Long-legged Buzzard - N African s.species (cirtensis) over The Strait of Gibraltar near Tarifa.
Northern Bald Ibis. There are only around four hundred of this species free-flying, on the planet! This shot was taken near the re-introduction site near Barbate.
The impressive Lanner Falcon. This N African bird comes across from Morocco fairly regularly during autum migration
One of the noisiest birds around during the breeding season, the Great Spotted Cuckoo
An adult Spanish Imperial Eagel. Taken at Monfrague National Park, Extremadura, Spain
The Red Knobbed or Crested Coot shown here in spring near Medina Sidonia, Cadiz. The engorged blood sacks on the birds head almost seem ready to burst at this time of the year!
Marbled Duck are very scarce birds on the Iberian peninsula.
A Black shouldered Kite lands on a post.
Black Storks winter on The Strait and can be seen on migration between the two continents.
Iberian (Azure-winged) Magpie. A stunning bird that's resident in Andalucia as well as many other parts of Spain and Portugal.
One of the rarest duck in Europe, the White-headed Duck.
A beautiful male Lesser Kestrel nesting in one of the white villages caled Alcala de Los Gazules, Cadiz province, Andalucia
Juvenile Bonelli's Eagle over La Janda
Little Swift at Bolonia
Osprey bred at the Barbate reservoir. The first time in 60 years on the entire Iberian peninsula
The elegant Montagu's Harrier, seen here over the Barbate countryside.
Lesser Kestrel - You can help these birds by mounting kestrel nestboxes on your houses in the "Pueblos Blacos". Lesser Kestrels are a declining species in many areas!
Rock Sparrows are often elusive little passerines that often nest in olive or cork-oak trees
Little Bustard (female) near Vejer de la Frontera
A young Dottrel, seen here on autumn migration near Barbate, Cadiz province, Andalucia.
A dark morph Booted Eagle at La Janda
A beautifully camouflaged Little Bustard
A Long-legged Buzzard on The Strait of Gibraltar. Although not a Iberian breeding bird, it can be seen with luck on autmn migration in Andalucia.
A Rufous Bush Robin displays near Facinas
Short-toed Eagle at Barbate
A Light morph ofthe fabulous Booted Eagle - the smallest of the European Eagles
A wintering Bluethroat at La Janda
A Honey Buzzard - beautiful raptors that breed further north in Spain and C & N Europe
Flight shot of a male Red crested Pochard
Whinchat passing through on migration - look at the snails lying dormant under the hot Andalucian sun
Bee-eater at La Janda in August
Black shouldered Kite in flight
Booted Eagle (light morph) over Trebujena, Andalucia
The Hoopoe is truly a special bird. I was fortunate to take this lovely, "typical Andaluz" fenceposts shot with the bird in the foreground.
A Bluethroat obligingly hops onto a rock!
Griffon Vulture takes a rest during feeding.
Great Egret on the Rio Guadalquivir near Bonanza (the original Bonanza....stop humming that tune!)
The ubiquitous Barn Swallow.
A lovely male Black-eared Wheatear near Barbate, Cadiz.
A Bluethroat taken up in the Sierra de Gredos, Spain.
This is a good example of a very dark form of Booted Eagle diving after prey
The wonderful Montagu's Harrier near Vejer de la Frontera
Collared Pratincoles breed in good numbers near our house each summer.
A Whitethroat, looking its best in spring.
An Alpine Swift shows off its acrobatic abilities while hunting flying insects.
Pallid Swift
An Egyptian Goose accompanies a flock of migrating Greylag in October
A Bee-eater flies low over a spring meadow. Bee-keepers dislike the birds and often persecute them. The actually take over 360 different types of fying insects!
Greater Flamingoes
Greater Flamingos on the Rio Guadalquivir, between Cadiz and Huelva provinces, Andalucia.
The Iberian race of Yellow Wagtail. This adult is a real stunner.
A little Owl watches us on one of our day tours.
Black shouldered Kites are increasing in numbers in Europe.
Woodchat Shrike
The "gangly" flight of a Purple Swamphen.
Osprey on migration
An adult Woodchat Shrike surveys the area in summer. (note the snails on the plant)
A wintering Common Crane at La Janda
Black-taied Godwits feeding at Castro Marim nature reserve, Portugal.
The Audouin's Gull - a globally rare species that is slowly increasing in numbers.
An Audouin's Gull takes flight
A migrating Short-eared Owl takes a break at La Janda, Cadiz Province, Spain.
Wintering Black Stork (juv.) at La Janda
Cattle Egrets over La janda
The impresive Short-toed Eagle. A spring and summer visitor. This is a typical form with dark hood and medium underwing barring. Some birds can be very pale with little barring.
Black shouldered Kites in La Janda - September 2007
A tagged Black Shouldered Kite bearing ID mark "Y+" at La Janda
The often elusive Rufous Bush Robin. A great bird to watch displaying during late spring and summer.
