started birdwatching, we could see a majestic Cinereous Vulture above the summits. Although it was very far away, its large size and its calm flight were impressive.
Not long after that we had the first surprise of the day. It was going to be a great day. Very close to the Cinereous Vulture, at a lower height, a couple of Golden Eagles appeared. During about twenty minutes, both eagles were playing in the air, until one of them disappeared from our view and the other one perched on one of the summits. Although the distance was big, the silhouette of the Golden Eagle dominating the summit was very beautiful.
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos homeyeri) on the mountain
We continued our tour and penetrated into the pine wood, a lovely place, ideal for the Cinereous Vulture couples to make their nests. Almost without noticing it, something happened: the forest remained silent, the song of the birds stopped. A few minutes later, what we were fearing happened: the sky got covered and it started to hail. In spite of all we were lucky, the hailstorm was brief and the sky opened in a splendid afternoon.
We continued until we reached a wide esplanade, where we took a rest before confronting the most difficult part of the tour. We walked again during about half an hour on sheer slopes until we reached an area where the path widened, letting us see a great part of the sky; suddenly, above our heads, a Griffon Vulture!, and a minute later, another Griffon Vulture!, and a minute later, a Cinereous Vulture! We could enjoy the flight of the three vultures for quite a while, until the thermal currents raised them away from us.
Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus)
We continued along our path to arrive to a splendid viewpoint, from which we could sight a great part of the province of Ávila, with the Sierra de Gredos on the south. In the distance we could see a couple of eagles. We suspected they could be Imperial Eagles. Below these lines you can see a picture, what do you think? Are they Imperial Eagles or Golden Eagles?
Spanish Imperial Eagle?
After enjoying the impressive landscape, we started our way back. While we were walking, we still had a magnificent view of the Sierra de Gredos. When… suddenly, a young Golden Eagle appeared above us. It flew over very, very close, hardly three metres away, and perched on a tall pine tree to admire the views. When it took flight again, the movement of its flapping wings were spectacular.
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos homeyeri)
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos homeyeri) flying
With the farewell of a big Cinereous Vulture and a distant Red Kite, we continued our downhill route. The last section of our birdwatching route was a little rough. We had to go down by the dry riverbed of a stream, one of those that only carry water a couple of days a year. However, due to the abundant rains of the last weeks, the riverbed was far from dry; there was water everywhere. Anyhow, we finished our birding day with a little canyoning. But it was worth it. It’s a unique show seeing Cinereous and Griffon Vultures and Golden and Imperial Eagles so close. And the last surprise came when we examined the pictures we had taken. Look at this one:
Vulture nest
Yes, it’s a Cinereous Vulture nest. Let’s zoom in:
Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) nesting in a tree
What is this? It’s not a Cinereous Vulture, it’s a squatter: a Griffon Vulture nesting on a tree, a real oddity. This is one of the few cases when a Griffon Vulture couple decides not to nest on a rock, but to occupy and old Cinereous Vulture nest.
