Spain; Balsa de Zolina, Pamplona, Navarre
December 2017, list with updates
Hidden by low-lying hills but only 8kms south-east of Pamplona
Location of Balsa de Zolina. Access and viewing details. P = parking (below Zolina village)
We normally break our journey from central France to Murcia with an overnight stop at a hotel near Pamplona. Nearby there is a large reservoir not far from the hotel and the airport. There is a footpath/cyclepath leading to a pumping station at the dam end of the reservoir. The site is completely hidden by low hills on all sides, and there is no direct vehicular access.
From the airport area, or junction 1 on motorway PA-30, take the road NA-2310 south-east towards Tajonar. Continue on the NA-2310, by-passing Tajonar, then take the next exit for Zolina. After 200 metres bear left, parking on the grass verge opposite an information board. From here, it is about 1 km on foot to the viewing position above the dam, along a gravel footpath/cycle track. There is no vehicular access along this track
INFO
Subsequent online research showed that, unsurprisingly, the site is well-known to at least one local birder (see blog below), and probably several more from nearby Pamplona.
Balsa de Zolina blog
On meeting the creator of the blog in January 2019, who speaks good English, several interesting facts came to light;
Birdwatching in Navarre
ornitho-navarra
BIRDS - 72 species. The majority of visits have been in winter
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor
Common Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna
Eurasian Wigeon - Anas penelope - max. 70+ 12/2017
Common Teal - Anas crecca - 30+ 14/11/21
Gadwall - Anas strepera
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata
Common Pochard - Aythya ferina - max. c350 20/1/19
Red-crested Pochard - Netta rufina - 6 24/4/22, 10+ 6/6/22
Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula - max. c20 9/2/19
Red-legged Partridge - Alectoris rufa - 2 24/4/22
Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus - 4 (2 prs.) 6/6/22
Black-necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis - max. c30 9/2/19
Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo
Little Egret - Egretta garzetta - 1 24/4/22
Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea - Occasional
White Stork - Ciconia ciconia - 1 20/1/19, 28 6/6/22
Eurasian Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia - 1 ad. 6/6/22
Eurasian Griffon Vulture - Gyps fulvus - 5 20/1/19, 1 24/4/22
Red Kite - Milvus milvus
Black Kite - Milvus migrans
Western Marsh Harrier - Circus aeruginosus - 1f-type 2/10/22
Hen Harrier - Circus cyaneus - 1 m. 12/2017
Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus - 1 24/4/22
Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus
Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus
Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus - 2 (pr.) 6/6/22
Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus - 3+ 24/4/22
Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos - 12+ 24/4/22
Common Redshank - Tringa totanus - 5 24/4/22, 1 2/10/22
Black-headed Gull - Larus ridibundus - max. c50 1/2015
Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus - 1 ad 1/2015, 2 ads 24/4/22, 2 ads 2/10/22
Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis - Numbers increasing
Eurasian Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - 1 24/4/22
Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops - 1 24/4/22, 1 6/6/22
Crested Lark - Galerida cristata
Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis
White Wagtail - Motacilla alba
Blue-headed Wagtail - Motacilla flava flava
Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea - 1 8/1/23
European Robin - Erithacus rubecula
Common Nightingale - Luscinia megarhynchos
European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola
Common Blackbird - Turdus merula
Blackcap - Sylvia atricapilla
Dartford Warbler - Sylvia undata - 2+ 1/2015, 2+ 2/10/22
Zitting Cisticola - Cisticola juncidis - 2 6/6/22
Cetti's Warbler - Cettia cetti - 1 12/2017, 1 6/6/22
Great Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus arundinaceus - 1 6/6/22
Melodious Warbler - Hippolais polyglotta - 2 6/6/22
Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita
Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes
Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos caudatus
Eurasian Blue Tit - Parus caeruleus
Great Tit - Parus major
Common Magpie - Pica pica
Western Jackdaw - Corvus monedula
Carrion Crow - Corvus corone
Common Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus
Rock Sparrow - Petronia petronia - 20+ 23/1/22, 5 24/4/22
European Serin - Serinus serinus - 1 6/6/22
European Greenfinch - Carduelis chloris
European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis
Common Linnet - Carduelis cannabina
Yellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella
Cirl Bunting - Emberiza cirlus - Max. 7 23/1/22
Corn Bunting - Emberiza calandra
Other fauna/flora
Only brief visits into the world of insects etc due to time constraints
Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) - 100's 6/6/22 (br.)
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) - 2m 2/10/22
Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) - 1 6/6/22
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) - 6/6/22
Large Skipper (Ochlodes venatus) - 6/6/22
Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) - 1 6/6/22
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Twin-spot fritillary (Brenthis hecate) - 1 m. 6/6/22
Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) - 6/6/22
Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera)
Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus)
Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)
Burnet Companion (Euclidia glyphica) - 1 6/6/22
5-spot Burnet (Zygaena trifolii) - 30+ 6/6/22
Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea) - 10+ 24/4/22
Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) - 100's 6/6/22
Lizard Orchid (Himantoglossum hircinum) - 20+ 6/6/22
Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) - 20+ 24/4/22
Hidden by low-lying hills but only 8kms south-east of Pamplona
Location of Balsa de Zolina. Access and viewing details. P = parking (below Zolina village)
We normally break our journey from central France to Murcia with an overnight stop at a hotel near Pamplona. Nearby there is a large reservoir not far from the hotel and the airport. There is a footpath/cyclepath leading to a pumping station at the dam end of the reservoir. The site is completely hidden by low hills on all sides, and there is no direct vehicular access.
