The Guadalora Stream

March in Cordoba this year brought unseasonably warm weather. It was a great time to get out into the countryside before it got unbearably hot and I was rewarded with fantastic meadows filled with wild flowers and the first of the migrants arriving from Africa. I headed to the Parque Natural Sierra de Hornachuelos to do a signposted walk that passes along the Guadalora stream, the source of which is near San Calixto. This path requires permission from the visitor centre and is closed from June to September. At the end of this route I joined the Sendero del Aguila which took me back to my starting point.

From the visitor centre I started along the Rabilarga path. The riparian woodland here is a good place to look out for Lesser and Great Spotted Woodpeckers and other typical woodland species such as Great Tits and Blue Tits.

Great Spotted Woodpecker 

Once I joined the Guadalora path I passed through beautiful Cork-Oak forest home to Nuthatches, Crested Tits and Chaffinches. 

Nuthatch

This soon gave way to open countryside with Crested Larks and Corn Buntings giving their jangle call from their perches. After a while the path went back into Holm Oak and Cork Oak woodland for a short section before coming out into farmland. Here I walked along the side of olive groves and meadows filled with bright red poppies, yellow Camomiles and butterflies such as Painted Lady and Swallowtail. Next I arrived at a spring called Fuente del Conejo. Hoopoes took flight, their wave-like wingbeats showing their broad back and white wings. This was a good spot to find newly arrived Subalpine Warblers bathing in the pond. 

Subalpine Warbler drying off after bathing

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Swallowtail

Further on the track I passed through a gate and a tunnel of overarching vegetation. Along the side of the path wild lavender was in abundance and I found various species of orchid, such the brilliantly named Naked Man Orchid.

Naked Man Orchid

Eventually I came to a look out point which offered great views of the surrounding area before the path descended through mixed Mediterranean scrub towards the stream. The silence of the Sierra was only broken by the harsh rattling call of Sardinian Warblers. 

Views of the Sierra de Hornachuelos

When I reached the stream itself I crossed it at the ford and then followed the track alongside the gently flowing water. This part of the walk was shaded offering protection from the spring sun. Robins and Blackcaps could be seen feeding in the shrubs and the European Nettle Trees. 

Robin

Hawfinches and Cirl Buntings were seen here too and it is a good area for Golden Orioles later in the year. 

Hawfinch

After a while the track crossed the stream again and I looked for dragonflies, Iberian Water Frogs and Viperine Snakes in the pools of water. 

Iberian Water Frog

Before the end of the path I came to an old quarry and looking upwards saw soaring Griffon Vultures. The end of the Guadolara track is at the Puente de La Esira and here I crossed the road and joined the Sendero del Aguila which rises up through Cork Oak woods, where I saw groups of Azure-winged Magpies. After a steep ascent I stopped at a look out point for lunch and watched Red-rumped Swallows feeding above the trees. After some time the path skirted around the edge of the village of Hornachuelos, where I saw Green Woodpeckers and Crested Larks, and then headed back into Mediterranean shrub which led me back to the visitor centre. In total it was about 22 kilometres through some of the most beautiful and unspoilt parts of the Sierra Morena. 

Guadalora Stream