Rain Sun Rain

Rain Sun Rain



Red rumped Swallow fly 0175

Our newly arrived Red-Rumped Swallows start the task of nest building, feeding as the go.

Black eared Wheatear 15 03 13 0307

Black-eared Wheatears have been arriving with the lovely male photographed on the 15th.

Greater Flamingoes Spring 9639

With a backdrop of the Grazalema mountain range Greater Flamingoes create a pink hue across the landscape as they move into feed at Venta La Palma on the Río Guadalquivir.

Subalpine Warbler adm 0433

This week saw a huge influx of Subalpine Warblers. It was mainly males that I’ve seen so far and they are already on their territories in Cadiz province singing with gusto!

Subalpine Warbler adm spring 9582

Subalpine Warbler adm 9885

Common+Whitethroat+1st+summer+f 0062

Common Whitethroats are also passing through

Spectacled Warbler 44 P0509

As are Spectacled Warblers that breed here

Greenshank Redshank w 0382

Just to compare: Greenshank with Redshank

Guadlamesi Cow March 9479

Last weeks rains made some of the tracks pretty tricky…even for the cattle

Black Kite incoming March 0489

Black Kites continue with other raptors to cross The Strait.

Black Kite 9708

Black KIte March coast 0502

Black Kite arriving in Spain

Booted Buzzard Black Kite 9807

Common Buzzard, Booted Eagle and Black Kite take advantage of the warm thermals

Osprey 9373

There are a few Ospreys are around, fishing and slowly migrating northwards

Yellow Wagtail adm iberae 9668

Yellow Wagtails have been coming across in their thousands and are always lovely birds to watch in March. This is a male iberiae form that breeds here on the iberian peninsular.

Freighter Guadalquivir flood 9614

There has been a terrific amount of water coming down the rivers after such recent heavy rain storms, staining the sea coasts a thick brown colour from all the silt. Here a freighter on the Guadalquivir has collected a collection of tree branches and other floating debris as it heads from Seville to the Atlantic Ocean at Sanlucar de Barrameda.

Common Pochard adm 9728

Lots of Common Pochard around like this lovely male in breeding plumage

White Storks mating 9784

White Storks have been mating, bill-clapping, mating and bill-clapping as they do…

White Storks bill clapping 9737

White Storks are birds that don’t call, sing or make any other noise apart from bill-clapping and to watch this form of pair bonding is very interesting. The noise is amplified when they open their beaks and throat allowing the sound waves to reverberate off their vocal chords (yes they do have them!) as they tension and relax them to create different pitch.

Common Kestrel adf 9624

Common Kestrel female

Stephen Daly

Stephen Daly

Stephen Daly, has been birding since he was eight years old in his native Scotland. After living in Germany and France he established Andalucian Guides the successful birding and wildlife tour company on The Strait of Gibraltar in Spain and has been living here since 2001. Photographing birds in flight is one passion and his photos can be found in many books, magazines and journals. Studying bird behaviour and bird migration are two other positive aspects of being based on one of the busiest migration routes on Earth.

Dive in!

Discover hidden wildlife with our FREE newsletters

We promise we’ll never spam! Read our Privacy Policy for more info

Share this post with your friends




Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

4 Comments