Itinerary 8. From Gandesa to the Sebes Nature Reserve

In this area we should see species of Mediterranean environments such as bee-eaters, woodchat shrikes or the scarce greater short-toed lark, still present in some areas with plant structures reminiscent of the old fallow fields.

We then head towards la Fatarella, following the TV-7333, looking at the small bridges where the distinctive nests of the red-rumped swallow are built. We continue, now descending, to find the bank of the River Ebro at Ascó. These are lands of black kites on the riverbed and black-eared wheatears in farmhouses and field margins. On reaching the C-12 we head north until we pass through the town of Flix. Just after the majestic bridge over the River Ebro we turn left towards the Sebes Nature Reserve, where we find one of the most important natural areas in the north of the Terres de l'Ebre, upstream of the Flix meander.

The area has several raised walkways that let us go into the wetlands. There we will find different hides from which to watch the wildlife up close. With the constant summer song of the golden oriole, we can enjoy watching the little bittern, the kingfisher or the white storks resulting from a reintroduction project. Keep an eye on the trees, where in spring we can discover the most elaborate nest of European birdlife, the penduline tit's nest.

After breeding, this small bird moves to the best-preserved reed beds, where it looks for the small seeds that are the basis of its diet. Another of the mythical birds hides in these reed beds, the bittern, making this one of the best natural areas in the region to observe and photograph it. During migration periods, the floodable meadows managed by the eleven Camargue horses mean that the shallower areas with little plant cover are a good place to see the elusive spotted crakes or little crakes.

But not all the richness lies in the wetlands. Looking at the slopes and walls of the area we can see more rock-dwelling birds such as the black wheatear, the rock sparrow or the blue rock thrush.