wildlifestravelling: New for 2013: Gibraltar and Grazalema

Continuing the theme of new destinations, Charlie Rugeroni is currently in the Sierra de Grazalema in Andalucia, sorting out the itinerary for next spring's visit to the area...

"The day broke with a soft blanket of low cloud over the village of Grazalema, but this imperceptibly lifted to reveal the �pueblo blanco� in all its glory bathed in warm, golden-syrup coloured early morning light. This is a tightly packed pueblo in the middle of the Parque Natural de Grazalema, lying at around 1,654 metres, amongst well eroded limestone and small areas of acidic rock.

There is plenty to see around the village including its old mule tracks and backdrop of cliffs; much of the plantlife was dead, dormant or gone to seed but the profusion of plants and diversity was clearly evident � as were the Red-billed Choughs and Rock Buntings accompanying my every move. Even in death, or near death, some wildflowers manage to look good and this is true of the Spanish endemic Centaurea clementei(a yellow-flowered Knapweed). Only the fresh-ish leaves of the crucifer Biscutella frutescens, an Afro-Iberian endemic, were visible below the dead frothy and once yellow flower-heads.

The Southern Colchicums (Colchicum lusitanicum) have been out in full bloom and nowhere showing better than at Llanos del Republicano (the largest polje in the Park) where they were protected from the south-westerlies coming up the valley � surprisingly, they�ve been left alone by the roaming quadrupeds � I hope to see Natterjack Toads here in the spring and the elegant Paper-white Daffodil (Narcissus papyraceus) growing along the stream banks. A particularly charismatic Spanish plant is Echium albicans, a few examples still retained their pink-white and blue flowers.

As a youngster I�d dreamed of dancing with wolves (at a distance) but now at my age, the best I could do on this trip was walking with pigs in the dehesa; the pasture land combined with Holm and/or Cork Oak standards. At the Salto del Cabrero (Shepherd�s Leap) I came across the dainty looking narcissus, N. humilis (syn. cavanillesii), it stood no more than three or so inches high.

At the top of Puerto del Boyar, near Puerto de las Presillas (1,300m) I couldn�t but help stumble on the �cushions� of Erinacea anthyllis (Hedgehog Broom), armed with weapons of mass protection (lethal sharp spines) of its leaves and lilac-blue flowers out next spring. Limestone pavements provided the backdrop to this confident looking plant with a �Make my day� punk�, sort of look given to any grazing Spanish Ibex or sheep. Swallowtails were around as were a myriad of blues and coppers and Graylings. Black Redstarts and Black Wheatears have been plentiful � a group of four was the highlight, as was the Bonnelli�s eagle at Manga de Villalengua (Sleeve of Villalengua), an impressively wide gorge 20 mins. away from Grazalema."