Boar in the city

The local council has recently cleared a lot of the invasive canes that grow along the side of the River Congost in the centre of La Garriga. This meant that the other day, when a young wild boar strayed into the river area near to the school, we were able to watch him quite clearly as he ran alongside and splashed through the water. My daughter tried to photograph him but, even though he ran underneath the bridge we were standing on, her efforts were not great. I'll share them here anyway as a memory of the afternoon!

Wild boar / Porc senglar (Sus scrofa)

Spot the wild boar...

 

Helping out on the river

Today I went with some friends to join in with a voluntary activity on the River Congost in les Franqueses del Vallès organised by Associació Hàbitats. Shortly after arriving we were able to watch as some birds (which had been caught in mist nets) had rings put on their legs by the members of PARUS, a group of people who ring birds and record the species, their weight and various other details before releasing them. This was very interesting and we were able to see, up close, a Streaked fantail warbler, Meadow pipit, Dunnock, Blackbird, Wren, Robin, Cetti's warbler, Eurasian blackcap, Common chiffchaff, Kingfisher, Pied wagtail and Eurasian reed warbler.

Streaked fantail warbler / Trist (Cisticola juncidis)

Meadow pipit / Titella (Anthus pratensis)

Eurasian blackcap / Tallarol de casquet (Sylvia atricapilla)

Dunnock / Pardal de bardissa (Prunella modularis)

Wren / Cargolet (Troglodytes troglodytes)

Kingfisher / Blauet (Alcedo atthis)

After this we went to plant some ash trees near the river and to clear the weeds from around some dog-roses (Rosa canina) which had been planted earlier in the year. We also spent some time collecting litter from the river banks and the roadside. The sun was beating down on us and it felt more like midsummer than the start of November. Some people built nest boxes to hang in the trees by the river. One little boy was allowed to take his home to see if any birds will come and nest in his garden. What an enjoyable way to spend the morning, and I hope that I will be able to get involved in more activities like this in the future.

Watch where you're treading!

I stumbled across a praying mantis the other day as I walked in the hills on the edge of Montseny Natural Park. In fact, I nearly trod on it as it was crossing the path in front of me. I only had my phone with me (no camera) and so the image is not all that great. I think these animals are so interesting because there is something about their posture that looks a little bit human. There are 12 species of mantis in Catalonia and I'm not sure which species I saw, so if there are any mantis experts out there, please let me know what you think!

Praying mantis / Pregadéu

A new wildlife hotspot

I have found an excellent (and unexpected) new place to watch wildlife - at the local football ground! I went to pick up my son from his training session this evening and it was already dark and so the floodlights were on. This attracted a lot of insect life which, in turn, had attracted large numbers of bats. The very bright lights meant that they could be seen very clearly as they wheeled through the air, dived, twisted and turned, chasing and catching the moths and other insects. It really was quite a spectacle and I'm looking forward to seeing more action at the next training session!

Nature on the way to school

Every morning, on the way to school, the children have to cross over the River Congost. We usually see a few ducks and, sometimes, a heron. This morning, however, we were in for a far more exciting treat as we saw a lithe mammal hopping along through the shallow water and over the rocks. My son called out "It's an otter!" but otters are not known to be on this part of the river and this animal was not as large as an otter. It had dark fur and I'm pretty sure it was an American mink (Neovison vison). We watched it enter the water and swim away, disappearing under the canes by the water's edge. What an exciting way to start the day!

Boar and moths

Today I went to collect my camera trap from its secret location in Vallcàrquera (el Figaró). After five nights recording we had captured a wild boar, at least one genet, lots of small rodents, a large spider, a bird (unfortunately the video is too fuzzy to see what kind), what appears to be a stone marten (it is moving very quickly!) and a cat. Here, I would like to share the only video of the boar. I think he must have been scared by the camera as he moved away pretty quickly although you can hear the noises he makes moving away through the undergrowth. Then some little glowing moths enter the camera frame like tiny night-time dancing fairies!

Autumn in Vallcàrquera

On Saturday the children and I went exploring along the stream in Vallcàrquera. It was a beautiful, warm day but it was cool and shady down by the water. We hopped on stepping stones, climbed on, up and over tree trunks and branches. We looked at ferns growing on rocks and mushrooms growing on rotten logs. We saw where wild boar had been digging up the earth and we listened to the trickling water. Happy moments in nature.

Hide and seek bugs

Today I was playing a version of hide and seek with my children and some other families in a park in Viladrau (a beautiful village in the Montseny Natural Park). As I hid crouched behind a tree, I noticed lots of firebugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus) on the trunk of the tree. After the game was over, I went back to take some photos of them.

