Avian Action at La Janda

Avian Action at La Janda



Vejer sunset w

As the sun set over

Vejer

de

la

Frontera

in Cadiz province,

Andalucía

, the surrounding area below this white village or

‘pueblo

blanco

known as La

Janda

had been

receiving

thousands of new migrant birds that arrive in the southern tip of the European mainland and feed up in preparation for their onward journey across The Strait of Gibraltar to Africa

European Roller 6732
A European Roller was a pleasant surprise to see passing through this vast former laguna and now mechanised agricultural area

Little Bustards 8127
Five Little Bustards were also seen, nowadays quite a rare sight. They were feeding on insects at a newly cut grass field that’s used as winter silage

Little Bustard 8127
I managed to get some flight shots as the birds took to the air

Little Bustard flight 8127
Little Bustard

La Janda August 7539
Here’s a typical scene at La Janda with a young Montagu’s Harrier hunting over the rice-fields

White Stork flight 6971
Thousands of White Storks are now feeding in this huge fertile agricultural area, artificially controlled with water to keep the various crops of rice, maize, sunflowers and cotton irrigated

White Stork flock 6862
Huge spiralling flocks of White Storks take to the air, the young birds practicing their soaring and gliding techniques on the hot thermals that build up during the day

White Stork preen 6300
…some birds even do a casual in-flight preening as the warm currents of air lift them effortlessly higher into the blue skies above western Andalucía

Reed Warbler 8654
Back on the ground the smaller passerines are moving through the county. Here’s a Reed Warbler skulking in the reed-beds

Sedge Warbler 8416
Sedge Warblers were also seen as were Western Olivaceous Warbler, Willow Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Spectacled Warbler and Bonelli’s Warbler

Glossy Ibis flock preening 8928
Glossy Ibis have also bred successfully over the years with breeding colonies firmly established in and around the La Janda area. They favour mixed flock roosts and comunal nesting groups. Their nests can be found amongst other wetland species that nest in trees and higher bushes. Other nesting birds here include Little Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron and the ubiquitous Cattle Egret that alone has thousands of nesting pairs in La Janda

Grey Heron 7879
A Grey Heron takes of as a Little Egret decides to stay put

Great Egret sunset 27041
Great Egrets have apparently nested in Cadiz but as yet I have not found any nest

Black crowned Night Herons 4437
Two juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons fly past

Little Egret 7961
A Little Egret take to the wing

Purple Heron juv 8485
This is a very fresh looking Purple Heron on the edge of a rice-field

Glossy Ibis new 7973
Another youngster, a Glossy Ibis practices flight

Squacco Heron rice 8091
A shot of a departing Squacco Heron flying across an unusually verdant August landscape at La Janda

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.

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