We’ve got more images from this week’s day-trip for you today…and many thanks to our new friend Terry for passing on the following shots!
Kestrel
Our migrant raptors may have finally left for African wintering grounds, but some of our year-long resident species still showed well through the morning. We start with a terrific image of one of our most familiar and instantly recognisable birds of prey. An “everyday” species it may be, but there’s some nice detail in this male Kestrel – note the plain, grey cheeks and the dark “teardrop” below the eye – and the shot nicely captures some of the aerodynamic grace typical of all the true falcons.
Buzzard
Buzzards often appear at this time of the year on the hillsides around the village, and Terry snapped this individual on the track below Puente Palo. The characteristic dark wrist patch, pale outer wing and black wing tips are only just visible here, but were enough to confirm the ID of our second raptor of the day.
Golden Eagle
They were a long way off…but their immense size of left little room for doubt. Our Golden Eagles were one of the highlights of the day, and despite the distance Terry captured some key ID details in the shot shown above. Note the pale, protruding, tawny brown head and how the wing bulges along the rear edge, appearing narrower where it joins the body. Note too the white patches in the wings, and the extensive white plumage in the tail, identifying this bird as immature. Superb!
Corn Bunting
Not quite as majestic as our last species, but this little Corn Bunting still added another tick to the day-list once we’d had a closer look at the photos. The heavy, triangular beak and pale eye-ring help separate this bird from other confusingly similar, streaky brown species…
Iberian Green Woodpecker
Not much chance of confusion with our last species for today however…and for me, this wonderful shot is the pick of the bunch. We’ve been reporting our sightings of Green Woodpeckers for some time now, and I’m delighted we’ve finally got a shot to post. It’s the Iberian subspecies – Picus viridis sharpei to be precise – with a much plainer, greyer head than the form seen in the UK and elsewhere, and this fantastic image of a striking, local speciality is a great way to wrap up the month.
We always try to allow plenty of time for photography, and as these shots show, even after the departure of our glamourous summer visitors there’s still plenty to see. If you would like to know more about the birdwatching trips and holidays we run in southern Spain, click here for all the details and for all the latest news as another exciting month unfolds, keep checking our posts!
