catch of the day - Kestrel I caught two surprising scenes of predation on camera today. A Kestrel had taken what appears to be a relatively large bird. I cannot quite make out the species of the unfortunate victim, possibly a Blackbird or Starling, but it is definitely the largest catch I have witnessed for a kestrel. They often take fledglings and young vulnerable birds, but this case appears to be a fully fledged victim.
Kestrel with unknown victim
Kestrel - falco tinnunculus with vole Here the victim was a mouse or vole, along with insects more typical prey for kestrels. I believe the extremely wet winter may have devastated our small mammal population, explaining the complete absence of marsh harriers, buzzards and many birds of prey other than a few kestrels and short-toed (Snake eating) eagles. It might also explain why a kestrel would resort to catching a bird for lunch rather than its usual diet of insects or voles.
Night Heron - nycticorax nicticorax, with Southern Smooth Snake - coronella girondica
Here is another busy predator. A Night Heron tackling a sizeable snake. It´s hard to imagine the bird actually managing to swallow such a large creature and unfortunately the heron flew off with its prize, so I never got to see the outcome.
 Night heron & Snake |  Night Heron flying off with Smooth Snake The snake did put up a bit of a fight as it coiled around the heron´s bill, all to no avail as the bird seemed to have an iron grip on the writhing reptile even in flight. |
Black-crowned Night Heron - nycticorax nicticorax, with Southern Smooth Snake - coronella girondica
Spotted Flycatcher - muscipapa striata These shots (Except kestrel with vole) were taken on a quick visit to the Rio Velez. I have been busy with visitors from America lately but am looking forward to getting out with the camera again soon.
There were all the usual birds present today, waders wading, flycatchers catching flies, wagtails wagging tails and plenty of twittering Serins and Goldfinches. The Nightingales have stopped singing now, presumably they are all paired off and are busy breeding. Mediterranean Gulls are flocking already, there must have been a thousand or more of them over the rivermouth.
I am pleased to see so many Pied Flycatchers this year, they are just as prolific as their spotted cousins. Only two years ago I didn´t see any at all, now they are everywhere.
There were all the usual birds present today, waders wading, flycatchers catching flies, wagtails wagging tails and plenty of twittering Serins and Goldfinches. The Nightingales have stopped singing now, presumably they are all paired off and are busy breeding. Mediterranean Gulls are flocking already, there must have been a thousand or more of them over the rivermouth.
I am pleased to see so many Pied Flycatchers this year, they are just as prolific as their spotted cousins. Only two years ago I didn´t see any at all, now they are everywhere.
 Pied Flycatcher - ficedula hypoleuca |  Yellow Wagtail - moticilla flava  Serin |
Dipper - cinclus cinclus Next day (Friday 24th) I stopped in at the Rio Guadalfeo near Benaudalla. The river is in full flow, swollen with meltwater from the Sierra Nevada snows. The bird I was looking for was the Dipper and there it was. I believe there must be a mating pair as I saw one coming and going to a hole in the bank behind a waterfall, very picturesque. It was a very pleasant interlude with the looping song of Golden Orioles coming from high above in the eucalyptus trees, and although I caught brief glimpses of these super birds I still have not managed to get even a record shot. One day hopefully I will get lucky.
