Iberian Lynx Quest

January 2023: Lynx Quest (Episode 2)

After failing to see Iberian Lynx on a previous trip six years ago, we elected to give it another go and the four of us booked onto a six day long Naturetrek trip. With an early morning flight from Stansted on a Sunday morning we decided to take the easy option and book a hotel room for Saturday night. We met up at Liverpool St station in the early afternoon for the train. Engineering works on the line meant there was no express train and we had to decant at Bishops Stortford for a short coach transfer to the airport. We had booked into the Radisson Blu hotel as it was just a short walk to the terminal. We had dinner in the hotel and a relaxing evening.

Day 1: Sunday 22nd January

We checked out at 6.30 and headed over to the baggage drop-off desks. Once through security there was time for a sit-down breakfast in one of the restaurants before boarding our RyanAir flight to Seville. We met one of the leaders, Taea, and some of our fellow participants as we were queuing up. We left half an hour late but made up a little time and we landed in bright sunshine at 1pm in slightly warmer temperatures than in the UK. We were met by the main leader, Byron, and all of us piled into two minivans and were soon on our way to the Coto Donana. We stopped off for a late lunch where we had our first views of birds that were going to become regular companions during our trip: Black Redstart and Iberian Magpie.

We carried on to the town of El Rocio where our hotel was. The town was straight out of the Wild West with wide sandy tracks instead of roads and the main means of transportation for locals was the horse and many houses had a stable at the back. Even the bar across the road had a frame for tying up horses.

El Rocio Main Street

Our hotel

The bar by our hotel

Our interest though was avian, as the hotel backed onto a large lagoon and we were soon scoping Flamingos, Spoonbills, Stilts, Ibises and a Swamphen.

Black-winged Stilt

Glossy Ibis

Greater Flamingos with a drake Pintail

After sundown we met up at the hotel bar for drinks and then dinner.

Restaurant & Bar

Day 2: Monday 23rd

After breakfast we were met by one of the local wardens and boarded 4x4 vans for our first attempt to find the Lynx. The favoured area began just outside of town and we drove up and down this stretch several times.

Stone Pines

Although we didn’t see any cats there were plenty of birds around such as Iberian Green Woodpecker, Iberian Grey Shrike, Little Owl and Thekla’s Lark. We went for a walk about and saw Hoopoe, Booted Eagle and Black-winged Kite.

Little Owls

In the afternoon we went to a different area which should normally be a marsh at this time of the year but there hadn’t been much rain this winter. Along the way we stopped for a roosting Barn Owl and then saw hundreds of Cranes flying over.

Common Cranes

White Stork

We went into the visitor centre to scan the lagoon for wetland birds in the hope of Marbled Teal but they weren’t visible. We received word that another group had seen a Lynx but it had gone to ground by the time we arrived.

Day 3: Tuesday 24th

The morning was a rerun of yesterday, driving around but failing to see any Lynx. It’s really a matter of luck as there’s so much cover with limited viewing. We went back to the hotel to pack up and had a last look over at the lagoon before lunch and then a long drive to Andujar. This is up in the mountains and was the same area we had been to before to look for Lynx. At our accommodation, which was a group of self-catering cabins, we had a short wander around the grounds and saw two Hawfinches flying over.

Spotless Starlings

Day 4: Wednesday 25th

As we waited outside the restaurant for the doors to open we were joined by the local cats that were looking for titbits as well as warmth, as the early morning temperature was below freezing. After breakfast we headed into the hills to look for Lynx. This involved a different strategy to earlier in the week. We stood by the roadside and scanned the hillsides looking for movement.

Here be Lynxes...

There were various other groups and individuals up and down the road and we kept an eye on them as well. It also gave us time to look for birds and we soon picked up Griffon and Cinereous Vultures and Spanish Eagle up in the skies plus Rock Bunting, Little Owl and Blue Rock Thrush.

Spanish Eagle

Cinereous Vulture

Rock Bunting

Male Blue Rock Thrush

There were other mammals to see including a little group of Mouflon and two Spanish Ibex including one male with a hefty set of horns. At other times we also saw Wild Boar, Red Deer, Fallow Deer and plenty of Rabbits, the preferred prey for Iberian Lynx.

Mouflon

Spanish Ibex

We walked down the road to a picnic site overlooking a reservoir for lunch where there was also Crested Tit.

Mountain reservoir

The rest of the afternoon was spent along the road until Byron got a message and we all piled into the vans and sped up the road. As we piled out again and joined a large twitch an Iberian Lynx sauntered out from behind a close bush and walked up the hill a little way and then sat directly behind another bush. We could just about see it preening behind the bush but it didn’t want to come out. Eventually a Magpie flew down and landed nearby which made the Lynx emerge from cover. It looked down the hillside at us then slowly made its way up and out of view.

Iberian Lynx

Back on the road, everyone was happy, having now seen this rare and elusive cat. There was a lot of celebrating in the bar later in the evening.

Day 5: Thursday 26th

We started the morning at a different spot, down by a dam to look for Otter in the river.

There were a few different birds around like the flock of Rock Sparrows that flew over. Later, we returned to the same stretch of road as yesterday and began our vigil again. There was a lot of Lynx activity throughout the day with several being seen, although not everyone saw all of them. We all saw distant views of a female with her 18 month old youngster and some of us saw another male running up the hillside.

Black Redstart

Day 6: Friday 27th

Our last day began back at the river but there was still no sign of the Otter, although there were several Firecrests around and a flock of Iberian Magpies raiding the picnic area.

Iberian Magpie

All too soon it was time to head back to our rooms for final packing and then lunch. We drove back to Seville airport for our 17:40 flight back to Stansted and then the train back into London and home.