Spain & Rain !

Campoverde - 19.05.2025

I'm back in the Costa for some sun, I don't know why its warmer back in the UK, but its still good to get away for a few days.

At the end of the road near the accommodation there's are Sand Martin's breeding in two locations, one you can park the car and shoot out of the car window, that's relaxed wildlife photography.

It's the middle of May and the young the majority that I can see have fledged, but they still return to the nest holes resting or waiting for the adults to return with food. It's mega activity with probably 40-50 birds zooming around the nest holes, some birds are clinging to the rock face so plenty of photo opportunities to be had.

Parking up the Sand Martin's scatter across the fields returning after a short period, while I'm waiting I get the Merlin app out to see what's around in an old orange grove opposite, I don't need the Merlin for this one the unmistakable song of a Nightingale belting it out it's song now very uncommon now in the UK, next Bee-eaters call overhead common early mornings as they venture out into the countryside, a Golden Oriole calling in a tree opposite and a Melodious warbler all within a five minuet period !...right back to the action.

Lately on my visits I've been travelling light taking a camera, 100-500 and some batteries, if you get close you can still get good subject separation but nothing like a big prime lens.

Over the next hour here are a few images taken, now it's time to head back for some breakfast and I'm told I've got the beach to look forward too !

Sand Martin

Flying Visit

Campoverde - 14.05.2023

It's a flying visit over to the Costa and the question is should I take the camera gear, well I did, but only the compact 100-500mm with the intension of just a couple of trips out targeting two species, Sand Martin and hopefully down on the salinas...Little Tern.

I'm very fortunate to have two Sand Martin colonies literally 500m from the accommodation so its easy photography, you just sit in the car and shoot. A quick reci around mid-day and it's all action, the colony is all action with birds on the rock face and young poking heads out of holes, so a visit later in the afternoon is the plan. I'm back around 5.0pm but now it's all quiet, I wait an hour still no action so that's it and I pack up.

It's now the following morning with blue sky and sun the rock face shinning white in the sunlight no good to get an image, I need a plan B and it's using the shade of a tree and focus just on a small area of the colony that's in shade. 

Now an hour later and I've racked up 1,200 on the card, some good, some not so good, now it's the edit. I like editing, the expectation of what you might have captured, finger crossed.

Sand Martin

End Of The Road

Campoverde - 9.5.19

At the end of the road I'm very fortunate to have not one, but two separate Sand Martin colonies occupying small earth bankings adjoining a quiet road, very convenient as all you have to do is remain in the car getting some great images of these returning summer migrants.

The arrival of Sand Martins always indicate spring has arrived with summer's not too far away, one of the first summer migrants to arrive in the UK having spent the winter in Sub-Saharan Africa occasionally looking a little out of place when it can still be cold and wet back home, but here in Southern Spain it's thirty degrees and sunny blue sky's.

As I start the days photographic exploits as long as it not too early and the light is good enough I like to spend ten minuets or so looking for that unusual shot, sometimes I'm just happy to watch the antics as a group of twenty or so Martins swoop in and cling to the bank face chattering with their Budgie like calls.

Here are just some of the hundreds of images taken, next time I'm hopeful I get get those shots where the young fledglings are eagerly waiting at the hole entrance encouraging the parent birds to bring a constant supply food.

Until the next time.

Sand Martin