Firebug / Coralet o Poll de moro (Pyrrhocoris apterus)

Great egrets and cows

Today I was taking a walk through the Pla de Llerona enjoying the warm autumn sunshine, when I saw a small group of Great Egret (Ardea alba) take off in front of me. Luckily one of them stayed sitting on a fence, allowing me time to get my camera out and take a few photos of him on the fence and as he took off. These birds are striking in their size and their pure whiteness. As I continued my walk I saw a few more in a field with some cows. What a treat to find such striking birds within walking distance of home.

Great egret / Agró blanc (Ardea alba)

A flash of blue!

Last week I had a real treat whilst standing on a bridge over the River Congost in La Garriga - a kingfisher flew under the bridge, heading downstream in the direction that I was facing. I have only seen a kingfisher once before, sitting in the hippo enclosure at a zoo in France, and to see one on my local river was such a treat. He was flying incredibly quickly and I only knew it was a kingfisher because his shining blue plumage was SO bright and caught my eye so entirely with its vividness. I was spellbound! I hope that I will get to see him again another day.

Parakeets!

Yesterday my son and I took a bike ride near the River Congost, stopping to have a look at the monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) which are nesting in some trees there. These parakeets are beautiful,  noisy and social birds. They are an invasive species and some people are concerned about the effect that such animals have on native flora and fauna. They are successful here, building their large communal nests and, obviously, managing to raise plenty of young because there is clearly a huge population here. As we cycled away we were impressed by the size of the flock that flew over our heads!

Monk parakeet / Cotorra argentina (Myiopsitta monachus)

Communal nest

Monk parakeet / Cotorra argentina (Myiopsitta monachus)

A stay near Torroella de Montgrí

Unfortunately I don't have any photos or videos to share but I still want to comment on some experiences that I had during a stay on the Costa Brava earlier this month.

We were staying at a campsite in the Montgrí, Medes Islands and Baix Ter Natural Park and one afternoon, after a rainstorm, I went for a walk along the beautiful beach to the point where the River Ter reaches the sea. It is a verdant spot where the sand and small dunes give way to green river banks. Across the sea from where the river enters the Mediterranean stand the proud Medes Islands (Illes Medes). As I stood contemplating the still waters of the river I heard a small splash but when I looked in the direction that it came from I didn't see anything unusual. Soon, there were more splashes and then I started to see what was causing it. Close to me, small fish were leaping out of the water, breaching sideways and then disappearing back underwater. I looked further out to where the river was deeper and saw larger fish doing the same. Their silver bellies sparkled in the sunlight as they leapt high out of the water. I'm not sure what this behaviour signifies, but it was quite a spectacle and I stood there, entranced, for a number of minutes waiting to see where the next fish would appear!

The following day we had another interesting nature spot whilst driving back to the campsite from Peratallada. As we passed a rice field, we noticed that there were ten white storks (Ciconia ciconia) standing in a group there. What grand animals they are!

Every evening we saw large bats feeding around the lights of the campsite and, on the day that we left to drive back home, we saw a snake on the road. It was moving quickly but, as it was dark, we only saw it when we got very close to it. Hopefully it passed safely under the car and not the tyres. Sadly, we couldn't see what became of it.

"Be kind and tender to the Frog"

About a month ago, I came across this little frog in some pools in the countryside near Seva. I think that it is a Perez's frog also known as an Iberian green frog (Pelophylax perezi). I am not entirely confident with this identification because most of the images I have seen on the Internet are of adult frogs and this one was clearly a froglet.

Perez's Frog / Granota verda (Pelophylax perezi)

I find small frogs incredibly endearing, cute even, but, I must admit that, when they get older, I have a slight phobia of them. I'm not sure where this fear comes from - did a frog leap at me when I was younger? Such fears are unfounded and, perhaps, it is wise to heed the words of Hilaire Belloc in his poem about this amphibian.

The Frog 

by Hilaire Belloc

Be kind and tender to the Frog,

And do not call him names,

As 'Slimy skin', or 'Polly-wog',

Or likewise 'Ugly James',

Or 'Gap-a-grin', or 'Toad-gone-wrong',

Or 'Billy Bandy-knees':

The Frog is justly sensitive

To epithets like these. 

No animal will more repay

A treatment kind and fair;

At least so lonely people say 

Who keep a frog (and, by the way,

They are extremely rare).

When the river runs high

I love it when, after some heavy rain, the river is high. Last week, I took this photo on my favourite stretch of river between La Garriga and El Figaró.

