CAP DE CREUS
SPAIN
CATALONIA (Cadaqués and Port de la Selva)
00o00´/00o00´ 90ha, 0-670m (Pico Sant Salvador), mountain, coastal cliffs and islands, cork oak and pine woods, vineyards and olive groves
Anytime ()
Birding Site Guide
These coastal cliffs are the most easterly in Spain and the point where the Pyrenees meets the sea. The area has many islets along the rugged exposed coast, further inland though there is shelter for birds in the native woodlands (Aleppo Pine Oaks, and a little Holm Oaks, and olive groves, but much of the area is open patches and scrublands created by fire providing an interesting mix of habitats for the various warblers and chats. Typical scrubs are Heather, MasticPistacia lentiscus , Juniper, and Rock Rose. The valleys where wooded contain species such as alders Ash, Elms, Hazel and willows. This battered exposed coast is a noted area for seawatching, and numerous species can pass by, often very close when the winds are onshore. The winds also assist migrant birds such as passerines but particularly raptors across the sea. On good raptor passage days hundreds of birds of several species can be seen. There are tourist information and other facilities in the nearest towns (see above).
For comprehensive selection of tours try Catalan Bird Tours
The list gives only the main species to look for here there are many commoner species not included.
Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Cory's Shearwater, Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Balearic Shearwater, Yelkouan Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Gannet, Shag, Velvet Scoter, Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Red Kite, Short-toed Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Booted Eagle, Quail, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Razorbill, Scops Owl, Eagle Owl, Red-necked Nightjar, Pallid Swift, Alpine Swift, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Thekla Lark, Wood Lark, Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Tawny Pipit, White Wagtail, Alpine Accentor, Nightingale, Black Redstart, Redstart, Black-eared Wheatear, Black Wheatear, Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Orphean Warbler, Bonelli's Warbler, Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher, Crested Tit, Wallcreeper, Short-toed Treecreeper, Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Southern Grey Shrike, Raven, Serin, Hawfinch, Cirl Bunting, Rock Bunting, Ortolan Bunting.
Herptiles include Common Toad, Oscillated Lizard and Mediterranean Tortoise.
Author: BSG
www.birdingsiteguide.com