This year's outing to Sierra de las Nieves took place on 22nd February 2025.

It was a rainy and misty morning as some of the group gathered at the border, others already making their way to our coffee stop up in the mountains near Ronda. Fortunately by the time all the group had assembled at the road side venta just outside the entrance to the park, the mountains of Sierra de las Nieves were now visible and so we set off.

The first stop was the area just inside the park where a water trough attracts lots of birds. Here we saw Hawfinch, Eurasian chaffinch, European greenfinch, Eurasian Jay, with great views of a Rock Bunting. Griffon Vultures circled overhead and a flock of seven Common raven were spotted. 

Further into the Park we spit the group in two, with the botanists stopping to investigate flora and fauna and the birders driving on towards the Area Recreativa Quejigales.
A Mistletoe thrush was spotted on the way as well as many tiny Alpine Daffodils and a few early Orchids. Once in the parking area we walked up the road towards the higher mountain through the rich Pine forests with another larger species of Daffodil along the road edges, we saw lots of birds mainly tits flitting through the open areas between the trees, these included Coal tit, Great tit, Crested tit, Long-tailed tit and Eurasian blue tit. Also heard were Nuthatch, Short-toed treecreeper, Common firecrest and European goldfinch. Overhead the blue sky was appearing and we had great views of a Short-toed eagle circling above us. Higher up Ring ouzel was heard and briefly spotted as well as Common blackbird, European robin and Hawfinch.

We returned back to the car park and took a short walk along the Valley stream, it was now quite warm and we spotted a few early Celandines and Barbary Nuts and Romuleas.
Driving back through the park for our lunch stop at the same venta some of us were lucky enough to have great views of Iberian grey shrike, and a Black redstart bid us farewell.

The second group spent time with Geoff Simpson who showed them a Natterjack Toad (Epidalea calamita) and Spanish Psammodromus Lizard (Psammodromus hispanicus). Botanical observations included the male cones of Abies pinsapo and germinating endemic Peonies, Paeonia broteri. The tiny daffodils on the drive up to the picnic area were Narcissus assoanus and the early orchid seen was likely Orchis mascula subsp. olbiensis, but not certain.  After lunch the group spent time around the river observing Romulea bulbocodium, Helleborus foetidus and an endemic species of daffodil Narcissus bujei.