Saturday 19 May 2007

Spain 16th May 2007 Barbate and Cape Trafalgar

We started the day by visiting the Emblase de Barbate again, because I'd seen a Ruddy Shelduck there on the first visit and wanted to photograph it, once I realised that it could be rare for Spain, if it is a genuine wild bird.

It certainly didn't allow close approach and quickly flew off, towards the rice fields when it stuck my head over the bank I was approaching behind.

Along the coast, between Barbate and Cape Trafalgar there is an extensive area of pines, that are open to the public. The common Sardinian Warbler noisly announced its presence everywhere and we watched a pair of Spotted Flycatchers here. This was once a common species in Kent but numbers have drastically declined.

At Cape trafalgar I was fascinated by the skill of the Kite-surfers, and I was jealous, how I wish I was young and fit enough to do it!

The girl at the back is just at the beginning of an atheletic jump, but she didn't regain her balance and continue the run.

While we were here a continuous stream of Honey Buzzards were arriving. They cross the sea a the narrow strait between Morocco and Spain on their way north to breed.

Various waders were in the pools behind the beach, this is a kentish Plover.

This group consists of Dunlin, Ringed Plovers and kentish Plovers.
This Yellow-legged Gull had just acquired a eel, but it failed to make a meal of it.

Two Black-winged Stilts were on the beach.

While I was photoing the Stilts four Whimbrel flew in

Whimbrel

Crested Larks were plentiful in the beach area.

Resting Yellow-legged Gulls.

The town of Vejer de la Frontera is on of the most "Moorish" of the southern Spanish towns.

The Church at Vejer.


The White Storks nest on the church at Cantarranas is the image that most people have of White Sorks in Spain.


The nest here was multipurpose. Storks on top, and then House Sparrows and Spotless Starlings as tennants.