El Rocio |
El Rocio - back of town |
Spoonbill, El Rocio, 6th March |
If you've never been and find yourself in this part of the world I'd highly recommend at least a day trip if only to sample the atmosphere. More info here.
Lots of birders and wildlife enthusiasts from all over Europe here as usual .. Dutch, British, German all with the gear, some go on the tours (not for me), some stick around El Rocio and do the nearby reserves of Rocina and Acebron, and there's plenty see .... Spoonbills in full breeding plumage
Spoonbill, El Rocio, 6th March |
Glossy Ibis, El Rocio, 6th March |
Azure Winged Magpie, La Rocina, 7th March 2015 |
Wild Lavender, Acebuche (Donana), 8th March 2015 |
Water Crowfoot, El Rocio, 6th March, 2015 |
This is probably my best Clouded Yellow effort .....Clouded Yellow, Acebron |
A couple of Swallowtail Butterflies around too but never quite got either still enough for long enough!
Swallowtail Butterfly, Acebron, 8th March 2015 |
Green Hairsteak |
Shame it was so distant, hence the thumbnail pics but it's undeniably a Gos!
Goshawk, Acebron, 8th March 2015 |
Goshawk, Acebron, 8th March 2015 |
Beyond the easily accessible reserves of Rocina, Acebron & Acebuche and access to the wild and wonderful wilderness that is the real Donana, its either a guided tour on one of big wheeled 'unimogs' or a 40k trek along dusty tracks beyond Villamanrique and Isla Mayor towards the Jose Antonio Valverde Centre, and unless you know the right roads its potentially vehicle damaging but once there you get everything you would on one of the guided tours.
Donana, nr the Jose Antonia Valverde centre |
Donana, nr the Jose Antonia Valverde centre |
In truth, and this is no excuse for slightly dodgy pics, this wasn't photography heaven. The distances are huge, many birds are distant and heat haze never helps. I was lucky enough to see a Spanish Imperial Eagle from El Rocio, perched on the top a Eucalyptus tree about 2 kilometres away (it was too much of a 'blob' to even attempt a picture!)
Lesser Kestrel, Donana, 9th March 2015 |
I knew they hang around in flocks but still strange to see 20 or so come out of one building! They're also migratory so these must be recent arrivals.
Lesser Kestrel, Donana, 9th March 2015 |
Lesser Kestrel, Donana, 9th March 2015 |
Spanish Horsemen, Donana |
Black Stork, Donana, 9th March 2015 |
Here's a few more pics from around the Jose Antonio Valverde Centre and if you ever visit Donana this is definitely the place to head for if you want a taste of the real thing; like I said its 'out in the sticks' and tricky to access unless you know the right tracks but so worth it. Here's a few more pics from the area....
Singing Bluethroat, Donana, 9th March 2015 |
Cattle Egret, Donana |
Night Herons behind the Bombeo pumping station, Donana |
Spanish Sparrows, Donana |
I've now been joined by my mate Mark and we're currently across in Portugal checking out Tavira and the Castro Marim areas before heading back into Spain to do San Lucar, Bonanza and then up into Extramudura. New birds for the trip recently added have been Common Scoter, Bar Tailed Godwit and a smashing male Montagues Harrier over the motorway as I was driving to Faro.
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