Black Shouldered Kite in flight
A Bar-tailed Godwit feeding at Zahara de Los Atunes during the spring migration
Purple Swamphen
A freshly emerged Peregrine Falcon on it's first major flight during the autumn migration
A young Bonell's Eagle shows us the lovely rusty colours on its body and wing. Later the chest and belly moults to a lighter buffish colour.
Majestic flight of Glossy Ibis over La Janda
A Rufous Bush Robin watches from atop an "Acebuche" or Wild Olive tree.
A flight of Greater Flamingoes on the Barbate coast
Glossy Ibis feeding with Cattle Egrets.
Booted Eagle sits with a smile on a "Private Hunting" sign!
Black eared Wheatear dancing in the wind on wild thistle heads - a lovely breeding migrant in Spain.
Very dark form of Booted Eagle at La Janda
Little Owl on an Acebuche - wild olive tree
Don't try this at home.... Little Owl on a prickly pear cactus near Barbate
Corn Bunting - Singing happilly or is it crying in pain...
Hoopoes in a cork-oak tree
The beautiful and often quite confiding Ortolan Bunting.
A Black-crowned Night Heron (adult)
Little-Ringed Plovers displaying near Benalup, Cadiz
The Egyptian Vulture is another globally declining species that is also a migrant to Andalucia.
Young Marsh Harrier hunting at La Janda
A quick moving Bonelli's Warbler in the Alcornocales forest, Cadiz.
Juvenile Marsh Harriers
Marsh Harrier - check those talons!
Another Bluethroat, this one taken in spring in the Gredos mountains, central Spain.
The majestic Short-toed Eagle near Facinas, Cadiz
Squacco Heron - another summer migrant at La Janda
Bee-eaters resting on migration....well, one of them still has some energy!
The ubiquitous and always appealing Stonechat
Two Black-bellied Sandgrouse fly across the steppe in Extremadura, Spain.
A young Spanish Imperial Eagle at La Janda
An adult Black-crowned Night Heron. Mainly a nocturnal feeder.
Spotted Crake on migration near Los Naveros, Cadiz
The magnificent Spanish Imperial Eagle seen here over La Janda, Cadiz, Spain. (it's great to have this on your "garden list"!)
A Lesser Short-toed Lark in flight
White stork thinks twice about hitching a ride from a Griffon Vulture
Booted Eagle
The lovely Hoopoe.
Common Crane wintering at La Janda
unusual view from above of a Short-toed Eagle. A specialist reptile hunter, hence the "short toes"!
A Short-toed Eagle. Look at those lovely long wings.
A Booted Eagle (light morph), taken near Tarifa town on migration across The Strait of Gibraltar
The lovely Black-eared Wheatear
Black Shouldered Kite close to our house
Just out the nest. Two Black-eared Wheatears
Marsh Harrier. This is a juvenile bird showing the typical light crown, sometimes spread down the neck and shoulders.
European Roller
A Great Bustard walks slowly off across the steppe area near Castro Verde, Portugal
A Black-necked Grebe in winter plumage (note the ring on its leg)
Bonelli's Warbler, a summer visitor to Europe. The Iberian birds are a bit lighter in colour than the C European ones I've seen
The complete flight colours shown on this beautiful Greater Flamingo at Bonanza in Cadiz province
A Booted Eagle, this time a dark form
Cirl Bunting
Cetti's Warbler
Griffon Vultures at a feed. I've seen up to three hundred Griffons at a feed at one time. It is always an amazing spectacle with great sound!
White Stork in the late afternoon sun at La Janda
Griffon Vulture in flight. Griffon Vulture wingspan can exceed 370 cms! (12 ft)
Montagu's Harriers breed quite close to where we live in Andalucia
Sardinian Warbler, one of our resident sylvia's
White Storks in the paddy fields of La Janda in August
A lovely example of the Short-toed Eagle
A Booted Eagle clutching a young pheasant
Migrating Sparrowhawk
Short-toed Eagles are so called as they are specialist reptile hunters. Large talons would not suit the job - hence their name
A lovely male Stonechat looking his best
A Lesser Kestrel arrives back at its nest site at the bull-ring in Trujillo, Extremadura, Spain
Squacco Heron
Little Egrets are spreading north in Europe
Northern Wheatear
Golden Oriole
Black Storks high up on migration on The Strait of Gibraltar
Marbled Ducks
Eurasian Spoonbill
Greater Flamingos
European Goldfinches are extremely common in S Iberia and one can never tire of watching them feeding on thistle heads
Booted Eagles have feathers right down to the base of their legs, giving the appearance that it has furry boots!