Minstrel bugs

This is not a great photo because I took it on my phone, but I want to share it because I think that these little insects, which are known as Minstrel Bugs or Italian Striped Bugs, are really rather stunning.

Minstrel Bug / Bernat Vermell (Graphosoma lineatum italicum)

Bath time in Barcelona

It is important to appreciate the wildlife that we come across when we are doing other things. Never ignore an opportunity to appreciate the activities and behaviours that another species is carrying out in front of you. It may teach you something or, at the very least, it will make you live in the moment as you stop thinking about other things and simply enjoy the small insight into another being's life. With this in mind, I would like to share with you a short video of a house sparrow (Passer domesticus), which is called a "pardal" in Catalan, cooling off in a pool at the Cosmocaixa science museum in Barcelona. 

Banyoles

This weekend the children and I went to cool off in the lake at Banyoles. It is such a beautiful place to spend time. My son and I particularly enjoyed looking for fish as we swam underwater. On the surface there is plenty of life too; large red dragonflies zip around, and we saw ducks, coots and moorhens. The lake provides the perfect place for people to have some contact with nature whilst relaxing and enjoying themselves.

Evening at Banyoles Lake

A night-time walk

Last night I went on a "caminada nocturna" or night-time walk organised by the walking association Les Guilles. We set off at about 8.30pm from Figarò and were soon up in the hills feeling hot and sweaty but enjoying the shady path which took us up through the trees to an impressive viewpoint. The light was starting to fade a bit and so the photos I took are not great but they give you an idea of how impressive the scenery is in this part of Catalonia. As the day drew to a close the air was filled with the sounds of chirruping insects. I suppose they were cicadas and, for me, it is the sound of the Mediterranean summer. When the darkness had fully descended I regretted leaving my head torch at home (oops!) but felt grateful to the kind woman who had lent me a small torch. At the halfway point we had a break where we were served watermelon and orange slices which was very refreshing and spurred us on for the rest of the walk. The downhill path was rather treacherous with loose stones and sand but, luckily, I managed to stay on my feet and to not fall over. Soon we were back on a tarmac road next to the river listening to the loud croaking of the frogs whose vocalisations accompanied us for the last section of the walk. When we arrived back in Figarò I went for a swim in the pool and felt happy to have had this experience of being out in the countryside at night.

Sun on the river

Yesterday morning I tried to escape the heat by walking along the shady path by the river. The sun was strong and it bounced off the slightly murky brown water and made the leaves of the plants and trees on the riverbank shimmer and sparkle with dancing reflections. It was truly beautiful. The birds sang loudly. I was able to watch a robin for several minutes as he sat on a low branch singing. I also saw a couple of extremely small birds hopping around amongst the branches. They were not shy of me and, in fact, one of them seemed to look at me and stayed close by allowing me to look at him/her for a while. I am not sure what species it was. From the size I wonder if it was a wren (Troglodytes troglodytes). In this extreme heat I wonder how the animals cope but at least by the river there are cool places for them to seek refuge.

'Lunatic' by Ivor Cutler

'Living creatures, completely unaware of Man's immortal soul see him only as a vicious destructive creature with an infinite capacity for making a mess, unable to relate to The Earth and without aesthetics. As a dying butterfly was heard to whisper: - "He's a fucking lunatic!" '

Aquatic bats

Yesterday my daughter and I joined a group of other enthusiastic people in the village of Aiguafreda for a talk about bats and, more specifically, the aquatic bat species that are found in Catalonia and which are being studied by the Projecte QuiroRius. Specifically this includes Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii) which is called the Ratpenat d'Aigua (Water Bat) in Catalan and the Long-fingered bat (Myotis capaccinii) which, in Catalan, is called the Ratpenat de Peus Grans (the Bat with Big Feet).

After the talk we all went to the Font dels Enamorats where we ate our picnic supper as the sun set and the bats started to appear. Then, with head torches on, we headed off into the woods following the path until a small turning which lead us down to a pool where we saw an aquatic bat racing around above the surface. With our arrival it quickly disappeared but we had been able to hear it on the bat detector.

Some other bats also registered on the bat detectors as we waited there (probably pipistrelles). After waiting a while and realising that no more bats were going to come back (maybe we were making too much noise or showing too many lights), the majority of the party headed off for an excursion in the dark. We decided it was time to head home and on the way back to the car saw a Common Midwife Toad (Alytes obstetricans). In Catalan this species is called the Tòtil. We also heard something large moving around in the bushes but we couldn't see what it was. It was great to be out in nature at night time!

