Panurus biarmicus Although widely distributed, it is an elusive bird not easy to see and after which so many photographers are after! I was lucky to get these shot in Spanish Catalonia. The male has magnificent black mustaches going down from the eyebrows to the throat: Original post HERE
Tag: Spain
Cirl bunting
Emberiza cirlus – Locally common in Southern Europe; seen sometimes in the South of England. It is gregarious and often joins groups of other bunting or finch species; it is normally sedentary, but sometimes migrates southward during when winters are harsh. Close to the Yellow bunting, it is more easily shy and wary and perches in […]
Argiope lobata
This spider has a wide distribution encompassing the whole of Africa and stretching to southern Europe and into Asia. Without the legs, it reaches 25 to 30 mm in length. The female’s characteristic lobes distinguish her from other spiders of the araneidae family. The web is loose and the threads are very thin. I found […]
Spain’s wetlands wonder is under threat for a second time in 16 years
The view from the visitors’ centre at the southern edge of Doñana national park is striking, to say the least. From its plate-glass windows, you gaze – over a small lake ringed with bulrushes – at a group of tamarisk bushes covered with squawking, screeching birdlife. Cattle egrets, night herons, purple herons and glossy ibis […]
From the steppe to central Spain, Europe echoes to the howl of the wolf
A twig snaps, a crow calls, but nothing moves in the dense pine forests of Spain’s Guadarrama mountains. Vultures and eagles soar over the snowcapped peaks and wild boars roam the valleys below, as they have for centuries. But for the farmers who work this land, a threatening and worrying comeback is taking place in […]
LOVE Spain, HATE Bullfighting
The Spanish government is currently considering passing a law which would protect and promote bullfighting, an outdated spectacle which causes extreme pain and suffering to bulls. The majority of Spanish citizens don’t support bullfighting. Nor do they want their taxes spent protecting it. Please join us in opposing the proposed new law by sending a […]
Migrating Raptors on The Strait of Gibraltar
It’s been a busy six weeks with almost non-stop birding here on The Strait and across Europe. I thought I’d quickly post some of the raptor shots I have managed to edit so far on the blog to show at least some of the autumn delights… Black-winged Kites (old name is Black shouldered Kite) have […]