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

It's Grebe Time !

April 2021 - "Op Norf"

Over the last three weeks I've concentrating on following the antics of Black-necked Grebes and better still the weather has been superb al be it a little harsh by mid-morning but being up since 4.0am a good time to head back home.

Black-necked Grebe's in the UK are designated as a Schedule 1 protected bird as such I'm not going into much detail other than to post some images, some good, some not so good, but it was good to see the other wise rare grebes close up.

Black-necked Grebe

This young individual fell off the back of the parent grebe and was scuttling after the parent trying to jump back on, I literally had a five second opportunity to get this image.

A New Site Op Norff !

9.4.2021 - "Op Norff"

I've seen some cracking images of BNG over the last few weeks many from locations in the north of England which seems to now be a strong hold for this rare grebe. One location a former opencast mining area that flooded a vast area in 1968 when the river bank collapsed that eventually opened to the public as a nature park. 

Now home up to thirty BNG's I'm told holding around a quarter of the UK's breeding population it's become an important location helping spread these grebes around northern part of the country and probably why they are seen more often over wintering in the local area. So now that the breeding season in full swing what better time to check out the location and see what images are on offer.

Believe it or not, it's short drive from my home and a location I've never previously visited, so for the next few weeks I'm intending spending most days following the grebes as they go through the display, pairing and hopefully seeing the young as they ride on the parents back.

Here's the first few initial images taken more often on sunny days, not the best for photography but at least it's early 4.30am start but I do get an early mid-day finish !

Black-necked Grebe

The Road To San Felipe

19th April - San Felipe & Vistabella Road

It's El Hondo today starting off at the visitor centre at San Felipe then moving on to the public hides on the Vistabella Road. It's an early start and still dark as I drive up the AP7 Motorway arriving at 8.15 am, as I'm leaving the centre carpark I spot a pair of Little Ringed Plover on the gravel area adjacent to the carpark, last year a pair bred behind the roped area quite close, may be the same pair?

I position myself just behind a hedge with the birds sat on a gravel ridge with some tamarisk bushes as a back drop in the distance, it's a clean shot and I take advantage of the opportunity that not often presents itself. Occasionally Rabbits dive out of the tamarisk bushes with the females being chased by males, I move on.

Click image to view

Little Ringed Plover

European Rabbit

Near the reserve centre building Great Reed Warblers are in full chatters telling other males....."this is my territory keep out". I get some images but you need luck to get a clean shot and avoid including the ever present mass of tangle reeds or branches in the image.

Great Reed Warbler

Moving round to the board walk stopping at the covered platform where the Spotted Crake was seen a few days back I meet up with a couple of resident brit birders, it's always good to exchange conversation in the morning sunshine. But it's cameras to the right in the mornings due to the light angle and I manage some images of Whiskered Tern and a lone male Widgeon which I'm told is unusual for this location.

The rest of the visit is mainly the usual resident species, Marbled Teal, Red Crested Pochard, Gallinule and a fair number of Pratincoles wheeling and screeching overhead, a few long range waders, including Kentish Plover, Little Stint and Curlew Sandpipers some of which are changing into their red summer plumage.

Time to move on to Vistabella Road.

Whiskered Tern in transition to summer plumage

Vistabbella Road hides are located about seven miles distance on the opposite side of El Hondo Reserve, it's an easy drive with straight traffic free country roads. Parking up at the usual location next to the slice bridge that separates the road and the reeds it's a long walk to the second hide my preferred location as the hide is positioned lower to the water making for better images. But a word of caution to visitors, the last hundred meters is on a raised walkway, about 400mm wide, and in summer about one meter above the water, so if your nervous and have expensive camera gear....take care !

Black Neck Grebe cruise passed some with this years young in tow, a couple off White Headed Duck dive in front of the hide and Greater Flamingos are ever present in large numbers. A couple more shots of Red Crested Pochard and I make my way back to the car calling at the first hide to check any other image possibilities.

Black Necked Grebe

Black Neck Grebe - juvenile

Red Crested Pochard - male

It's 4.0 pm and the wind has increased, my preferred flat calm water has long gone so I decide to call it a day. Theres always another day in the sunshine.