Hides de Calera - (Day 5, AM) - 16.10.2025
The last day of the trip and hopefully it’s going to be “bop” overload. First up this morning an early morning start off to a vast area of open country known in Spanish terms as “steep”. The hide location looks out over an open plain with endless sky’s with just a light covering of cloud, in from of the hide a setup comprising several large log piles with a single dead tree several hundred meters further away.
As the sun rises it washes the ground with short grass in a yellow light, A lone Magpie is the first to arrive followed by a Common Buzzard, I’m thinking it’s a long way to come to see species commonly seen back home.
A female Marsh Harrier is next on the scene the numbers increasing by the second eventually maybe up to twenty present. I’m always amazed from what seem’s like as out of no where birds of prey with their incredible eye sight can see out a opportunity.
I’m looking for a shot that’s a little different with harriers squabbling when a large bird of prey swoops in, it’s a Spanish Imperial Eagle not one but two both eventually landing in the dead tree, a male and a larger female, the male sporting several leg tags and a GPS tracker on its back.
The action has attracted another bop, very wary and only viewing from a distance, it’s single Black Vulture. Cautiously clockwork like it walks closer to where the actions taking place, then takes to the air and departs.
Other birds of note, a Grey Heron strange to see sat in open vast open country with not a drop of water in sight, and a single Common Wheatear presumably on its way to winter south in Africa.
This evening it’s a final session with Goshawk’s a rare encounter in the UK more commonly seen in Spain and a great end to finish off the trip.
Spanish Imperial Eagle
Red Kite & Female Marsh Harrier
Black Vulture
Common Buzzard
Grey Heron
