Itinerary 5. Caro

It is well worth stopping on this plain, which forms a sea of olive trees, especially at the first foothills of the range, where we can see griffon vultures, golden eagles or Bonelli's eagles in flight. There are also several species of thrushes, groups of chaffinches with bramblings and small passerines that take advantage of the abundance of fruit and insects.

But one of the most characteristic species is the woodlarks that fill the area with their songs. We begin the climb. First we pass through Mediterranean environments where the Dartford warbler, the subalpine warbler, the blue rock thrush and the black wheatear live, until we reach the first rocky areas where in the winter months wallcreepers and Alpine accentors can be seen looking for food at the roadside. We arrive at a small built-up area.

The pine forests hide a good range of woodland species such as the crossbill, the crested tit, the Eurasian nuthatch or the firecrest. In the higher areas you can find birds that feed on juniper berries, such as the ring ouzel or the mistle thrush. On the last part of the climb we will probably spot wild goats, some of them very trusting. Keep an eye on the roadside vegetation, as it is the habitat of the cirl bunting and the dunnock.

We end this route at the Caro Viewpoint (1,441 m) with an excellent panorama of the plain and Els Ports. This is an ideal spot for watching birds of prey and groups of red-billed choughs. With a bit of luck we may also see the bearded vulture, a species recently reintroduced to the massif.