From the airport area, or junction 1 on motorway PA-30, take the road NA-2310 south-east towards Tajonar. Continue on the NA-2310, by-passing Tajonar, then take the next exit for Zolina. After 200 metres bear left, parking on the grass verge opposite an information board. From here, it is about 1 km on foot to the viewing position above the dam, along a gravel footpath/cycle track. There is no vehicular access along this track
INFO
Subsequent online research showed that, unsurprisingly, the site is well-known to at least one local birder (see blog below), and probably several more from nearby Pamplona.
Balsa de Zolina blog
On meeting the creator of the blog in January 2019, who speaks good English, several interesting facts came to light;
- There is no hunting over the reservoir... which apparently is generally adhered to
- The reservoir is industrial, the water being pumped from a mine that used to operate nearby (now closed)
- The reservoir as a wildlife site has at present no level of protection
- The water is slightly salty, hence a lack of herons and presumably fish
Birdwatching in Navarre
ornitho-navarra
BIRDS - 72 species. The majority of visits have been in winter
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor
Common Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna
Eurasian Wigeon - Anas penelope - max. 70+ 12/2017
Common Teal - Anas crecca - 30+ 14/11/21
Gadwall - Anas strepera
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata
Common Pochard - Aythya ferina - max. c350 20/1/19
Red-crested Pochard - Netta rufina - 6 24/4/22, 10+ 6/6/22
Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula - max. c20 9/2/19
Red-legged Partridge - Alectoris rufa - 2 24/4/22
Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus - 4 (2 prs.) 6/6/22
Black-necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis - max. c30 9/2/19
Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo
Little Egret - Egretta garzetta - 1 24/4/22
Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea - Occasional
White Stork - Ciconia ciconia - 1 20/1/19, 28 6/6/22
Eurasian Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia - 1 ad. 6/6/22
Eurasian Griffon Vulture - Gyps fulvus - 5 20/1/19, 1 24/4/22
Red Kite - Milvus milvus
Black Kite - Milvus migrans
Western Marsh Harrier - Circus aeruginosus - 1f-type 2/10/22
Hen Harrier - Circus cyaneus - 1 m. 12/2017
Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus - 1 24/4/22
Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus
Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus
Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus - 2 (pr.) 6/6/22
Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus - 3+ 24/4/22
Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos - 12+ 24/4/22
Common Redshank - Tringa totanus - 5 24/4/22, 1 2/10/22
Black-headed Gull - Larus ridibundus - max. c50 1/2015
Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus - 1 ad 1/2015, 2 ads 24/4/22, 2 ads 2/10/22
Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis - Numbers increasing
Eurasian Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - 1 24/4/22
Eurasian Hoopoe - Upupa epops - 1 24/4/22, 1 6/6/22
Crested Lark - Galerida cristata
Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis
White Wagtail - Motacilla alba
Blue-headed Wagtail - Motacilla flava flava
Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea - 1 8/1/23
European Robin - Erithacus rubecula
Common Nightingale - Luscinia megarhynchos
European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola
Common Blackbird - Turdus merula
Blackcap - Sylvia atricapilla
Dartford Warbler - Sylvia undata - 2+ 1/2015, 2+ 2/10/22
Zitting Cisticola - Cisticola juncidis - 2 6/6/22
Cetti's Warbler - Cettia cetti - 1 12/2017, 1 6/6/22
Great Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus arundinaceus - 1 6/6/22
Melodious Warbler - Hippolais polyglotta - 2 6/6/22
Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita
Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes
Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos caudatus
Eurasian Blue Tit - Parus caeruleus
Great Tit - Parus major
Common Magpie - Pica pica
Western Jackdaw - Corvus monedula
Carrion Crow - Corvus corone
Common Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus
Rock Sparrow - Petronia petronia - 20+ 23/1/22, 5 24/4/22
European Serin - Serinus serinus - 1 6/6/22
European Greenfinch - Carduelis chloris
European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis
Common Linnet - Carduelis cannabina
Yellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella
Cirl Bunting - Emberiza cirlus - Max. 7 23/1/22
Corn Bunting - Emberiza calandra
Other fauna/flora
Only brief visits into the world of insects etc due to time constraints
Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) - 100's 6/6/22 (br.)
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) - 2m 2/10/22
Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) - 1 6/6/22
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) - 6/6/22
Large Skipper (Ochlodes venatus) - 6/6/22
Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) - 1 6/6/22
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Twin-spot fritillary (Brenthis hecate) - 1 m. 6/6/22
Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) - 6/6/22
Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera)
Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus)
Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)
Burnet Companion (Euclidia glyphica) - 1 6/6/22
5-spot Burnet (Zygaena trifolii) - 30+ 6/6/22
Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea) - 10+ 24/4/22
Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) - 100's 6/6/22
Lizard Orchid (Himantoglossum hircinum) - 20+ 6/6/22
Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) - 20+ 24/4/22