strait nature news

28th July - A Nature Walk on The Strait of Gibraltar - Stephen Daly writes

The Limestone crags of the Sierra de la Plata come right down to the coast near Atlanterra.  These were once the bed of the ocean and are still rising as the two continents of Europe and Africa continue to push into each other.

The Natural History and beauty of the area is quite stunning, providing nature lovers with the perfect backdrop for a lovely walk from Cabo de Plata along to Bolonia. The walk is roughly 4.5 kms long and will take about two hours at an easy pace.

Eroded by wind, many of the higher rocky outcrops are quite inaccessible and can be difficult places to explore which can be seen as their salvation as it effectively precludes large-scale disturbance through coastal development. The whole coastline on the Strait of Gibraltar is now protected under the umbrella of the local government and is now the Parque Natural del Estecho, and access is free.  Other areas along the Strait remain under the control of the Ministry of Defence and are marked Zona Militar and should be respected.

To get to the start of the walk take the road from Zahara de los Atunes to Atlanterra and follow the road right through to the eastern end, following the signs for the lighthouse called the Faro de Camarinal where the coastal road ends.  The tower or Torre dates back to the 16thC. and was converted into a modern lighthouse in 1989.

Leaving your car in the car park, go around the green metal gate and take the tarred track to the lighthouse. From here you’ll get a good impression of the area with Africa and on a clear day you can see the bustling city of Tanger across the Strait in Morocco. Griffon Vultures have nests all around the area and you should have good chances of spotting a few. The track has quite an array of typical Mediterranean plants including Juniper, several Pines and a few species of pink and white Cistus flowering from May until October.

Continuing on from the Lighthouse the stony track climbs slightly to a goat farm, then meets a tarmac military road. Watch out for several different species of Lizard here including the beautiful large Ocellated Lizard. Chameleon’s can also be seen here. Once reaching the tarmac road here go right, downhill towards Bolonia and the Roman ruins.

During the autumn bird migration you’ll have the opportunity to see Honey Buzzards, Short-toed and Booted Eagles making their way south to over-winter in Africa. Huge numbers of White Storks and rarer Black Storks cross here too as well as lots of other different smaller birds including Swifts, Swallows and Martins.

A Short-toed Eagle with a Honey Buzzard above 

During your walk you’ll spot one or two sandy coves where access can only be gained on foot. The surrounding Umbrella Pine forest were planted to anchor the huge dunes that build up from the easterly Levante.

Returning to the start of the walk is by the reverse route.

20th July - Summer Break - Stephen Daly writes

As the weather heats up and the breeding season for a lot of birds, mammals and amphibians is over. As the day time temperatures climb into the high 30's inland, all living species take the customary Mediterranean habit of a long siesta. We tend to do the same in the afternoons, even although we stay relatively cool on the coast, with refreshing Atlantic breezes keeping temperatures at a sane level. Having a wee sleep in the afternoon is really quite pleasant.

Northern Europe has had its warmest summer since records began and in fact it has been warmer in the south of England than in Barbate.

The migration for some species has already started with lots of Pallid Swifts crossing over to Morocco accompanied by Sand martins and this years Barn Swallows and House Martins. August will see more raptor movement with Black Kites being the first on the move towards the southern tip. The autumn raptor migration is a wonderful spectacle and should be witnessed once in your life. I never get weary of this fantastic spectacle, using my own experience and local knowledge of not only the fickle winds on the Strait but navigating all the tracks, taking people to the best vantage points, valleys, watering holes to watch, photograph and have the best views.

Little Swifts have never been so numerous here with lots of breeding pairs around the towns on the south coast. They should be on the Spanish list soon.

Anyway for now I'm going to continue doing some building work at our house (mornings only!), prepare tour itineraries and planning for 2007, and of course.......going to the beach with the girls!

14th July - More Windmills for Facinas, El Almarchal and La Zarzuela near Zahara de los Atunes

- Stephen Daly writes

At this time of the year there are huge concentrations of birds preparing to migrate south along the natural pathways such as valleys, ridges and coastline. This is exactly the places wind turbines have been built along the southern coast. Former marsh land and freshwater lakes have been drained for use as agricultural land, as in the case of La Janda, and natural lakes dry up quickly with the demand for water having never been higher.

The pressures on animals are huge and loss of migratory feeding areas makes the perilous journey south to Africa an even more challenging and hazardous one. Many different bird species rely on finding food on the rich stubble fields that held maize, cotton and sunflowers, as well as taking frogs, mice, voles and other winter tit-bits. Unfortunately the reduction of bird and small mammal populations is partly due to intensive farming practices and efficient harvest systems employed on many farms in most EU countries. Larger migratory birds such as White Storks, Booted and Short-toed Eagles and Honey Buzzards are regularly killed by flying too close to the blades of the new 80m tall windmills. The blades of the windmills have a diameter of 65m. The new generation are to be even taller with an 80m diameter rotation field. The turbines will be inspected and repaired by a helicopter landing atop the turbine.

