This week we revisited the Bosque del Peloño in Ponga for what could be the last time before the leaves completely fall. An Oak leaf, halfway to autumn A view of los Picos de Europa, further along the path from Les Bedules Ruins of a cabaña at Collada Granceno Belinda searching (in vain) for the black woodpecker, along the path from Les Bedules. Share...
Autumn in Asturias, Wow! The ending of the summer isn’t too glum for us. We can still find some warm weather in October. And then towards November the onset of autumn bringing cooler times but also some magic, especially if you like making pictures. We left the car at Les Bedules, 10 minutes from San Juan de Beleño in Ponga. It’s a starting point for many walks including a favourite, to the Pico Zorro. However, to see the autumn colours, long routes and climbing peaks isn’t a strict requirement. We wandered along the forest track to Collada Granceno and then a little further to Roblón de Bustiello (a big old...
Animals frequently use the same paths and tracks to move around their environment. It could be a route towards a water source or a preferred track for entering a den, sett or resting place. We’ve been fortunate to have access to an area with a well established path. Although situated close to a village, it’s positioned near a mountain and woodland area. Badgers have been seen all through the summer, feeding on the fruit from figs trees. It’s an ideal location to prepare a longer term project. So, the goal was to record the species that regularly share the same pathway and try to obtain some interesting video clips. The junction...
We’ve finally been able to resume otter watching along the Río Sella and Río Piloña. Autumn is now here and that means less canoeists, fisherman and higher water levels. I’m sure the otters revert to night-time hunting during the summer months. We’ve been exploring a few promising new locations over the past few weeks. Still no luck but we discovered a few otter tracks. Optimistic! Although we enjoy wating by the riverside, distractions are always welcome, so I’ve been experimenting with different styles of photography. Between Fuentes and Triongo Between Fuentes and Triongo Reflections in the Río Sella, Asturias Dipper on the Río Piloña Share...
September in Asturias is our favorite month. The tourists are few and far between. The temperature is pleasant but you won’t overheat in the high mountains. Fernando and Belinda It also see’s the beginning of the deer rutting season. When a friend invited us so stay at his cabaña for the weekend, we were excited to say the least. The cabaña is located near the abandoned village of Valle Moru in Ponga, a perfect location for us to witness the deer rut (‘berrea’ in spanish). Surrounded by dense beech and oak forest, the rut can be heard several kilometres away, particularly at dawn and dusk. A very early start...
We ventured a little outside the limits of Asturias for a week camping. Cantabria shares the Picos de Europa National Park with Asturias (and León) as well as the same stretch of coastline, and we know both quite well. I’ve often wondered what lesser known area of Parque Natural del Saja-Besaya has to offer. Its only a 90 minute drive for us but a little too far for a long day-trip. We started on the coast near San Vicente de la Barquera at the Parque Natural de Oyambre (an estuary with fantastic beaches) and then headed inland through the Saja Valley towards Reinosa. It contains fantastic beech and oak forests,...
Una nutria en el Río Piloña Un suave chapoteo y una cola asomando en el agua del río. ¡Una nutria! Después de meses de búsqueda ésta era nuestra primera nutria asturiana y desde que la vimos por primera vez hace ya 3 años, se ha convertido en una obsesión. Dos ríos se encuentran en la pequeña villa de Arriondas. Por un lado el Río Sella el más veloz y caudaloso nace en los Picos de Europa y se une con las tranquilas aguas del Río Piloña. Ambos ríos forman un perfecto hábitat para las nutrias, brindándoles una estupenda dieta con sus truchas y sus anguilas. Un macho puede viajar...
Otter along el Río Piloña A faint splash and a tail flicking from the water. An otter! After months of looking, this was our first Asturian otter and since that sighting 3 years ago it has become somewhat of an obsession. Two rivers meet in the Asturian town of Arriondas. The fast flowing Río Sella born in the Picos de Europa mountains joins with the slightly calmer Río Piloña. Both are prime otter territories with trout and eels providing their staple diet. A solitary male otter can travel far, sometimes covering 20 kilometres, whilst the females (and young) tend to remain in one section of the river. Otters are...
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