THE VILLAFÁFILA LAKES AND COUNTRYSIDE

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Jeffry Walters
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1 THE VILLAFÁFILA LAKES AND COUNTRYSI INTRODUCTION Broad horizons and cereal crops as far as the eye can see, interrupted only by beautiful, traditional dovecots, the odd copse of poplars or Stone pines and the straight line formed by one of the scarce roads, and birds lots of birds. That is the almost surrealist image that can be perceived from any point of the historical region called Tierra de Campos. The Villafáfila lake complex, composed of three large lakes and numerous smaller lakes and ponds, is found in a hollow in the middle of this vast, open cereal-growing peneplain. Las Lagunas de Villafáfila nature area is officially protected as a Nature Reserve, a Regional Game Reserve, a Special Area of Protection for Birds (ZEPA) and is listed in the Natura 2000 Network and in the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar). The nature reserve covers an area of over 30,000 hectares and comprises 11 municipalities. Villafáfila is well known among wild birdwatchers on account of its extraordinary importance for the breeding of steppe birds, especially the great bustard, and as wintering grounds for waterbirds, especially the greylag goose. Accordingly, our birding route will focus on the extensive cereal crop fields as well as the lakes and on their corresponding avian communities. Great bustard 22

2 A BIRDWATCHER'S GUI CASTILE AND LEÓN LOCATION Lagunas de Villafáfila Nature Reserve is located in the historical region of Tierra de Campos in the province of Zamora, in the central-western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. LAYOUT Circular, starting and ending in the village of Villafáfila. LENGTH 27 km on tracks and roads. DURATION 1 full day, although we recommend spending more days here to explore the area. TYPE OF VEHICLE By car, plus short walks. The car will often serve as your best hide. RECOMMEND TIME OF YEAR FOR THE VISIT All year round, summer being the least recommendable time of year due to high temperatures and the fact that the majority of the lakes and ponds dry up. The visitor centre usually closes for a month from 10 th August. The greatest concentrations of greylag geese occur during the winter, while the courtship of the great bustard takes place in March and April. Spring and autumn (from the end of August) are highly recommendable for seeing birds in their pre- and post-mating migratory passage, respectively. ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS Some trails and paths may be temporarily impassable during the rainy season. Lapwing chicks. Author: Álvaro Gallego 23

3 THE VILLAFÁFILA LAKES AND COUNTRYSI ROUTE SCRIPTION Head out of the village of Villafáfila (1) on the ZA715 towards Tapioles and Villalpando. 1.5 km further on, on the left (2), you will come to a tarmacked lane that goes to the municipal waste transfer depot. You will now begin to see great bustards. Once past the transfer depot, turn right (3). This tarmacked lane passes through a copse of stone pines which can be of interest on account of passerines. Once back on the road (4), head for Villalpando (left). After 2 km you will see the Laguna de Barillos to your right, where there is a birdwatching hide (5). Half a kilometre on from there, take the right hand turn (6) onto a lane that leads to another hide at the Laguna de la Fuente de Revellinos de Campo (7). This hide, a metallic structure built above a hut, is worth a visit at any time of the year, even in the summer, as the adjacent pond never dries up. Next, head back the way you came to then take a lane off to the left at point (4). Follow this lane for 3 km, crossing the track leading to the village of Villafáfila, until you come to a crossroads (8) where you turn right towards the Laguna de Salina Grande. Just before you get to the abandoned village of Otero de Sariegos, stop by the hide (9), which offers good views over the lake. The surrounding bushes may provide shelter to numerous small birds. In Otero de Sariegos (10), you can see the lesser kestrels that breed in the adapted dovecots and in the ruins of the church. Keep straight on along the lane that leads to the Laguna de Las Salinas, usually a good option for sighting birds of the steppe. 1.1 km from Otero, take the lane to the right (11) for a further 2.7 km until you come to the next crossroads (12), where you once more turn right. It is now only a short distance (0.8 km) to the ZA702 road (13) between Castronuevo de los Arcos and Villarín de Campos. You head right here towards the latter village. Villarrín de Campos 24

4 A BIRDWATCHER'S GUI CASTILE AND LEÓN After just over 1 km and after having passed through the village, you will come to a crossroads (14), where you turn right towards Villafáfila. But before getting there, you can make another stop-off to see the waterbirds from the Laguna de Villardón hide (15), which is on your left just as you leave Villarín. Then continue on to Villafáfila, where the route ends. We recommend paying a visit to the visitor centre, the Casa de la Reserva (in Spanish only), where there are 6 more hides with views of smaller lakes and ponds with water all year round. The centre is just over 1.5 km from Villafáfila on the road to Tapioles-Villalpando. ROUTE MAP VILLAFÁFILA (3) ZA-704 (4) (2) (1) ZA-715 CENTRO IGLESIA SANTA MARÍA INTERPRETACIÓN L MOLAR (5) (6) BARRILLOS (7) LA FUENTE REVELLINOS CAMPO ZA-704 SALINA GRAN (8) (10) (9) OTERO SARIEGOS (11) ZA-702 (14) (15) (13) VILLARRÍN CAMPOS (12) (N) 25

5 THE VILLAFÁFILA LAKES AND COUNTRYSI UTM COORDINATES Download the route TRACK Point UTM Coordinates 30T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T Black-winged stilt. Author: J. Gallego MOST EMBLEMATIC SPECIES RESINT Gadwall, Mallard, Marsh harrier, Hen harrier, Peregrine, Water rail, Great bustard, Little bustard, Stone curlew, Black-bellied sandgrouse, Common sandpiper, Shorteared owl, Calandra lark, Fan-tailed warbler, Sardinian warbler, Penduline tit, Spotless starling, Southern grey shrike, Raven, Rook. SUMMER Little bittern, White stork, Black kite, Montagu's harrier, Booted eagle, Lesser kestrel, Hobby, Common quail, Black-winged stilt, Avocet, Gull-billed tern, Great spotted cuckoo, European bee-eater, Common roller, Hoopoe, Short-toed lark, Red-rumped swallow, Black-eared wheatear, Woodchat shrike. WINTER Greylag goose, White-fronted goose, Barnacle goose, Wigeon, Merlin, Lapwing, Golden plover, Meadow pipit, Black redstart. IN TRANSIT Shoveler, Common crane, Little stint, Dunlin, Blue-headed wagtail, Bluethroat, Whinchat, Pied flycatcher. Description of habitats along this route 26

OROKLINI MARSH. Introduction

OROKLINI MARSH. Introduction OROKLINI MARSH Introduction I have been a keen Bird-watcher for many years and my interest has gradually changed to carrying out in depth study of specific sites rather than random outings to various areas.