It’s Wednesday morning, and Spanishhighs are off the visit the El Torcal nature reserve. Located 30km or so north of Malaga near the town of Antequera, the reserve is internationally renowned for its limestone rock formations and supports a unique range of flora and fauna.
Not surprisingly the area is a rich birdwatching destination, and there was one species in particular Kiersten was hoping to see…the Griffon Vulture. The reserve has a resident breeding population of around four pairs, which can increase seasonally with the arrival of non-breeding and passage birds.
As regular readers of our postings will know we had some fantastic encounters with this spectacular vulture last year. The sight of a group circling effortlessly over the valley above Lanjaron was without doubt one of the finest wildlife spectacles I’ve ever seen. The chance therefore of pinpointing a year-long location for these magnificent birds of prey was intriguing…and Kiersten wasn’t disappointed.
Our first Griffon Vultures of the year! Fantastic stuff…to be picking up this species this early on in the year is great news. We’re posting the best of Kiersten’s shots here…
Note the short, rounded, slightly wedge-shaped tail and the characteristic white head, less noticeable in flight, as the long, white neck is folded back and the pale colour offers little contrast against the sky. Note also the long, very broad wings and the long length of the “fingers”…used so expertly when the animal is soaring effortlessly on warm air currents in the endless search for carrion. Undoubtedly an Andalucian speciality, and a wonderful addition to the month list!
The birdwatching down here in the Alpujarras is getting more exciting by the day as our summer favourites continue to return. As ever, please keep checking the reports…we’ll be posting all the news as the month unfolds!
