I Finally Make It - 4

Day 4, AM - Bee-eaters

We are stood at the meeting location Casa de Labor are we are told "it's bee-eater"...I ask where ? and the gent points to a "pop-up" about a hundred meters away on a mound, right, ok, so off we go.

It's a two man pop up hide, no, really a one man hide ! so with the bags out side we we set up. About 20 meters away the a branch that the Bee-eaters have been taking advantage out quite close to where they are breeding in a bank over a stream, you just have to wait, and wait and wait.

Occasional we get a visit of a single bird, no pairs, no interaction, but at least we are getting some images.

Not the best of experiences but it's another ticked off the list. This afternoon...the Hydro Hide....wow !

El Taray Map

 Bee-eater

Day 4, PM - Hydro Hide, Laguna de El Taray 

This afternoon it's a session in a Hydro Hide, if you'r wondering what this looks like here's an image of the vary same taken from El Taray's site. 

Get your wetsuit on and get paddling !

Meeting up at the usual location late afternoon we make our way to get kitted out with wetsuits, great in the 35degrees of heat, we then head oof by truck down to the lake to set up on the floating hide, basically the hide has two side floats with a gimbal mount on the front and a pull over cover. Any items like batteries etc can be kept in a water proof container.

Once setup you wade into the water pushing the hide to move forward, great if you can feel the bottom as sometimes you don't and one of the reasons it's only available in summer when the water levels are lower.

Your tactics can vary, slowly mover around the lake looking for suitable subjects, or you can just sit and wait to see what comes your way.

Shelduck

There were a few Shelduck around some with young, what strikes me is they all look a bedraggled.

Black-necked Grebe

One of the first birds you'll see are Black-necked Grebe's, there must be a hundreds or more, many at this time of year sat on nests amongst the protection of the Black-headed Gull colony's, when a predator appears the gulls take to the air on mass noisy mobbing the predator, usually a Marsh Harrier to send packing.

Move slowly and the grebes will approach as close as 2.0m.

White-headed Duck

On the other hand these ducks are really skittish and difficult to approach.

Little Egret

Salinas Good Friday

Another fantastically sunny day and yes i'm off to the salinas at San Pedro. Parking at the visitors centre at main road end of the salinas it obvious its a bank holiday, there are runners and cyclists a plenty out early enjoying the early morning sunshine.

Making my way to the hides overlooking the small lake, as on other visits I have yet to see anything of interest other that a couple of summer migrants, a Spotted Flycatcher and female Blackcap, so its back to the car to make my way down to "mosquito alley" to look for migrant wagtails. 

The carpark is filling up with walkers heading through the dunes to the beach which suites me as I head the other way along the salt pan embankment. I again locate Blue Headed and White Wagtails that have been here for a couple of days, and a very close encounter with a Turnstone showing the signs of a new summer plumage. A Green Finch lands on a scrub bush two metres away providing a good photo op but other than that, little else

Occasionally flamingos fly overhead moving from one salt pan to another which provides good photo ops, a group of five Mediterranean Gulls pass over head with there unmistakable call. Its now become quite busy so its time to called it a day at the salt pans

Driving past Camposeven growers at La Romero, I see a multi coloured bird perched on a fence, my first instinct is Roller, stopping the car I see its a Bee-eater, in fact probably up to twenty, hawking insects over a field recently harvested of crops, a nice photo op so close to the accomadation.

Click image for clarity