Report of the IV Censo de Aves or Alpujarra bird count

Yesterday the 16th of April the IV Censo de Aves took place. The census was led by Antonio Ramos, guide of the Sierra Nevada Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada, and the local wildlife specialist Gary Morrell. Five people, of three different nacionalities, participated. A total of 45 species were counted of which 7 birds were not seen or heard on earlier bird counts: Sparrohawk (Gavilán), Cuckoo (Cuco), Little Owl (Mochuelo común), Pallid Swift (Vencejo común), Nortern Wheatear (Collalba gris) and the Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón común). The Collalba gris (Oenanthe oenanthe, Tapuit in Dutch) and the Collalba rubia, the Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica, Blonde tapuit in Dutch) were regarded as the´Birds of the Day´. We saw a male and a female of the Collalba rubia in an abandoned vineyard and we could follow them closely as they were posing on the trunks. The guides agreed that there could very well be a nest somewhere between the vines. We ticked off the bird species that were observed on this census on the ´Listado de aves avistadas en los censos de Alquería de Morayma´ (see related links below).
Apart from counting species, the participants appreciated all aspects of wildlife on a glorious morning in an area of great natural beauty. Four different types of orchids were counted, amongst which the Ophrys lutea or Yellow Ophrys and the Ophrys tenthredinifera. Footprints were found of a Genet and a couple of Ocellated Lizards were observed through Gary´s telescope. Like last time we followed the GR142 to Lobras and returned to the Alquería de Morayma on the GR7. This walk is a route that we offer our guests as well (see map below), but it must be observed that parts of the path along the Rambla Albayar have disappeared. Some people will find it difficult to find their way through this riverbed. You should not mind improvising a little bit following the watercourse northwards until you get to the crossing of the two Long Distance Footpaths. Almost all waymarks of the GR142 have diseappeared on this stretch.





Related articles:
- Report I bird census, II bird census, III bird census

Related links:
- List of birds censuses around Alquería de Morayma (word doc)
- GPS track of the walk
- Slideshow of photos IV Censo de Aves
- Crónica de Carmen: IV Censo de aves de la Alpujarra desde la Alquería de Morayma


Related key words: vogeltelling, orchid, orchidee