Irati  (Aezkoa valley)Navarre

¿Is not looking like Fangorn? (The lord of the rings)

It's time to water, floods and snow, and although it seems there are not many things in the forest that can surprise us, just with a little look will see that it is not true.

 Erlan stream (Irati)

 Today has again started to snow, but the truth is that until now there has been few snow and water that have fallen considering that January is usually a cold month and abundant rainfall.
In the  Erlan stream(Irati-Aezkoa) I found this specimen of Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara), already in bloom, amidst the riverbed, so that we can already suppose that after the rain and snow of the last days it will be under water .Be the first sometimes has its drawbacks!

This plant is often used for colds, bronchitis, asthma and other lung illness, and for that reason it was introduced in the Americas.
But surely the queen of Irati at this time is the Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) who is now in flowering, when winter is getting worse.
As I talked about it in previous entries, I do not want to  bored you repeating the same data.

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)

Elsewhere in Navarra, more southerly, some Mediterranean plants also begin to bloom or they will in the next weeks.
Which I present you here, is a rare plant in Navarra, and is not common in the Mediterranean area too.
His name is Sternbergia colchiciflora and their presence in a little mountain of Navarre has been discovered recently.

Sternbergia colchiciflora, 13-1- 2014

Although the cold January is no friend of mushrooms, there are always exceptions, and have the opportunity to see saprophytic fungi (that is, that feed on dead wood,), colorful,
as these:

 Red peziza(Sarcoscypha coccinea) on mosses and lichens.

Turkey tail (Coryolus versicolor)

Looking for the European otter

What does a nature guide when not working?

 Learning and improving skills (among other things ..)

some weeks ago I went to an outlet to identify fingerprints and traces of mammals within the project territory mink for European mink conservation .The guide was Benjamin Sanz  expert in mammals, and had been very enjoyable and interesting.

Otter (Lutra lutra) deep and marked with little nails.

We went by the shore of a river  of Navarra and  we found traces of European mink, hedgehog, otter, genet(Genetta genetta), marten, fox, wild boar, domestic cat, rat and vole, heron, badger,... and some more I do not remember.
Also saw (and we smelled) otter and fox droppings and traces of activity of the European beaver
The European beaver (Castor fiver) disappeared from Navarra in the seventeenth century, but a group of Belgian environmentalists illegally reintroduced by 2003 in Navarra, Aragón at the mouth of the Ebro.It seem that they like the land of their ancestors and flourishes extending along the Ebro and its tributaries, although people hunting  their  in many areas because has not been introduce by the administration with a plan for the wild species. The strange (and dramatic) is that while it is a protected species in Europe, here is hunting.
We saw their tracks, but yes their works on the bark to feed or directly on the trunks of trees.

Damage caused by Goat willow (Salix caprea) to more than 1 meter from the normal course.

This is a recent damage in the last flood when the river rose, and the beaver was high above.

Comparing  the coin, with the Beaver upper incisors

Trunk  barking trail for food

Unlike their American relatives (curiously we will have seen on tv many documentaries of the American beaver but certainly not the European ..) makes large dams in rivers, but makes its burrows in accumulations of branches and / or bushes along the banks.

Observe the size of the teeth, cleaning and cutting: wood is not torn except in the far right, to fall. The bites are clean as freshly made ​​with sharp gouges.

Felling trees or stripped of its bark is not more than ten meters from the bed of the river, so that damage to poplar refers I think that these poplars are planted in an area that should be of  nature vegetation and not manipulated by a human being:

http://www.secem.es/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Galemys-16-2-3-1-Ce%C3%B1a-91-98.pdf

There is also talk about possible harm to other wildlife such as the European mink and otter, by shooting down of the vegetation. I sincerely believe that if these species coexisted in balance until humans decided to exterminate the beaver, and leave almost extinct to others, is necesary a lot of hypocrisy to place blame now the beaver of a possible decline of other species, keeping in mind the fact that it is a protected species other European countries.
I'm not in favor at all of reintroductions without control, but I think if it is already done, and the species grows, you have to find a way to come back to find the niche that, in addition to the debt concerns that as humanity we for this specie.


I will recommend this blog about the European beaver(spanish)
http://biologoybecario.blogspot.com.es/2012/12/castores-del-ebro.html

Here we have a truly invasive species that should never get here, and we found in the river.
This is the Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) that first appeared in Navarra in 2004.

Almeja asiática(Corbícula flumínea)

This would be an edible species (not encourage anyone to eat) and looks like it was introduced in the U.S. by the Chinese for this purpose, but outside their place of origin, can affect in an unpredictable way ecosystems, to be able to move to other species, changing your diet, etc. ..

As for the tracks themselves, here is the European mink (not very good)

European mink (Mustela lutreola)

 Genet:

Genet (Genetta Genetta) small footprints, pad and fingers together without nails.

The Marten

Marten (Martes foina) Larger than the genet, with fingers separated from the pads.

The field rat:

Field rat (R. rattus) is similar to the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) but rat nails are thin and short, stuck to the fingers, while the hedgehog are long and thick.

The field mouse:

Field Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus). Quite tiny compared to the rat.

Galápago Europeo: http://www.galapagosdenavarra.com/index.html

Galápago Europeo(Emys orbicularis)

We also found a hole, like this badger sett, or these old woodpecker nests (Dendrocopos major)

Badger sett. Sometimes form colonies of several individuals.

Nests of woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major) in a poplar, not far from the ground.

And this is the web of Benjamín Sanz. http://www.muskarirastros.com/

finally..the autum ( 12 november 2013)

Beeches,Larches and red firs

Finally, the fall has been postponed more than in previous years, and still will remain about two weeks before most of the trees lose their leaves, but with the forecastof of low temperatures, leaf drop can accelerate.

