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

Add caption





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.

Add caption

TONGUE ORCHID

SAVIS WARBLER

FERRUGINOUS DUCKS

Add caption

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.