After last Wednesday’s encounter with Bee Eaters on the hillside above the village, Birdwatchalpujarras are returning team-handed to see if we can improve on the photos so far. With Spanish Highs guide Mike at the wheel, Kiersten and I are free to concentrate on the main challenge of the day.
We had no trouble locating the birds once we’d made the short journey up the mountain. Once again, we heard them before we saw them…and soon they were swooping and gliding over the 4×4. I was sure if we made a point of staying in the car we might have a chance of getting closer, sometimes birds show less fear of a vehicle than of someone on foot.
The Bee Eaters were perched as before in the branches of dead trees just off the track…resting in the sun, and occasionally taking off to circle and hunt insects over the hillside around us. With the time for migration approaching it was a great time to get really clear views of these spectacular birds before they head back to Africa. The chestnut of their crowns graduates to gold on the rump…with bright yellow throats, black eye-stripe and blue-green chests they’re a beautiful seasonal addition to the local birdlife and one I’ve been determined to photograph since I arrived. The best of our efforts are posted here!
We were distracted briefly by the arrival of two dark-form Booted Eagles, and had great views as they soared by. I think it may have been an adult and a juvenile, as one stooped suddenly and dropped bullet-fast only to turn and slowly climb again it seemed to be instructing the other. Again, nice to get a really good look at these impressive raptors before they leave for Africa. With a few apparently staying on in SW Spain I’ll be interested to see if we have any remain locally during the winter months.
As the Bee Eater flocks seemed to thin out and move on with some time to spare we decided to check out one more likely location…but with only one solitary Bee Eater sighted we were happy we’d got the most out of the day. Still managed great views of a Woodchat Shrike and Crested Larks to round the afternoon off! Hope the photos we’ve taken go some way to showing how fantastic our birdwatching in the Alpujarras can be….