A Rufous Bush Robin takes off from a post. Look at that wonderful tail
Montagu's Harrier - this bird is a melanistic form and quite rare. There are breeding groups in the N of Spain and we usually see them on spring and autumn passage
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse flying over the "dehesa" of Extremadura in C Spain
Greater Flamingos on the Coto Doñana
Purple Heron, another summer migrant
Black-necked Grebe - in summer plumage
Migrating Eurasian Spoonbills over our house. The juvenille birds show dark wing tips
Eurasian Spoonbill fishing
Griffon Vultures after a feed - Lovely neck colour
Honey Buzzard
Melodious Warbler
Cirl Bunting in summer plumage
Collared Pratincole
Common Buzzard
White Stork
Black Kite makes a deep turn towards the camera
A Booted Eagle, this time from a different angle
A winter shot of Pintail Ducks in flight
Glossy Ibis on migration along The Strait of Gibraltar
Grey Wagtail at Barbate in winter
Garganey. A small elegant duck about the size of a Teal
A Lesser Kestrel over the white village of Alcala de Los Gazules, Cadiz
Purple Heron - another summer migrant
A Hoopoe flies past. I'm always looking for a good flight shot of this tricky bird. The photo is ok but eventually I'll be rewarded with a good one....
Long-tailed Tit
Black Storks in flight
Little Bittern
Short-eared Owl
Black Kite
Pied Flycatcher
White Storks. One photo was taken at the village of Cantarranas (The name means Singing Frogs) Cadiz and the other shot was taken in Turkey. Animals know no borders or any religion
Common Cranes visit La Janda, Andalucia and these are the most southerly wintering cranes in Europe. Each winter we have around two thousand birds feeding.
A juvenile Black Stork
Two male Little Bustard fly in the morning light over the steppe lands of Extremadura.
Griffon Vultures like to glide and soar on thermals, saving valuable enrgy. Getting airbourne can be an effort as they are huge birds.
Iberian Chiffchaff
Montagu's Harrier - female
Woodlark
Pied Flycatcher on migration at Barbate, Cadiz
Subalpine Warbler at Barbate in autumn
Lesser Kestrel - female
One of the many "cage-birds" released/escaped into the Iberian countryside. This is a Yellow-crowned Bishop an equatorial African species
Just to show you the long primary feathers or "fingers" at the end of the wings
Peregrine Falcon
White Storks in the paddy fields in summer, fishing for crayfish!
White-headed Duck amongst some Eurasian Coot
Classic example of a Booted Eagle
Another Short-toed Eagle on migration on The Strait of Gibraltar
Lanner Falcon being mobbed by a Lesser Kestrel. La Janda, September 2007
Blue Rock Thrush - a lovely brightly coloured male in spring plumage
Black-winged Stilt
Little Bustards in flight
An adult Black crowned Night Heron shows his back as comes into land at a roost with over ninety other birds
Black Stork
Lesser Kestrels
Black Wheatear near Ronda
Black winged Stilts on the marsh land near Barbate
Booted Eagle. The two shoulder "dotd" are known as headlights or landing lights and are a good ID feature of both this the pale (more commoner) form and the darker form.
Again another Booted Eagle, light form
Common Cranes departing the Barbate area after wintering with us in the south
Egyptian Vultures are fairly early migrants,, returning often in early March each year
Greater Flamingo (adults) take off from a salt lagoon
A Griffon Vulture dries his neck feathers after a particularly good feed at a dead donkey carcass
The elegant Honney Buzzard returning to Africa after their breeding period in Europe
A wonderful female Little Bustard walks slowly away from the camera one morning during early spring
Yellow Wagtail (male). This is the Iberian race and qite a stunning bird too
Osprey over Alcala de Los Gazules, Cadiz province
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse displaying near Trebujena, Cadiz province
Purple Swamphen. A dreadful name. The Blue Chicken would even sound better!
A Red-billed Chough in flight
A Redshank takes to the wing
A Rock Bunting has a cool bath
A Short-toed Eagle - this time the photo was taken slightly above the Eagle to show the contrasting darker upperside
A Slender-billed Gull showing a lovely pink tinge to the breast
Two slender-billed Gulls
and another shot of the same two birds - very elegant gulls
.....compare with Black-headed Gull
A lovely male Stonechat
Morning mist at La Janda with White Storks on the flooded rice fields
A migrating Whinchat on dried thistle heads covered in snails
Woodchat Shrike in spring plumage
and again
Long-legged Buzzard. This is the North African race (Buteo rufinus cirtensis), a very special bird for Spain now breeding in Cadiz province
A Marbled Duck flies past some Common Coots
A male Marsh Harrier heads north through Cadiz province on early spring migration in March
A wintering Meadow Pipit with the richness of a brown Andalucian cow as backdrop
A Northern Bald Ibis surveys it's surroundings.
Northern Bald Ibis flying near Barbate, Cadiz province
This bird can recieve over 340 channels of TV and radio
Osprey
Black Wheatear
Corn Bunting
Dartford Warbler
Eurasian Spoonbills in Flight
Griffon Vulture after a feed
Spanish Imperial Eagle (juv) on migration
Short-toed Eagle
White Storks in the early morning mist
