Silent Killer !

Hides de Calera (Day 3, PM) - 14.10.2025

The afternoon session on day 3 is a Goshawk session and one I’ve been looking forward to for some time. It's late afternoon and still full sun and blue sky as we make the short drive to a private nature reserve, I don’t know why it's private but that’s what I’m told.

Located in a dehase (open woodland) of oaks and pine trees we decant into one person wooden boxes called hides !…the wait starts.  It’s total silence, then a familiar call of a “bop” rings out, now I’m no expert but I guessing it’s a Goshawk, this carries on for about fiver minuets then the "goss" swoops in from behind the hide landing on an old stump ready with a free offering.

“Mantling” over it’s meal the Goshawk carries on calling as another “bop” is in a nearby tree, the second Goshawk swoops in making a bid to steal the food but is soon seen off. Always cautious the Goshawk continues to feed eventually moving over to a pile boulders, happy that the background light now being much better due to the darker pines behind.

As the setting sun dropping below the trees it casts the entire area into shadow pushing the camera ISO up and the shutter speeds down, with enough images I'm now just intent to watch the spectacle.

The Goshawk has now reduced the meat carcass to just scraps pulling the remains free and flying off, just as well as our time is up for the day.

Goshawk

The Imperial Eagle

Hides de Calera (Day 3, AM) - 14.10.2025

This morning I'm just outside a village called Navalcan with the Gredos mountain range in the distance the first opportunity where we are hoping for an encounter with the Spanish Imperial Eagle, other target species I’m hoping to see is the Egyptian Mongoose that’s also been taking advantage of the free offerings.

Very much like the Valley Hide visited the previous day I’m high up on a crag with panoramic views overlooking the vast open countryside preferred by many of the larger birds of prey. In front is a large pine tree where the eagles will use to check out the immediate area to ensure all is safe before coming closer. 

First to arrive are several Raven’s grabbing all they can before being seen off by the larger birds of prey. Red Kite’s swoop down rather than land taking their share and eating on the wing, a couple of Common Buzzards noticeable smaller in comparison to the larger eagles just sit in a tree and wait for an opportunity.

Eventually a couple of Imperial Eagles appear and land in the favoured pine a little to far for any decent images, then one deciding it’s safe to come a little closer but only staying for only a short time never to reappear again for remainder of my time.

Now the activity is quite probably a good time for an appearance of a mustelid that seems completely out of place in Spain, an Egyptian Mongoose. I didn’t have to wait too long for it to arrive, but it’s quick, very quick. Never staying long enough for the ideal full shot but it’s the best on the day. 

 

Raven

Spanish Imperial Eagle

Red Kite

Egyptian Mongoose

Time for a Drink !

Hides de Calera (Day 2, PM) - 13.10.2025

Now the afternoon session and we are heading to one of the many Dehesa’s (open wooded area) which is set up with a drinking pool always an attraction to passerines. The pool is very much the same as you would find at any other other location but here in sunny Spain much more productive.

With blue sky’s the sun is not kind as we are located in a shaded area shooting onto a open field of yellow in full sun which is over exposing the subject image background…doh ! fortunately as the afternoon progresses the light get better, but never ideal.

Azure-winged Magpie’s are everywhere maybe unto twenty, several of the group move off only to be replaced by another simular number, it’s manic. They are so quick, you just have to wait for one to land an fire off a burst hoping you get one in focus.

A single Hawfinch arrives it’s a male, then two more in total maybe up to ten both male and female, then they get spooked taking to the trees, but they soon come back.

Visitors include, some surprising having not seen previously…Hawfinch m/f, Goldfinch, Greenfinch m/f, Chaffinch, Blackcap m/f, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Azure-wing Magpie, Common Magpie. Robin.

Azure-winged Magpie

Hawfinch

Blue Tit

Chiffchaff

Grendos View

Hides de Calera (Day 2, AM)  Valley Hide - 13.10.2025

Today we are heading toward the Grendos mountain range to what’s called the “Valley Hide” primarily for vultures and other possible large raptors. The hide is located on top of a large gorge with expansive views over the gorge and countryside with the Grendos mountains in the distance.

