This tour combines the contrastinghabitats of central Spain - theundulating, sun-drenched steppesand shimmering plains of Extremadura, therugged oak-forested hills of MonfragüeNational Park, and the imposing granitepeaks of the Sierra de Gredos. We willexplore these exciting and wild habitatsduring the course of a 2-centre, week-longholiday focusing particularly on the birdlifeof the region, but also enjoying theabundant and colourful wayside flora ofboth the plains and mountains, as well asany butterflies and mammals we encounterduring the week. We begin the holiday with a flight toMadrid, from where we head south-westthrough rolling hills, olive groves and CorkOak woodland to the central plateau ofExtremadura, where we find extensivesheep-grazed grasslands and Cork Oakforests known locally as dehasa. For thenext four nights we will be based near thebeautiful medieval town of Trujillo, an idealspot from which to explore the adjacentsteppes and the magnificent MonfragüeNational Park. Flocks of Lesser Kestrelsand Pallid Swifts wheel around Trujillo'sbeautifully preserved ancient churches,whilst White Storks peer down from theirroof-top nests or clatter their bills to greeta returning mate. One of our main goals,however, will be to witness one of the mostexciting bird spectacles in Europe, thebreeding display of the Great Bustard.During this, the males - the world'sheaviest flying birds - convertthemselves, by a series of bizarredistortions, into huge white balls offeathers that revolve slowly in an almostmilitary step. While they look stately anddignified, the nearby Little Bustardsperform an awkward, head-throwing actionaccompanied by a comical buzzing sound.The two species are certainly the starattractions of this region, but it offers farmore besides, including many othergrassland specialities such as Quail, StoneCurlew, Pin-tailed and Black-belliedSandgrouse, and both Calandra and Short-toed Larks, whilst Bee-eaters, Rollers andHoopoes bring colour to the scene. In thesurrounding Cork Oak dehasawe will lookfor Great Spotted Cuckoos, Hoopoes,Orphean Warblers, Short-toedTreecreepers, both Woodchat andSouthern Grey Shrikes and Azure-wingedMagpies. Overhead we will keep an eyeopen for the 16 species of raptor which,with luck, may include the localised Black-shouldered Kite. It is in Monfragüe NationalPark, however, that we will focus inparticular on birds of prey; here Egyptian,Black and Griffon Vultures rise on thethermals with the heat of the day, both Redand Black Kites are numerous, andGolden, Spanish Imperial, Bonelli's,Booted and Short-toed Eagle all breed.Amongst other specialities are Black Storkand Eagle Owl, whilst the smaller andmore abundant occupants of the hillsinclude Alpine Swift, Thekla Lark, CragMartin, Red-rumped Swallow, BlackWheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, SubalpineWarbler and Chough.To the north-east of Extremadura andMonfragüe lies the Sierra de Gredos. Thisis a rugged and imposing range of granitemountains that rises to 2,600 metres and isa stronghold of the magnificent SpanishIbex, a species that we will make a specialeffort to see during our stay. We will spendthe second part of our holiday here, basedin a very comfortable, boutique-style hotelthat boasts a fine view towards themountains and serves some of the finestfood in the province. This will ensure thatwe are in good shape for our walks in thesurrounding hills, forests and mountains! In the valley below our hotel we will searchthe pine forests for Honey Buzzard,Goshawk, Western Bonelli's Warbler,Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher, Crested Tit, andperhaps even Citril Finch and Crossbill.Higher up, above the tree-line, we willsearch for breeding Crag Martins, Dippers,Bluethroats, Rock and Ortolan Buntings,whilst higher still we will look for WaterPipits, Alpine Accentors, Black Redstartsand Rock Thrushes. Birds of prey are notnumerous here, but amongst the speciesthat do pass overhead from time to timeare both Black and Griffon Vultures,Golden Eagle and Booted Eagle. Thedominant plant of the mountains is theyellow-flowered broom, but along therivers, streams, roads and tracks of theGredos - and in the ancient stone-walledhay meadows and grazing pastures - wewill find a colourful flora that includes manyorchid species. Indeed, by spending mostof our time on this part of the holidayexploring on foot, by means of mountainwalks, we can hope to see a wide range ofwildlife including an excellent flora andattendant butterfly and insect-life.Outline itineraryDay 1Fly Madrid and transferto Trujillo.Day 2/4Monfragüe/Trujillo.Day 5/7Gredos Mountains.Day 8Fly Madrid to London.Accommodation A lovingly converted stately homedeep in the heart of Extremaduraand a superb family-run hotel in theGredos with an award-winningrestaurant. Exceptionalaccommodation and cuisine, plusen suite facilities, at both locations. Food and wineAll included in the price.GradingGrade A/B. Easy/moderate daywalks, though there will be sometougher options in the Gredos forthose requiring them! Focus Primarily birds, but also plants,butterflies and mammals.LeadersLee Morgan (ornithologist) and Andrew Cleave (botanist).Single room supplement£195.ExtensionsExtra nights in Madrid available onrequest.Web quick search: ESP06FRANCEPORTUGALTRUJILLOGREDOS MOUNTAINSSEVILLEGUADALQUIVIRRIVERMADRIDATLANTICOCEANMEDITERRANEAN SEASPAIN126Call now or visit www.naturetrek.co.uk for your free Trip ItinerarySpain - Extremadura &Gredos MountainsAn 8-day holiday in search of the birds, and other natural history, in the steppes and plains ofExtremadura and the mountain habitats in the Sierra de Gredos.Tuesday 1st May - Tuesday 8th May Cost: £1,395 ExtremaduraSpanish IbexPin-tailed Sandgrouse

