Saturday 12 May 2018

THE SPANISH EXPEDITION (PART 3)

 Day 5 started with a BEE EATER fest in the garden.




BEE EATERS






BEE EATERS















After breakfast we set off once more to the Almonte river valley and this  old bridge.



The new motorway bridge in the background.








AZURE WINGED MAGPIE






BEE EATER IN FLIGHT


GREEN UNDERSIDE BLUE






DRAGONFLY Probably a Hawker?

PAINTED LADY

SHORT TOED EAGLE

NEXT STOP UP THERE AT THE TOP.


LARGE LOCUST

ANOTHER BLUE ROCK THRUSH
Having scrambled to the old ruins at the top, those that made it were rewarded with these swallowtail butterflies.



SCARCE SWALLOWTAIL












EUROPEAN SWALLOWTAIL a different species to the one found in the UK.







The descent was every bit as hazardous as the climb.






BONELLIS EAGLE




The first stop on the way back to Madrid was here for a session with Lesser Kestrels in this old church.








LESSER KESTREL


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SPOTLESS STARLING

BRINGING HOME A LOCUST











Eventually we had to leave the kestrel colony and make the short hop to the Arrocampo reserve where my hoped for quarry of Little Bittern should be readily on view,of course my hopes were dashed and it remains a mythical creature for me.

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TONGUE ORCHID


SAVIS WARBLER


FERRUGINOUS DUCKS



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SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAINS TO THE NORTH




BLACK VULTURE

TAKING A LOOK AT POTENTIAL MEAL

Back on the road to Madrid we stopped for lunch at a motorway services,they are slightly,no vastly different to those in Britain, they sell proper food, serve alcohol and other beverages and all at normal prices.

ROAST SUCKLING PIG

BUSY BUT VERY EFFICIENT PROFESSIONAL STAFF


TAKE AWAY SERVICE ALSO AVAILABLE, SIMPLY SUPERB.Not only that but the car park had a singing Spectacled Warbler to see us off.


A LAST PARTING GIFT
SPECTACLED WARBLER SINGING IN THE CAR PARK


SPECTACLED WARBLER

SPECTACLED WARBLER.
There then followed a mad dash to the airport through Friday afternoon traffic we all made it,just including our illustrious leader who had to return the mini bus.
THANKYOU EXTERMEDURA.
WE WILL RETURN.


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