The landscape is rugged and brown due to the prolonged period without rain, the trees autumn like sporting hues of yellow’s, orange and browns, coupled with the low early morning yellow sun creating long shadows, it could be challenging getting any descent images !

On arrival there are already several fox waiting to take advantage of the up and coming free offerings, I count five in total, some grey and a single brown animals. The fox grab what they can before the ever vigilant vultures arrive, one vulture arrives then more and more, it’s a free for all a feeding frenzy !

The best photo option is to wait and just watch the spectacle and when things calm down a bit you can pick your shot. Both Griffon and Black vultures are present the BV less so in number's maybe just three. Raven’s dance around the periphery trying to grab what they can cheekily harassing the vultures, the fox by this time have given up and sit well back occasional making a dash for a morsel.

Apart from several Red Kites zooming in picking the last remaining offerings the activity is over after maybe just twenty minuets, the vultures happy now just to sit and look out over the vastness of the countryside looking for the next opportunity. 

This afternoon it’s Hawfinch !…wow can’t wait.  

Fox 

Griffon Vulture

Black Vulture

Raven

Spain Time !

Hides de Calera (Day 1) - 12.10.2025

I’ve been looking forward to this trip to Hides de Calera to photograph the Iberian Lynx based in central Spain for some time, visiting earlier wasn’t really an option as they book up around eighteen months in advance, so with all arrangements in place, flights booked I'm off on a late flight to Madrid.

I’m pretty much doing what I've done previously staying overnight in a hotel close to the airport, then a pickup late afternoon the following day by HDC so plenty of time to relax before the drive down to Talavera. I’m staying for a week in a two start hotel quite basic and similar to that on the last trip to Villacarnas.

All checked into the Talavera “Hilton”…not ! ....it's a quick briefing from Jose the operator stating it's the Iberian Lynx hide first up in the morning. Now the following day feedback we are getting from a remote camera is showing the female cat and a cub are at the location, the anticipation builds.

A clearing in the forest has several wooden hides which will be home for the next few hours, I’ve been in better but they do a job. The female is laying down out in the open just in front of the hide giving some clear shots, then out of the tree line the cub comes bounding out. It’s a leisurely shoot over the next hour or so then in a flash the female grabs a rabbit and disappears off into the forest not to reappear for the next seven hours !

Now late afternoon the female cat reappears walking slowly up the forest track occasionally looking back to the cub that's following up behind. For the next couple of hours both cats just rest up, it's a case of just picking the most interesting pose on offer.

And that’s it for the first day, a long day with a long period of inaction. Tomorrow it's the “Valley Hide” primarily for vultures and others things, watch this space.

Iberian Lynx

Iberian Lynx - Cub

It's Windy !

Inner Farne - 04.07.2025

To finish up on the blog post on the recent Farne’s Islands trip. 

I’m back on Inner Farne although the star species on Inner Farne are the puffins the other major attraction you’ll encounter are Arctic Terns, but it’s easy to overlook other stuff rushing about in the brief one hour slot. I’ve manage a second trip so hopefully I can catch up with the other less common species missed first time round.

At the jetty area a Ringed Plover has set up territory, it’s giving the tern chicks a hard time relentlessly attacking any that ventures near it’s nest, it landing on rocks quite close but slightly obscured by a rope, I don't want to move and flush it and I rattle off a few shots, time to move on and spend some time with the terns.

As I walk up the track a pipit calls and lands on a post...it's a Rock Pipit, a few pairs I'm told breed close by. It only stays a few seconds but it's facing in the other direction, I'm holding off pressing the shutter button and then it turns...boom !

This year the Arctic Terns are mainly located only around the church buildings, sitting on walls they are very vocal adding to the the cacophony of noise, just keep your wits about you avoiding the arial attack, oh and the “white stuff”

The wind’s up today much stronger than yesterday so much that I’ve had to remove the lens hood to keep the lens from swing about. After more of the same shots I'm finishing off in the last remaining minuets with the puffins. And that’s it....time over and back to the boat.

See you next year.

Ringed Plover

Rock Pipit

Arctic Tern

Atlantic Puffin

Grey Seal