Ibiza - 27 Sep 26 - Day 4

Hill Walk

It was another glorious day, and one which we chose to walk to Cala Sol d'en Serra, a small cove just south of Cala Llonga. Our route took us via Runes de Castellar II, which sits at 222 metres above sea level. From there, we were going to head down to Cala Sol d'en Serra. However talking to locals we met en route, we found out that the incline on the next hill across, was very very steep and not for the feint hearted. We took their advice onboard and did an about turn, returning to the hotel back down the hill we had walked up.

Our route up the hill and as it turned out the route back down again.

Looking back towards the hotel as we started our walk up the hill.

Fantastic views of the sea and cliffs on our way up.

Dawn making her way up one of easiest parts of the track before doing..........

................a bit of power-lifting. Show off!!!

Pine resin from an Aleppo Pine Pinus halepensis.............

............... very sticky.

About a third of our way up the hill we came across...........

...........this contraption. Something the lumberjacks use maybe!!

At the Ruins of Castellar II, some............

.............some 222 metres above sea level...........

.................we had great views, including..........

..................the Amante restaurant at Cala Sol d'en Serra, where we had hoped to have walked to.

Birds seen up and down the hill were:

Note new birds in bold.

Yellow-legged Gull

Collared Dove

Sardinian Warbler

House Sparrow

Audouin's Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Linnet

Chaffinch

Balearic Crossbill

Woodpigeon

Robin

Lesser Whitethroat x1

Firecrest x2

Grey Wagtail

From left to right are 2 Yellow Legged Gulls and 3 Audouin's Gulls.

A Sardinian Warbler

Another Sardinian Warbler

And a Lesser Whitethroat, which I wasn't expecting to see.

One of the two Firecrests seen on our walk up the hill.

Goldfinch

A Linnet and.............

.............another.

Invertebrates:

Red Veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii x1

Hummingbird Hawk-moths Macroglossum stellatarum x6

Lamenting Grasshopper Eyprepocnemis plorans x4

Mediterranean Field Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus x1

Spanish or Iberian Honey Bee Apis mellifera iberiensis x5

Cicadas Cicada barbara x6 heard

Wall Brown Lasiommata megera x1

Cleopatra Gonepteryx cleopatra balearica

Next to Runes de Castellar II was this Red Veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii

Wall Brown Lasiommata megera

Lamenting Grasshopper Eyprepocnemis plorans. AKA the White-banded Grasshopper and Berseem Grasshopper.

Mediterranean Field Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. AKA the Two-spotted Cricket and African Field Cricket.

Cicadas Cicada barbara. Sadly not my soundtrack/video

Toadstools:

Slippery Jack Suillus luteus

Suede Bolete Xerocomus subtomentosus

Pine Bracket Porodaedalea pini

Peach-coloured Bolete Rheubarbariboletus armeniacus

This is Slippery Jack Suillus luteus an edible wild mushroom found in Pine Forests

This is Suede Bolete Xerocomus subtomentosus, formerly Boletus subtomentosus......

.....This wild mushroom species belongs to Boletaceae family and grows on forest floors. It can be eaten, but has to be cooked first, otherwise it will give you a poorly tummy. More on this mushroom here.

Growing on this Aleppo Pine Pinus halepensis is a Pine Bracket Porodaedalea pini. It also goes by the following names Pine Conk and Red Ring Rot Fungus and is totally inedible.

This mushroom is.....

...............Peach-coloured Bolete Rheubarbariboletus armeniacus, formerly Boletus armeniacus 

Plants:

Japanese Cheesewood Pittosporum tobira

Common Lantana Lantana camara

European Sea Rocket Cakile maritima

Rock Samphire Crithmum maritmum

Chinese Fountain Grass Pennisetum alopecuroides

Mastic Tree Pistacia lentiscus

Aleppo Pine Pinus halepensis

Slender Restharrow Ononis minutissima

Phoenician Juniper Juniperus phoenicea subspecies turbinata

Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris

This is Japanese Cheesewood Pittosporum tobira and these............

...........are the edible fruits which turn from green to yellowish-orange as it matures.

Common Lantana Lantana camara. A flower which was very popular with Hummingbird Hawk-moths.

On the shoreline at Cala Llonga were numerous..........

...........European Sea Rockets Cakile maritima. This herb is found on beaches and in sandy soils. More on this plant here.

This is Rock Samphire Crithmum maritmum also known as Sea Fennel. More on this plant here.

And this is Chinese Fountain Grass Pennisetum alopecuroides. It is actually an ornamental grass known for its soft, fluffy flower plumes and arching foliage. It is normally found in Mediterranean gardens, but seems well established on the beach at Cala Llonga.

This evergreen shrub is...............

.............a Mastic Tree Pistacia lentiscus and a native tree to Ibiza. It is known locally known as Lentisco and has been used as chewing gum since the times of an ancient Greece. More on this shrub here.

This is Slender Restharrow Ononis minutissima and is also known as the Pygmy Restharrow........

.........It is a small perennial subshrub belonging to the legume family Fabaceae. It can be found in coastal stretches, and likes dry, sunny and rocky areas.

This is Prickly Juniper Juniperus oxycedrus and...........

..............believe me, it is a very appropriate name for this Mediterranean shrub. It is also known as Cade Juniper and Sharp Cedar. Wood oil is extracted from this shrub and is commonly known as Cade oil or Juniper tar. The oil is used as a traditional antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and soothing properties for skin and hair care.

This is Phoenician Juniper Juniperus phoenicea. However there are two varieties of Juniperus phoenicea. There is var. phoenicea with round cones, which grows throughout the Mediterranean region but not near the coast..................

...............and Juniperus phoenicea var. turbinata, with oval cones, which grows on the sand dunes near the coast. This one is Juniperus phoenicea var. turbinata which is confusing as it was on top of the hill in amongst the rocks and boulders, but at least its on the coast.

This Autumnal flower is the............

........................rare daffodil species Elegant narcissus Narcissus elegans. More on this flower here.

General shots and videos:

Looking towards the town of Cala Llonga from the hotel.

Our hotel, viewed from across the bay. The jetty on the left is where you can board the Santa Eulalia ferry to Santa Eulalia, Ibiza or the Island of Formentera.

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