Day 12 - Belorado to Agés

     Today was an early start to get to Agés to find a room at an Alburgue that doesn't take reservations (all first-come-first-serve).  This is about 60% of the way of a 2-day trip to get to Burgos to rejoin with Jana, who took a bus there this morning as a precaution for her leg - it gives two more recovery days.

    The walk today started along a highway and fields, but then diverged from civilization, to a very steep climb up into a couple of different forest-types.  Very scenic.  I did linger at times for the nature stuff, but I skipped 2nd breakfast (other than a couple of store-bought muffins that I ate along the way) and skipped 1st lunch (got 2nd lunch at 2:45 once I reached Agés (soup and papas bravas), about 18 miles away.

    I came into town and went to the 2nd Alburgue and asked if they had any beds.  She said "I have one".  So I took it.  It is in a room with 6 other people.  Got my stuff into the locker, got my food, met with some friends, and then settled down to start the non-photo part of the blogging before dinner, and to get photos transferred from my phone to the computer.

    A lot of birdsong today.  Because of all of the different ecology zones I travelled through today, birding was good.  39 different species recorded,  4 new ones (three listed below in the photos).

    Tomorrow should be a quicker day - about 12 miles to Burgos.  If all goes well, I hope to be there by noon to reunite with Jana.  We will spend an extra day there to explore the city.

    Now for photos.

    Leaving town at 6:45 this morning:

    More murals:

    Another very cool bridge:

        Leaving town, a gas station had a map to Santiago:

    The sun clearing the horizon:

    An early morning Dunock:

    Shadows still very long:

    I tried taking a picture of this Great Tit, but it had other plans:

    A Garden Warbler:

    Approaching the first town of the day, Villambistia.  I passed on the first coffee truck, and was again reminded that you need to take that bird in the hand.  Nothing else for miles.

    A Eurasian Linnet, and a Black Redstart:

    The church in Villambistia had a geodesic dome in the park up front.

    And on a nearby weathervane, a Rock Sparrow:

    Still a lot of Wagtails in the morning.  A White Wagtail and a Western Yellow Wagtail.  

    Exiting Villambistia was a lot of rolling farmland on one side, and traffic not too distant on the other:

    European Stonechats pose nicely at the top of bushes/trees, as opposed to many of the other birds that hide so well:

    Almost no poppies today.  Maybe 30 in total, across three clusters.

    I believe this to be a Montagu's Harrier, but am willing to be corrected (large raptor-like bird gliding over the plane - here landing on some potential prey.  White backside ad white tail, with black wingtips:

    A few miles later, at the next town, Villafranca Montes de Oca, I stopped in at a convenience store for a couple of muffins.  Next to the church, the path moved away from roads on a very steep path up into more forrested land.

    Taking a breath on the way up, and taking a photo of some flowers on a tree:

    Crops thinning, and making way for fields and trees:

    Entering the first part of the forest:

    And some VIDEO with birdsong:

    The deciduous giving way to conifers.  So many birds were heard, but not seen, like a common cuckoo, and red-billed chough, and long-tailed tit, and many more.

    Some wildflowers among the trees:

    A good indicator that the long, long ascent is reaching an apex:

    And now joining up with a logging road.  Shortly after, we passed this monument (sign descriptor ono the fence [in English] is sobering):

    Just over these trees is a series of windmills.  Another indicator that the climb is over.  Starting the climb, I was in a pretty big pack.  For the next few miles, I only see a small handful of folks:

    A long descent:

    Two new birds today - an Iberian Chiffchaff and a Common Chiffchaff:

    At the left end of the frame, a Coal Tit diving out of view.

    More wildflowers as I descend into another habitat region:

    At this point, it has been about 8-ish miles since any civilization, and another few to go.  A gentleman has set up a tent here and hands out drinks and coffee and sweets for folks on the pilgrimage trail.  He refuses payment or donations.

    Yet another type of forested region as the descent continues:

    Non-bird wildlife - A Marsh Fritillary butterfly:

    The trail continues.  The colors here seem to be a good balance:

    A European Robin:

    And a logging truck:

    

    The descent continues into fields:

    One more poppy:

    Passing a couple of large cows.  I'm not sure the fence (a single wire) would hold.  But at least they have bells, so you will have advance notice of being trampled:

    The Church at Barrios de Colina (no services):

    And back into a forest and fields:

    More wildflowers, and another Marsh Fritillary butterfly:

    Now a bunch of cows with no fence.  But at least they have bells:

    Pastureland:

    And off to my right: the left side of the photo is yet more cows; behind on the right are windmills in the distance:

    And a tiny wildflower, next to my shoe:

    Approaching my destination for the evening, after 18 miles:

    And the town in the distance:

    More wildflowers:

    Rolling fields.  Very different from the grain fields or vineyards from the past few days:

    In town, a White Stork on the tower:

    Tomorrow, Burgos!