Last time I went birdwatching, I did not take my camera. A capital mistake, because whenever and wherever you go, you always see something interesting! Although I did not expect to see anything really spectacular today, I was happy to have taken my equipment, because I saw some truly amazing birds, most of them willing to pose. The Torrox Lagoon hardly ever disappoints...
Let the images speak...
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| One of the stars of the day, the magnificent Hoopoe |
I saw several Hoopoes, one of them preening in a tree, another one looking for food on the ground. They are quite confident with human presence and always a joy to watch! |
| Hoopoe preening in a tree |
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| Displaying its beautiful crest |
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| Sunbathing |
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| Looking around for bugs |
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| Tossing an insect in the air |
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| Pure art! |
At this time of year, temperatures can be very high at noon, but today they allowed for a very comfortable walk that lasted almost three hours.
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| A nearby sunflower field |
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| A very confident Nightingale |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Blackbird |
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| Kestrel |
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| Crested Lark |
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| Eurasian Collared Dove |
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| European Turtle Dove |
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| Low-flying Barn Swallow |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Little Egret |
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| Squacco Heron flying towards me |
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| Little Bittern |
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| Spoonbill |
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Spoonbill
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| Muscovy Duck with its brood |
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| Two juvenile Red-crested Pochard |
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| Male House Finch catching an insect |
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| Female House Finch |
I also spotted several Crested Grebes. After previous disappointing attempts to capture their nuptial display on camera, I couldn´t believe my luck today when I saw the birds carrying some weed in their beaks and approaching each other. I was a bit too far away to take high-quality photos, but at least I witnessed the event.
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| A wonderful moment |
There was also a species that I spotted for the very first time, the Whiskered Tern. I flew by several times while it was catching fish from the lagoon.
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| Whiskered Tern |
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| Whiskered Tern diving out of the water |
Also several turtles were present today. After being released they have now become residents.
Find more information about this birding place here.
