Landagoien waterfall

At the entrance to Irati by Orbaizeta, just before going under the water piped  from the Marsh of Irabia to Betolegi hydropower plant, we have a nice jump of about 10 meters which Legartza race, the same as moving the machinery of Orbaizeta old arms factory, made ​​before lead into the river Irati.

It is quite unknown to the general public, it does not appear in any magazines or signposted path leading to it, though access is too easy.

 Landagoien waterfall(6th of november  2011)

  Today, due to heavy rains, offers a stunning picture, but has not been possible to take a picture from the bridge down, the best place for it, due to the large amount of water that splashed all inside.For this reason, I put a picture above, with less water.

Irati news(2011)

Here is a cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) in migration to Africa fell yesterday as they won over the habit of doing.


(16/10/2011)

Yesterday we were lucky to see a bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), about 2 years old fliying around the entry to the forest of Irati to the Valley of Aezkoa(Navarre), from the information point of Arrazola.

Today the show we had been with the thousands of cranes (Grus grus)that  have flown the same place from 13: 10 to the rest of the Day. In 3 hours we counted about 1950 cranes.

Tourists who were comming  there have had the opportunity to use astronomic binoculars to see them that we have for tourist and us, as well as several hands binoculars.

Arrazola (Irati-Aezkoa) October 20, 2011.

Here we have an abundant mushroom roadside, edible but almost nobody takes it, and we're going to do a little experiment.

This picture I took yesterday at 14:00 p.m. .How much will grow in 24 hours? And 48 hours?

Today at the same time I will take a picture and measure, and will continue so until the mushroom dies or somebody pick it up.

(22/10/2011)
Two days later, our mushroom was complety destroyed, probalbly for a cow or a mare,quite common around this area.End of the experiment!
We will try in a next one.

(12/11/2011)

50 Starlings in the entry to irati forest by Orbaizeta.

Today, at 15:00 p.m. we have seen around 50 Starlings ,perched among the cows, in the distric of Larraun (Orbaizeta).
Stirlings usually lives from the north of the pyrenees, and come to Iberian peninsula in winter during the migration.The next photo is of some of today´s birds.

Starling(Sturnus vulgaris).

common cranes (grus grus)killed by golden eagles(Aquila chrysaetos)(15/11/2011)

On Sunday October 13, a  environment warden, told us  that in the way of the holes of Anbulolatz (SL50-C),in about 10 minutes of information point of Arrazola, were the remains of a common crane (Grus grus),  which there were only some feathers and possibly had been struck down by a pair of Golden eagles that they live in Irati.

Based feathers were bitten, which are not made for birds of prey;they pluck the feathers of their victims,no bite them, indicating that once the crane landed, she was attacked by a carnivore, which  took her to eat later elsewhere. As is a large bird, I thing that could be attack for a  fox or badger, both very common.

 

In this photo, in February of this year 2011, we can see a dead crane in Azpegi (Irati) whose attack was observed, and we know they were golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) who attacked her.
The photo is  of Alfonso Senosiain.

something about crabs..

The Navarre native crayfish almost completely disappearances many years ago illegally introduced American species, perhaps thinking that introduced that would increase the chances of capture.

   As is almost always that man introduces a new species in an ecosystem, this was a terrible mistake, it was afanomicosis carrier, a fungus that are immune to two types of American crayfish (crayfish and signal crayfish), but deadly to the native.

Survives today only in racing headers to which Americans have not arrived.

While the American is, the native can not return to their old places, because the disease survives in American guests.

In this photo taken from the reservoir lake of Irabia, we can see the signal crayfish, present in almost all rivers in Navarre, and identifiable by the white markings of the tweezers.
The crabs play an important role in cleaning rivers, work now performed by American crabs to have kill  the locals.
it is important that Irati racing crabs remain free, because otherwise they could end up eating the eggs and kill anfibiosn protected species such as the Pyrenean frog or russet frog.

Reptiles in the forest of Irati

Arrazola (Irati from Aezkoa) October 6, 2011

Even when the heating season is running, you can still see some reptile heat up the road, when the black asphalt, on sunny days gets very hot, and as the reptiles are warm-blooded no need to get that heat outside.

The picture shows an asp (Vipera aspis) hit the road to Irati, who brought a friend so we could see it.

Tourists who spent yesterday were surprised to have the opportunity of seeing a snake so closely.

The rutting in Irati forest.

Four days ago (15-9-2011) has begun, especially audible at dusk, the rut. Consists of the sound (bellowing) emitted during the deer mating season. Henceforth, the males will fight among themselves to mate with the does that make his harem.

It is a good time to approach the forest and hear and even see them, because in this time are not so careful and they can be caught easily.
(26 / 9 / 2011)

The good weather is not favorable for the rut, and these days you are not hearing so much as in other years. However, today, to 9 in the morning have been heard several males from the point of information Arrazola .

(1/10/2011)

Surely now is a good time for berrea.During the last  days has been heard anywhere in Irati and at almost any time, although the first and last hours of the day are a priori the best.

What color is Irati this week?

Many people come to Irati in the fall, because different plant species give to the forest diferents colors and shades of all kinds.
Since the fall of the leaf varies every year depending on weather conditions, it is impossible to establish a suitable date as to see the forest autumn in all its glory.

Arrazola(Irati)  september 5  2011

So from now until the fall of the leaf, every week we will publish a photograph of the same portion of the forest so that you can you do to the idea of the evolution of forest

                                                                                             . 

   Arrazola (Irati)   september  14 , 2011          

Although in this photo it doesn´t seen very good, in some places leaves from the tips  have begun to yellow.

 Arrazola, (Irati),  september 26, 2011



 Arrazola, (Irati), october 6- 2011



Because of the continuous drop in temperatures, and of course, at the same cycle of plants, many parts of the forest are acquiring these colors and nuances that we love.

  This is not the same in the whole forest, not the same as some species than others, and even the same species in a high or at the bottom of a valley.
The picture below is taken at Mount  which are opposed to this photo (Mount Azalegi), and we can note how the fall is more advanced to be more exposed to the cold north wind.

During these days the forest is already taking Irati color, despite the absence of cold, rain and wind makes the colors characteristic of these dates are delayed.In this picture we see how the ferns are turning yellow and even taking that tone of old gold and a little hazel color between yellow and green.

The right one is a hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) with yellowed leaves and small red fruits loaded.

If we go up in altitude the forest is much more advanced, and if we look the pre-Irati area of oak, we will see a wide range of colors.


Arrazola, 29 octobrer 2011.

There is not very much changes in our path, comparing with th last photo ,except the colours of the ferns.
But  we can see the change in color of the forest in this general photograph . As it is  oriented to the north ,the cold has affected more to the leaves of our path, in  facing south

Arrazola, November 20, 2011



Although the fall of the leaf came after November 1, due to heavy rain and wind of these days, I thought it could be well to show you the last step; when there are no almost leaves.

Henceforth, I will try to put a photo of the first snowfall, and later, when they occur changes in the spring (blooms, new leaves)  try to show you.

Arrazola, 18  december  2011

Today, I come back to Arrazola to take a picture from the first  snowfall after the summer.All the ferns, bushes,and the rest of the low plants are under the snow. Its haven´t snow too much, around 15 centimeters.Now is posible to see very much into the beech forest than  any time of year.

Arrazola, 18/12/2011

This picture, however, is also Arrazola, but here we can see our information point and the mount Azalegi, now rather inhospitable.

During the next months, I will continue with the panoramics wiews, but will be in another section, to make a difference between the 2011 and the 2012.

Happy new year!