Spectacular image of a lizard impaled on a branch by a Great Southern Shrike (Lanius meridionalis Alcaudón Real in Spanish), in the La Geria region of Lanzarote. Lizards and small mammals are occassionally impaled by shrikes, though invertebrates are much more frequent victims. Photo by Yummifruitbat on Wikipedia.

Distribution in Spain “Reproductora en la mayor parte de la Península, pero
con distribución más laxa en las regiones de influencia atlántica y
cantábrica.” More here

Spanish photographer Jose Luis Rodriguez has won the prestigious 2009 Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year award for his picture of an Iberian wolf leaping a fence as it pursues its prey. Rodriguez says that he had planned for years, and even sketched out on a piece of paper. He used a custom-built infrared trap to snap the wolf as it leapt into the air. He told the BBC, “I wanted to capture a photo in which you would see a wolf in an act of hunting – or predation – but without blood,” He went onto say that he hoped his picture, “showing the wolf’s great agility and strength”, will become an image that can be used to show just how beautiful the Iberian wolf is and how the Spanish can be proud to have such an emblematic animal. More from the BBC

I liked this photo report of the fishing industry in Vigo by Ian Berry of Magnum Photos. The above image “ Gulls follow the trawler in the hope of picking up any fish left uncovered. 2008″
All photos here

Iberianatureforum member Alfredo recently sent me this rather spendid photo of a pair of Schreiber’s bats (Miniopterus schreibersi – murciélago de cueva) roosting in a cave. Apologies to him for the delay in posting this. He notes “One of our guests sent me a photo they took whilst walking through a small gorge on the way to the Canyon Rio Lobos Natural Park. They entered one of the many limestone caves throughout this area and came across a few bats….the long fingers are a give away for the species.  ” The photo was taken by Dulana Herath who has kindly allowed me to publish it here. Click on Dulana’s photo to see the bats in all their glory.

Alfredo also runs Spanishfootsteps which offers a range of expert walking and driven guided tours in Soria, one of the least known and fascinating parts of Iberia.

Wil Luiif has sent me these remarkable photos of a wolf in the Sierra de la Culebra he took this April.

Wil organises English-language trips to watch wolves in Zamora, possibly in the future in collaboration with iberianature. More here at Aragonnatuur or send him an email. Don’t be put off by the Dutch, his English is better than mine. More on Iberian wolves and have a look at the archive on wolves

A corrala (not corral!) is a traditional construction unique to the the Sierra de la Culebra. The heather thatch edging with an open centre protected sheep against both the rain and the wolf, and should the latter have managed to jump in, it would never have got out.

Most corralas are falling into disuse. A few have been restored as folk monuments. These days, shepherds lock up their flocks in warehouses.

Below an image from the gallery: the Hayados de Tejera Negra by Dave who writes:

“The beech trees of Tejera Negra were planted in remote times, when the climate was colder and more humid than it is now.” Read

Wil organises English-language trips to watch wolves in Zamora, possibly in the future in collaboration with iberianature. More here at Aragonnatuur or send him an email. Don’t be put off by the Dutch, his English is better than mine. More on Iberian wolves

I came across this remarkable set of aerial photos of Catalonia. Above the Delta del Llobregat, now a sad vestige of its former glory. Continue reading …

Above the Delta del Llobregat, now a sad vestige of its former glory. Below, Montgat, just 20 kms from Barcelona, and a very different Lloret de Mar, though early domestic tourist constuctions are in evidence. Many more photos here at the Catalan Cartography Institute

A castle

A hillside populated with cork, holm and gall oaks in the Sierra Morena.

Exhibition is here. Ricardo Casas also has online exhibitions on Rustic Golf, Tuning and Torrevieja here