Scorching heat during the day, no rain for many weeks... Summer in the south of Spain is not the ideal time of year to go birdwatching. I decided to visit one of my favourite places, the Medina Lagoon. Because of the temperatures being in the high 30s, I arrived really early, that is in complete darkness, before 6.30AM. There was a bit of a spooky atmosphere, to be honest, and I felt some sort of relief when I arrived at the wooden platform which is usually my first stop when I visit the lagoon.
I had heard some flamingos, but hadn't seen any, until all of a sudden the whole flock took to the air. Around 140 birds overflew the lagoon and landed a bit further in the water to forage.
Since I didn't expect to see many birds, my main goal was to make a video of the sunrise, of which you can see the result below:
Just before leaving I came across a pair of Common Linnets, sitting on a treetop.
 |
| Male Common Linnet |
 |
| Goldfinch |
 |
| Low water level, clearly visible on the right of the photo |
 |
| A Eurasian Coot taking to the air |
The unexpected moments are usually the best: less than an hour after my arrival a flock of 22 Glossy Ibis overflew my camera, leaving the valley. I could almost feel but certainly hear the flapping of their wings. Watch the moment in the video below: