Gannet - morus bassanus Shopping in Malaga done, we took a walk along the beach at Guadalhorce & spent an hour watching the flight of Gannets wheeling and diving for fish.
It´s an exhillarating sight to see one of these sleek hunters wheel around........
It´s an exhillarating sight to see one of these sleek hunters wheel around........
Gannet - morus bassanus
Fold its wings, and accelerate into the dive.....
Gannet - morus bassanus
...a deadly missile streaking towards the prey.....
Gannet - morus bassanus
...and touchdown! slicing into the water, catching and swallowing a fish before re-surfacing. Impressive stuff.
Gannet - morus bassanus
Sandwich Tern - sterna sandvicensis And here´s another avian fishing machine, the Sandwich Tern.
Using a similar technique to the gannet, sight the prey, fold the wings and plunge into the water at high speed. Such momentum gives the fish no time to react. These birds have a very high success rate.
Using a similar technique to the gannet, sight the prey, fold the wings and plunge into the water at high speed. Such momentum gives the fish no time to react. These birds have a very high success rate.
Sandwich Tern - sterna sandvicensis
The Tern has very long and powerful wings, but they quickly fold, forming a streamlined, aerodynamic spear-fisher.
Sandwich Tern - sterna sandvicensis
Terns share another flying technique with the Kestrel, the ability to hover, allowing time to sight smaller fish than the gannet would be catching.
 Sandwich Tern - sterna sandvicensis |  Common Kestrel - falco tinnunculus |
Watching these flying wizards made up for the otherwise general lack of bird numbers at the Guadalhorce. Very few waders were present, one each of Avocet, Black-winged Stilt and Common Sandpiper. A couple of Dunlin and some Sanderlings on the beach. Wildfowl consisted of some Shovelers and a few Teal. No other ducks at all! A single Black-necked Grebe was the only other water bird of note until a Kingfisher flashed across in front of the main hide. No Marsh Harriers were sighted but a Peregrine Falcon could clearly be seen roosting in the dead trees on the far side of the main pond. It remained there for the duration of our visit.