Book direct on 01962 733051or see page 280 for Booking Information127Catalonia is an immensely proud andsemi-autonomous region of Spainwhich boasts its own culture andlanguage, age-old customs and festivals,a highly diverse landscape, andinternationally renowned culinarytraditions. Situated in the north-east of theIberian Peninsula, it has over six millioninhabitants and covers an area the size ofBelgium or Switzerland. The CatalonianPyrenees, part of that spectacularmountain barrier between France andSpain, dominate the entire north of theregion, stretching for more than 200kilometres from Val d'Aran, in the west, tothe headland of Cape Creus, in the east,where the last rocky spurs of thePyrenees, stripped bare by the wind andwaves, plunge into the Mediterranean. It isa dramatic land of snow-capped peaks,glacial lakes, wooded gorges andastonishing rock formations, and its floraand fauna is similarly rich. This 2-centre holiday, inspired by theeternal popularity of our long-runningSpanish and French Pyrenees tours,together with the enthusiasm andencouragement of the Catalans for us toshare some of their rich natural heritage, isbased for the first three nights in charmingaccommodation at the monastery of SantaMaria de Bellpuig, near les Avellanes.Nearby, tiny picturesque villages dot thelandscape, beloved of such species asBlue Rock Thrush, Black Redstart, CirlBunting and Bonelli's Warbler, whilstsurrounding areas hold Wryneck, GoldenOriole, Melodious, Dartford and OrpheanWarblers and Ortolan Bunting. This is alsoa good base from which to search formore typical 'southern' and steppe birdssuch as Little Bustard, Crested and TheklaLark, Black Wheatear and Lesser Kestrel.A distinct flora will be evident here and wewill no doubt appreciate the colourfulabundance of such wayside flowers asmulleins, thistles, mallows, asphodels andJudas Trees.We next head north-east, leaving thetranquil surroundings of the monastery totransfer to our next base, a splendidmountain hotel high up in the Pyrenees.Our journey will take us through a varietyof habitats. The flora of the area is awonderful mix of Mediterranean, northernEuropean and Alpine. In the villages, SoftSnapdragon (Antirrhinum molle) grows onthe walls. Along the tracks grow Rosemary,Thyme, Lavender, Rock Soapwort(Saponaria ocymoides), Blue Apyllanthes(Aphyllanthes monspeliensis), Centaureaconifera, Clary (Salvia sclarea) and manyvetches, including the pungent Pitch Trefoil(Psoralea bituminosa). In delightfulmeadows many orchids are found,including Lesser and Greater Butterfly,Woodcock, Fly and Fragrant Orchid, aswell as both Sword-leaved and RedHelleborine. Birds of prey will be verymuch in evidence, and may includeGolden Eagle, together with WoodchatShrike, Hoopoe, Red Kite and Short-toed Eagle.Perhaps the highlight of our holiday will bea visit to the spectacular Parc Nationald'Aiguestortes, in the high Pyrenees. LandRover taxis take us up as far as the snow-line and within tantalising distance of themajestic summits. Here we are transportedinto a different world, botanically speaking,with true alpine flowers such as AlpinePasque Flower (Pulsatilla alpinassp.sulphurea), gentians, Snowbells and bothBirdseye and Entire-leaved Primroses(Primula farinosaand P. integrifolia)amongst a wealth of other interestingplants. Birds at this altitude may includeCitril Finch, Crested Tit, Crossbill, AlpineAccentor, Crag Martin, Alpine Swift andpossibly Black Woodpecker. We will also spend time around the little-visited eastern edge of the national park,enjoying a backdrop of tiny villages,flower-filled meadows and pinewoods.Later we will drive up to a mountain refugewhere a short uphill walk will take us to aspot with splendid mountain scenery.Along the way Black Woodpecker, Crested Tit, Ring Ouzel and Capercailliemay all be seen. On our final day we will set out to followone of the best rivers for Otters inCatalonia. Walking past meadows ofdaffodils, little-known mountain villagesand a landscape awash with hedgerowsand copses, we should see such birds asRed-backed Shrike, Golden Oriole, CirlBunting and Yellowhammer in abundance.After lunch we will retrace our steps alongthis very special valley and then head to amountain pass at over 2,000 metres wherethere will be another chance to see suchelusive alpine species as Rock Thrush,Alpine Chough, Water Pipit and evenAlpine Accentor. This region of Spain has something ofinterest for everyone. The flowers, birdsand butterflies are outstanding; not tomention the scenery, food and hospitality!Catalonia - The Eastern PyreneesAn 8-day holiday of birdwatching and botanical walks in the Catalonian Pyrenees.Saturday 5th May - Saturday 12th May Cost: £1,195TOULOUSE LES AVELLANESESPOTBARCELONA CATALONIA LLEIDA REUS TARRAGONA ANDORRA BILBAO MADRID PARC NATIONALD'AIGUESTORTESFRANCE SPAIN Outline itineraryDay 1Fly Barcelona; transferles Avellanes.Day 2/3Daily programme ofbirdwatching andbotanical walks in theCatalan Pyrenees.Day 4/7Espot.Day 8Fly UK.Accommodation Charming, family-run hotels servingexcellent local food, both withprivate facilities.Food All included in the price.GradingGrade A/B. Easy day walks only.Focus Birds, plants and other wildlife.LeadersSteve West (ornithologist) andAndrew Cleave or Dawn Nelson(botanist).Single room supplement£150.ExtensionsBarcelona city breaks, and otheroptions, available on request.Web quick search: ESP01Woodcock OrchidLesser KestrelMontrebie Gorge