Baby pigeons

Yesterday the kids and I spotted two baby pigeons, that look like they will soon by ready to fledge, flapping their wings frantically on the small ledge that is their nest. While we were watching them, in flew the adult to feed them. I went back a bit later to take a couple of photos but the light was not good and the photos are not of high quality. It is a shame that we hadn't seen them earlier when they were smaller. However they still have some of their downy feathers and do not look completely like adult pigeons just yet.

Hippos don't live in trees, mum!

This morning I saw two hoopoes (Upupa epops) flitting around in the treetops in Corro d'Amunt. As I called out to the kids "Look at the hoopoes in the trees" my daughter replied "Hippos don't live in trees, mum!"

I love these birds as I don't see them very often and they just look so stunning with their wonderful crests and striking colour and patterns. In Catalan the hoopoe is called the 'puput' which is a great name as it reflects the sound that they make. I remember last summer hearing one from the garden but never actually seeing it.

This photo was taken a few years ago in Sant Pere Pescador.

Hoopoe / Puput (Upupa epops)

A spring morning

While my daughter was doing her horse-riding class this morning I took advantage to have a short walk near the stables. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and there were many butterflies fluttering around the wild flowers at the roadside. Here are some photos that I took. I have tried to identify the flowers and butterflies.

Two butterflies flutter by

Countryside in Corro d'Amunt

Common Poppy / Rosella (Papaver rhoeas)

Common Fumitory / Fumdeterra (Fumaria officinalis)

Spring pea / Guixó vernal (Lathyrus vernus)

Swallowtail / Papallona reina (Papilio macaon)

Cabbage white / Blanca de la Col (Pieris brassicae)

Blossom

Poppy

A short post today simply to share a photo of a poppy (Papaver rhoeas) that I took this afternoon in the beautiful spring sunshine.

Common poppy / Rosella (Papaver rhoeas)

BLAST FROM THE PAST - 2008 - Montseny

In June 2008 a group of us (all families with small children) went to spend a weekend at Can Pareras Vell in Montseny. Here are some extracts from my diary describing our stay there:

" The views are spectacular - across to Montnegre and Sant Celoni and the sea beyond. It's not entirely silent, but there is a general feeling of real tranquility. There are not any neighbours to speak of and we are deep in the countryside. There are geese and hens and fruit trees. I've seen a jay and heard a cuckoo."

"The view this morning was amazing; sunny but with fog settled in the valley below. I went for a run through the woods and saw little waterfalls and heard cow bells. It was very peaceful."

Dead salamanders

Fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) are generally nocturnal, although they can be seen during the day when it is wet and rainy. This morning it was exceptionally rainy and therefore perfect weather for salamanders. Sadly the only salamander I saw whilst out walking in the hills was dead; it had risked crossing the track and been squashed by a vehicle. This is the second dead fire salamander I have seen in the hills surrounding La Garriga. Perhaps people using the forests tracks in cars or on bikes should take more care when the conditions are wet and there is a risk of squashing one of these interesting little amphibians.

Fire salamander / Salamandra (Salamandra salamandra) photographed 21/3/15 

Fire salamander / Salamandra (Salamandra salamandra) photographed 17/2/13

Success!

My first attempts with my new trail cam were a success. I got some footage of small rodents (too small to see what they were but it was fun watching their little glowing eyes whizzing across the screen!) and birds but I hit the jackpot with a visit from my favourite small mammal - the genet. So here's a video from this week for you to enjoy.

Spring by the river

Yesterday I took a short stroll by the River Congost in La Garriga. The sun was shining and spring was definitely in the air. The steady drone of traffic on the dual carriageway which passes over the river did not detract from the beauty of the day and the clear birdsong. In fact in the short time that I was there, I saw magpies, mallards, a pied wagtail, a coal tit, blackbirds and various other small birds. I was also pleased to hear a splash when I went down to the riverbank and to see a frog swimming quickly away. I'm sorry I disturbed him but it was a lovely spring sight. Some pretty wild flowers brought the river path to life with their vibrant colours. I have tried to identify them but I'm not too sure about the violets that I saw. I've plumped for Viola alba but would be happy to be corrected if someone thinks I am wrong. Could their English name really be "white violet" when they are clearly purple in colour? I've also found websites that call them "parma violets"which I find funny as, to me, parma violets are those funny soapy flavoured sweets that nobody really likes!

River Congost 

White violet (Parma violet?) / Viola d'alzinar (Viola alba)

Lesser celandine / Gatassa (Ranunculus ficaria)

Spring blossom