Las Lagunas de Caracuel

On Friday evening in the wee town of Caracuel we were given some talks by local experts on the importance of the Lakes of Caracuel, and very interesting lakes they are. They provide habitat for some extremely rare and also endemic species of plants, salamanders and newts. They are also havens for many birds, both migratory and sedentary and species can vary depending on the quantity of water. At the moment there is about two metres in the lake seen here in the foreground and so it´s mostly ducks and coots and grebes.

On the Saturday we then had a field trip where folk had brought their telescopes so that we could show the locals how varied life is there. We were overflown by vultures, a Golden Eagle and a Booted Eagle, the GC Grebe with the chicks on it´s back thrilled some who had never seen this behavious before, and the frogs and cangrejos delighted the younger folk.

It was great to see such interest in the lakes as only about two years ago they wanted to turn the area into a golf course and a rally or trials track!! Imagine, some see the lake as dry and dead during years of drought, when in actual fact it´s just waiting for rain with all the spores and eggs in the sediment waiting for the life-giving water to bring it all back to it´s magestic glory.