Little stream, now with water

As for several days is raining, all aquifers are overflowing, and water  springs up everywhere.

 Suspension Bridge over the River Irati In Aribe(Aezkoa Valley)

We can appreciate the flow that carries the Irati river waters on their way down the ancient spa, where can see a dam that was built for the barranqueo, or transporting timber across the river, a practice which the Indians, (people from the valley who emigrated to America and back) brought to displace the rafts, that it was the most ancient of wood out of the forest.

 Irati  river after Aribe village(Aezkoa valley)

Small moth that will no longer fly.

Moss with sporophytes, where will leave the spores.

Much moisture comes in handy to mosses, lichens and fungi, although fungies are a little bit it soggy and rotten,as also the worms that eat them thrive in these conditions.

Pubescent oak (Quercus humilis) of several hundred years in the old path to the Spa

Irati River bank near one of Hemingway's fishing sites

Lower Maple (Acer campestre)

araneus sp.

If you love photography of autumn, these are good days for this, and although light rain that is falling these days difficult the work, it also gives a special touch that a sunny day can not give.

The fall in Irati forest

Arrazola (Irati) Valle de Aezkoa 11-10-2013

It seemed a month ago that the fall would be advanced, as in many places due to the lack of water the leaves of many trees were changing color.
Now, however, the forest is so green that it seems that we fall, if not for the high areas catching color before the low, and the abundance of fruits, both hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and the of themselves have, among others.
Possibly, but will have to go see him week after week, the increased intensity and amount will be achieved towards the last week of October / first of November. 

Beechnuts (edibles)

This year is a for the beeches a "vecero" year, that is, one year bear much fruit, others much less. The" vecería" is more pronounced  as  the species more wild  are.
Here we are the fruit of the seed open and ready to fall. Squirrels, dormices, wild boards and many kinds of birds will eat  them. Common finches are of those birds that we see frequently eating beechnuts on the road where they have fallen seeds, which were then crushed by cars, providing work.
They are edible for humans, once easily peel and remove the hairs that can give us a little itchy in the throat.
In the pastthey was used for human  meal making flour with them, and later for the pigs.

Common finch( Fringilla coelebs)

Arrazola(Aezkoa valley,Navarre) october 20, 2013

There has been some change in recent days and the forest is picking color, although there is still at least a week to take all those shades of color that characterize the beech forest.

Arrazola Information Point ( Aezkoa Valley )

The temperature has undergone rapid changes , and we've had days of small icy morning. However, what is prevailing  is the warm south wind , and so today at 9 in the morning we were at 15 degrees celsius .
In principle , the prognosis for the fall holds for the last week of October, first of November.
T

Hypholomas in the water reservoir area of  Irabia. They are toxic

We have hit boletus, but yes a big variety of species, so a visit to the forest at this time we can offer good opportunities for photography.

The birth of an amanita.

Cortinarius sp.

Pale tussock(Calliteara pudibunda)

This beautiful caterpillar, abundant at this time in the beech forests around the north of Navarre, will become a beautiful moth or heterocero, (Limantriidae family) will fly for the months of April to June. Its caterpillar feeds on the leaves of the beeches, oaks, willows and hawthorns, among others.Despite its fierce appearance, is harmless.

5 november 2103

Arrazola car parks (2). At this time, the 3 car parks of Irabia reservoir water were full 

Already passed the long weekend of all saints (Halloween) where more than 2300 people passed through the entrance to Irati forest of Arrazola (Aezkoa valley) seeking  the colors of the autum. However, this year the fall is a bit late, and probably in this weekend will be when maximum color that can reach before the wind and rain (yesterday was raining all the day, and today remains the same) pull the leaves.

Irati, from the window of my house at 9:21

In the bordering southern valleys , however, it is possible to lengthen a little more, because having lower altitude the cold and wind they affected less , and because around here  oaks holds longer the leaf than beeches  (also emerge later.)

The story of a young Doe in Irati forest (1st and 2nd part)

This afternoon a tourist has warned of the presence of a wounded young doe(Cervus elaphus) next to a fallen tree.
We went to see my colleague and I , in order to assess the situation.

It seemed that she could have some leg injured and therefore was not able to go running , or could be trapped somehow through the trunk with some leg twisted.

If we drew and had the injury, then there would be no way to catch her, so we decided to go to call a telephon number we have for the case of damaged or injured wildlife (In Irati is not phone coverage )

They said me  what I imagined , it is a hunting specie, and in weekends if is necessary they move for protected species, and if still she is there tomorrow they will decided what can to do.I have told him that we would try it out , and he said that we can tried.

So ,at the end of the day , we went to see what we could do .

We've thrown over one of our jackets to relax her a little bit while we moved and examin .

We have not found any fracture , open or closed. Not even inflammation or injury of any kind.She  left without resistance that we touch her, so I guess that would be too weak to try something.

We do not know how long it takes there. May be for a days, without eating or drinking .

Tomorrow I'll take a bowl of water ,and partially buriedto avoid pour out ,and  see if she have the strength to drink, and we will try  to call again to the wardens.

(To be continued )

13 october 2013

We turned to early afternoon, when the workload has decreased and serum have led some to try to drink something, but it was impossible, because his mouth tightly closed.

We called the number yesterday but have told us the same thing yesterday, and you have to let nature work.

We can not do more. Actually these things happen every day but do not see them, and are part of the natural cycle, although more than we can repeat it hard to leave aside our empathy and not feel shame before his way of looking and the certainty of  death alone

October 14, 2014

Today is finally dead. Long time no drinking and without forces do not give rise to hope.

The cycle of the forest continues, and many other animals can feed her and feed her youngs, lest they die.