My only mission for today was to take some decent photos of the magnificent Bee-eaters, one of the most beautiful species I have ever seen in the wild in Europe. I walked along the Bee-eater route near Vejer de la Frontera in the province of Cadiz. On a route with such a name I thought I couldn't go wrong.
I started the route at around 10 AM and immediately heard a lot of birds: House Sparrow, Melodious Warbler, Greenfinch and Nightingale, to name only a few.
The route is fairly easy but has a few steep climbs. The track is easy to follow and there are signs to guide you. However I would not recommend walking here in a wet month as it will get very muddy.
After an hour walking there was still no sign of the Bee-eaters. Fortunately there was enough to enjoy: the beautiful green landscape and other bird species. I stood still near a huge reed bed to listen to a singing Nightingale, hoping it would allow me to take its photo. But my efforts were in vain, even after fifteen minutes I didn't catch a glimpse.
However, near the turning point of the route, I was very lucky and saw a Nightingale perching on a branch. It gave me time to focus and take a shot! My best photo of a Nightingale ever.
It can be very frustrating when you know that they are hiding barely ten metres away while they are singing their lungs out, but the feeling of taking a clear photo is hard to describe!
I had almost given up hope of seeing a Bee-eater until suddenly I spotted something sitting high up on a powerline. I was sure it was another Corn Bunting. I checked the photo that I had taken and the LCD screen on my camera confirmed what I thought.
I also spotted another bird, but that one was an adventurous House Sparrow. And then, miraculously, I saw the most amazing pair of... Bee-eaters! They were sitting about twenty metres away from the Corn Bunting. Unfortunately they were too far away to take great pictures.
There was a fence which made it impossible to go any closer to the birds, so I decided to walk a bit further to see if there was another way to approach them. The only way to get closer was by opening a gate to a private land but as there was nobody around I went for it. After all, you don't run into a pair of posing Bee-eaters every day!
As I got closer, one of the birds flew off. I was at a reasonable distance, close enough to take some decent shots.
After a few minutes both birds disappeared out of sight. I decided to go and find them. Not sure if it was pure luck or instinct, but barely five minutes later I found both of them sitting in a tree. It gave me the opportunity to the some photos that were close to what I had always had in mind.
As I carefully went closer, the birds flew off again, from one tree or power line to the next. I was able to follow them and got quite close. They are certainly one of the most intriguing species I have photographed.
I had just said goodbye to these incredible creatures when I saw another impressive species flying high in the sky. Three Honey Buzzards were soaring in circles against the clear blue sky.
This was definitely a trip to remember for a long time. As I walked back to the car I paused a few times to enjoy the fabulous views and the sounds of nature.
Even after so much beauty, my birding appetite was still not satisfied so I decided to pay a quick visit to the Northern Bald Ibis colony in La Barca de Vejer. I counted fourteen birds, among which two chicks.
A beautiful ending to a remarkable birding expedition during which I spotted over 30 different species, among which the target of the day: the European Bee-eater. Mission accomplished!
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