Pyrenees in winter
Our main targets during the day are some high mountain living birds that live in unaccessible areas during most of the year. But along winter, the hard weather conditions in the top of the mountains force these species to go at lower altitudes, where they are easier to enjoy, even if they are always hard species.
In this itinerary we shall find Bearded Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagle and Alpine Chough while searching for some of the passerines living up there, often really hard birds to spot in the mountains: the highly nomadic White-winged Snow Finch, the rather chunky Alpine Accentor, Citril Finch and the butterfly-like Wallcreeper. During the day we will have time to enjoy other specialities including Dipper, Black Woodpecker, Rock Bunting and Short-toed Treecreeper while mixed flocks of Ring Ouzels & Fieldfares are always an interesting possibility.
Winter Seasonal Highlights in Pyrenees in Winter
Autumn: Big flocks of raptors and passerines are passing through on their way to Southern winter grounds. Ring Ouzel and Redwings are among the most common. Flocks of Citril Finches congregate before moving down to the valleys.
Winter: Small Snow Finch flocks and large (up to 150) Alpine Chough flocks. Large flocks of tits and other forest birds moving in the canopies.
Winter: The four “major” high mountain passerines winter here: Snow Fnch, Wallcreeper and Alpine Accentor
Cinereous Vulture, Lammergeier, Golden Eagle, Black Woodpecker, Alpine Accentor, Wallcreeper, Common Crossbill, Ring Ouzel, Red-billed Chough, Alpine Chough, Snow Finch, Citril Finch, Rock Bunting, Cirl Bunting, Crested Tit, Firecrest… The availability of the different species vary along the winter.
