Thursday 25 April 2013

The Shadow of the Black Kite - part 2

 
 
A selection of my photos from the trip, starting with this Red Rumped Swallow on a radio aerial
 
 
 
 
No apology for Bee Eater pictures, fabulous birds
 
 
 
and a Cattle Egret which don't know the difference between a cattle and a horse!
 
 
on the subject of Horses, there were several large groups out in the rough fields
 
 
We were very taken with the colours in a seemingly plain black Glossy Ibis, lovely birds
 
 
and enjoyed the way this Purple Heron could twist it's neck, wish I could
 
 
 
While we were stooging through this pine wood, a shadow passed over us, a Black Kite close overhead and gone before we could get a photo - quipped Phil " the shadow of the black kite - sounds like a mystery drama" and hence the title of this blog
 
 
 
The Palacio del Acebuche,  a bit of a folly built in the 60's, abandoned a few years later and recently restored as a visitor centre about life in the Donana
 
 
and home to hundreds of House Martins
 
 
While out with Peter Warham he found us this Penduline Tit nest, I believe Phil may have some photos of the occupant
 
 
More Bee Eaters I'm afraid - well, no I'm not, they're just too good to ignore
 
 
 
 
A pensive Black Winged Stilt
 
 
and some evening woodland where we went to see what we could find as night fell
 
 
 
 unfortunately we found millions of avaricious mosquios, so came away a bit smartly, to find a roost in the gloaming of about 40 Black Kites
 
 
 
as we drove away this Hoopoe was dust bathing in  a pothole in the road in the near darkness
 
 
a typical wet area, home to lots of  Dragonflies as well as birds
 
 
 
 
more Glossy Ibis pics, can't resist these either
 
 
 
and out at the Jose Valverde visitor centre, the colony of Herons allowed these pics
 
 
 
including this punk Cattle Egret
 
 
It was out here that we found what we thought was an Imperial Eagle, 'cos it was HUGE, but in the event it was a Short-Toed Eagle, which, in spite of it's short toes, was still enormous
 
 
we wondered where this migrating Whinchat might end up to breed
 
 
and that's all, except to refer you to Phil's blog when he uploads some of his excellent pics from the trip, we now look forward to a trip to the Brandenberg area of Germany in a couple of weeks
 
 
 
 
 

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