Once again I had found a location on Google Earth that seemed very interesting at first glance. I had every hope of finding a breeding colony of Bee-eaters, but it was mainly the several small lagoons that made me think that a visit to this place would be worthwhile. What I again could not tell from the satellite images was whether a fence would make access difficult, or worse, impossible. Fortunately, that wasn't much of a problem, as there was only a low fence at the edge of the area. Empty cartridges on the ground indicated that hunting had taken place here, which is surprising because this area is close to a residential area, just before Jerez de la Frontera. The cartridges I found seemed seemed to have worn with age, so they could have been from a while ago.
After seeing a colony of Rock Pigeons near one of the dilapidated buildings, I saw the first Bee-eater sitting on an electricity cable, in the far distance. This was a good start of the trip! A little later I saw a couple sitting on a branch, near the first lagoon, which fortunately contained quite a lot of water.
I saw and heard the Bee-eaters sporadically during my walk, but unfortunately I did not find a large group. However, I found a slope that could be the perfect breeding ground for these birds. I saw a dozen cavities but not a single Bee-eater nearby.
I found a wide variety of bird species at the first small lagoon: Spoonbills, Little Ringed Plovers, Mallards, Little Egrets and some smaller species hidden in the reeds, such as Nightingale and Great Reed Warbler.
I soon realized that I had discovered a beautiful, hidden piece of nature, even more beautiful than what a glance at Google Earth had suggested. No large numbers of birds, but the peace and beauty of the place made my visit well worth it.
The birds in the lagoon were difficult to photograph from the first angle, but after a hundred meters of walking I was able to reach the water. I was here primarily to explore the place, but it was so beautiful that I lay flat on the ground for half an hour to let the birds get used to my presence so I could take a few photos.
Looking for more bird species, I walked around the lagoons and came across a small eucalyptus forest. There were a number of Great Tits and some very noisy Nightingales, which allowed me to get very close.
My curiosity led me further through a small forest, where I saw a narrow river running as I looked through the vegetation on the side: the Guadalete. The first thing I noticed were a few large dragonflies perched on a piece of wood above the water.
I knew I wouldn't find any birds along this overgrown river bank, but I walked a little further. Suddenly two large birds flew up. One was clearly a Night Heron, flying low over the river, but I wasn't sure about the other one and I didn't have time to aim the camera. Had I seen an owl? It had flown up without making any sound, and I had seen a pattern that indeed reminded me of an owl, with gray and brown colors. Or was it another bird of prey? What a missed opportunity! A little further on I heard a lot of noise in one of the tree tops: a nervous group of Spotless Starlings. I was sure they hadn't noticed me. Had the mysterious bird startled them perhaps? I looked up through the countless branches, examined all the trees, but except the Starlings I saw nothing.
As I turned to step back, I noticed somethin that looked like a silhouette in one of the trees just along the river bank. In my search for the large bird I now thought I recognized a bird in all the branches and stumps. Was that an owl over there that I was looking at? I tried to zoom in with my camera between the branches, but the photos were also inconclusive. Anyway, I was looking at something that wasn't moving. Yes, now I saw it better, it was an owl!
A big owl even! Or not? Was I just imagining something? Wouldn't an owl have flown away long before? I carefully stepped a little closer and took a few more pictures. Now I was one hundred percent sure! A beautiful owl it was indeed! A photo of the impressive claws took away all doubts.
I didn't immediately know which owl it was. No, it wasn't a Long-eared Owl. Neither was it a Little Owl. I knew I would find out later at home which species it was, but now it was time to enjoy. The owl remained motionless, but kept following me with its gaze as I tried to reposition myself to take a better photo. The numerous branches made everything very difficult. From atop a fallen tree trunk I was able to take pictures of the entire bird and from almost just below the trunk where the owl was sitting I was able to zoom in really well.
The characteristic that really struck me was the greenish beak. Where the bird had previously narrowed its eyes and therefore looked less like a living being, it now seemed to look at me almost in a relaxed way.
Later I found that it was a Tawny Owl, a juvenile: a species which I had heard before during a spring night, but you have to be very lucky to find one of these elusive birds during the daytime. I'm not sure if the first bird I had seen flying up from a tree stump was the same one that I finally saw.
Adult Tawny Owls can be very aggressive in defending their young, and do not hesitate to attack even humans, targeting the neck and head. But my encounter had been completely peaceful!
Almost with regret I stepped away from the trees at the river bank. Once again the Nightingales accompanied me to the next lagoon, where a few Jackdaws warned the other birds of my arrival.
Just over the reeds, in a flash I saw a heron fly away. Possibly a Purple Heron, but I can't say for sure.
The variety of birds in this area was nothing short of spectacular. Several other birds of prey were also present, such as Kestrel, Buzzard and Booted Eagle. In total I saw no fewer than 40 different species.
Definitely a place to remember and visit again in the future!
Qué precioso cárabo, una suerte haberlo visto de día, felicidades!