The Sierra Cazorla and the Iberian Fox "Zorro"

The early morning air in Sierra Cazorla is cold and freezing, and the clouds sweep over the mountain tops, filling the valleys and ravines below. It felt wild as Griffon Vultures swirled in the thermals alongside us.

We had climbed, only to descend again through the murk before a long climb to a birth.

Yes, a Nacimiento de un Rio, the birth of a river, the Guadalquivir, high up in the mountains of Cazorla.
We were also hoping to see the Foxes of Cazorla! 

Griffon Vultures spiralling upwards through the clouds.

The cold cloud poured down the mountaintops and filled the valleys.

Griffon Vultures waited for warmer air before unfolding their nearly 8-foot wingspan.

From the opposite side of the valley, we could watch as cold air flattened the clouds along the mountain crests.

Following a gravel track, we had now entered the restricted area of the mountain, open to the public from 09.00 to 21.00; we stopped to take in the view. It's cold minus two degrees.

The clear blue meltwater of the Guadalquivir River formed rock pools as we got closer to the source.

Then, a chance sighting as we walked alongside the river, a fox sits and watches. It seemed utterly undisturbed by us.

On a forest track, we get to see another of these beautiful animals.

The Fox is Spain's most common carnivore; its density is lower than Northern Europe's.
This is caused by several contributing factors, but mainly by the Mediterranean drought
and competition for food from birds of prey, such as eagles and vultures.

Over the last century, the decline in super predators, like the Wolf and Lynx, is thought to be why the Fox is doing well here in Spain.
They are adept hunters of rabbits, which is a problem, as rabbits are also the preferred food of superpredators.
A Lynx will kill a Fox found in its territory, so you are likely to see more Rabbits in a Lynx's territory.
This has implications for the Rabbit reintroduction programmes. The Fox is considered an invasive species and threat, and there is no natural check on its numbers.

Iberian Fox (Vulpes vulpes Silacea)

With Spanish name Zorro.

This is a specialist in its environment, capable of shedding its coat in warm weather and retaining it in the cold. Primary a nocturnal predator, its sleep patterns can change even if it becomes overcast. They have very acute senses, with those eyes to help see in the dark and ears sensitive to the slightest rustlings on the forest floor.

So here it is, the Nacimiento of the river Guadalquivir, just a cave hidden beyond the trees, but that is the birth of one of Spain's great rivers and, for us, as birdwatchers, the life of the Donana National Park. Before that, it passes through the beautiful Moorish cities of Cordoba and Sevilla.

The trees, living and dead, are full of Nuthatches, Short-toed Treecreepers, and Crested Tits.
This Crested Tit perched on a tree that we thought looked like some sort of prehistoric Dinosaur.

Travelling back down the mountain, we stopped in the sunshine and found a male Siskin feasting on a Strawberry tree.

It started to rain on our last evening in Cazorla; it was snowing heavily by the morning. 

We beat our early morning retreat through Cazorla town, heading for Quesada, after which the views were again fantastic.

A little glimpse of sunshine as we look back at the olive trees, with happiness from our visit to the Sierra Cazorla and sadness at leaving.

We will return!