Take the new and expanding wind farm near Facinas for example. Apart from the obvious disturbance they create, they are quite inefficient at generating electricity. I often wonder about the energy consumed to construct not only the windmills themselves but all the other, power lines, themselves a big hazard for birds, the pylons, the foundations of steel and concrete and the hundreds of kilometres of roads that connect each windmill.

Land owners get paid a construction fee and annual rental agreement for the building of such ‘white elephants’. I don’t accept that bird collisions with windmill blades cause extreme high numbers of fatalities. Every man-made structure in the modern world has a bearing on wildlife and the number one source of bird deaths is by far the motorcar. High-tension electrical power-cables are in themselves are huge contributors to the deaths of our avian friends. Just think about the vast numbers of wires that crisscross the countryside cause many more deaths and injuries to birds. Wires of such are quite simply very difficult for flying birds to see. Birds generally see the windmills and can certainly feel the pulling force of of the blades as they turn.

The most obvious question surely is, who would agree to site such large numbers of turbines right on one of the busiest bird migration routes on Earth?

 8th July - The Roman Ruins of Baleo Claudia at Bolonia - Stephen Daly writes
Bolonia or Baleo Claudia as it was called in Roman times, is a small isolated coastal village and fishing community on the Atlantic coast of the Costa de la Luz, some 15km north of Tarifa. Wind surfers and sunbathers alike enjoy its fine sandy beaches. The present village is a very popular hangout in the summer months with young surfers and travellers. Quite a lot of hostals and bars have been built in the last few years and only now are local planners attempting to control new building developments. There is a laid-back atmosphere in Bolonia and the fact that there is no through traffic here adds to its attraction and tranquility. There are Griffon and Egyptian Vultures nesting here and the birds can often be seen circling on thermals above the smaller nearby village of Betis. Blue Rock Thrushes, Rufous Bush Robins, Ortolan, Rock and Cirl Buntings, Peregrine Falcons and Short-toed and Booted Eagles are also breeding there. Behind Betis and above the village are several rock-climbing sites, nestling in eucalyptus groves, giving climbers varying routes up the rock face for different capabilities.

The village of Bolonia is located at the end of a 7km narrow road, which leaves the main N340 coast road at km 70, climbs over the Sierra de Bartolomé to give beautiful views of Bolonia bay and the entire Strait of Gibraltar.
At the top of the hill crest is an official bird migration observation post that can be used by the public, even offering shade on a hot September, during the spectacular autumn bird raptor migration. Two more observation viewpoints are presently being constructed on the south side of the Sierra de la Plata just inside the Military Zone. The whole area is excellent for migration watching, both in Springtime and Autumn. The Autumn raptor migration in September and October is really something to see and if you haven’t already witnessed this annual spectacle then it surely is something you have to do at least once in your life!
If you continue down to the Bolonia and park in the large car park at the Roman ruins, which was the site of the ancient town of Baelo Claudia, and travel further west on foot and you can visit a number of isolated coves, perfect for swimming and sunbathing. Keep an eye open for Tuna hunting along the waters edge in summer. Quite often you can watch shoals of smaller fish dashing and leaping out the water as the Tuna chase and close in. Tuna have a high dorsal fin that cuts through the water the same way a shark swims when near the surface, so don’t be alarmed, the fish you are most likely to see are either Blue-fin or Yellow-fin Tuna!

The Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia are just to the northwest of the present village of Bolonia and the centre of the ancient town has been unearthed and some stonework re-assembled. It’s certainly worth a visit and entry is free to E.U. citizens on production of passport or identity cards. The archaeological site shows how important the town used to be as a fish salting, and Garum producing community. Garum was an ancient delicacy made from fish guts, eyes, salt, wine vinegar and herbs, and in fact highly prized throughout the Roman Empire, like the quality caviar of today, it was very expensive. Thousands of glass jars were manufactured locally for the purpose of preserving the fish paste, evidence of this can be found all over the area. Glass jars from Bolonia have been uncovered at Roman sites in Colchester!
Sadly there is a massive new concrete construction which looks like a wartime bunker, on the site of the town ruins. This monstrosity is going to house new a museum and information centre. The building is certainly the most inappropriate and ugliest thing to be built anywhere on this beautiful coast!
Early mornings, Bolonia beach offers good views of Caspian Terns with their commoner cousins, Sandwich and Little Terns diving for fish and you can certainly see the rarer Auduoin’s Gulls hunting too - yes they hunt, they’re not scavengers.
If you have a pair of binoculars take them with you as there is always something to see. The Griffon Vulture colony at the Sierra de la Plata and rare White-rumped and Little Swifts and the other coastal birdlife are a must for all those keen on birding.

Purple Heron at La Janda

A Little Swift - now more to see on the south coast

Dartford Warbler at Atlanterra

A Booted Eagle

A Black-crowned Night Heron at Barbate

Northern Bald Ibis

Scarce Swallowtail