Crossbill Guide: Western Andalucнa – from Huelva to Mбlaga, Spain
By Dirk Hilbers, John Cantelo, Luc Hoogenstein and Horst Wolter
Crossbill Guides, 2017; pbk, 272pp; many colour photos and maps;В ISBN 978-94-91648-09-0, Р€26.95
Crossbill Guide: Eastern Andalucнa – from Cуrdoba to Cabo de Gata
By Albert Vliegenthart, Bouke ten Cate, Dirk Hilbers, Kees Woutersen, Horst Wolter and Alex Tabak
Crossbill Guides, 2017; pbk, 256pp; many colour photos and maps; ISBN 978-94-91648-10-6, Ј25.95 – buy it from the BB Bookshop
AndalucРЅa is the second-largest Spanish province and covers an area slightly larger than Scotland. It plays host to over ten million holidaymakers each year, and if AndalucРЅa was a country in its own right, it would rank 25th in the world league table of tourist destinations! Despite this huge number of tourists visiting its ever-increasing holiday hotspots, AndalucРЅa still has the highest biodiversity of any of the Spanish regions, and in particular it is special for birds. Several major mountain ranges extend across the area and extensive marshes fringe the coast. Elsewhere dry semi-desert karst gives way to leafy woodlands.
These two books follow the now familiar layout of previous Crossbill Guides. Firstly, the landscape and local history are described, including the impacts on nature conservation. Each of the main ecosystems is explored along with geological features that affect wildlife. The next section deals with the species that can be encountered – flora, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. The Western and Eastern volumes dedicate 19 and 15 pages respectively to birds. But for most people the most important information is about the sites. The Western guide gives details of 18 routes that can be covered, ranging from a few hours to a full day on foot or in a car, while the Eastern guide (although smaller) details 20 routes. Small route maps are provided and these are annotated with stopping points, and many of the typical species are listed. Finally, there are additional notes on how to find specific target groups such as orchids, and there are more detailed notes on the status of a selection of birds, plus a series of checklists.
On the plus side, these guides provide a useful insight to the wildlife of the region – whether you are focused on seeing a wide range of species or you want to narrow that down to finding an Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus. Each volume weighs around 500 g and is profusely illustrated. On the negative side they do not include an alphabetical index and, unlike some specific birding site guides, the details of each location are quite general. But these guides are aimed less at people wanting to build a list and more at those who want to experience an area and enjoy all its aspects at a more leisurely pace. And there’s nothing wrong with that!
Keith Betton