Thekla Lark -
A field trip with the Andalucia Bird Society today took us up to the Sierra Loja with Mick Richardson.
It was a large gathering and as we moved up the mountain track in a convoy of about nine cars, I realised that it was going to be difficult to get close to anything with such a large group. However while hanging back behind the wagon train I did manage some good close-up shots of a Thekla Lark that posed nicely for us.
It was a large gathering and as we moved up the mountain track in a convoy of about nine cars, I realised that it was going to be difficult to get close to anything with such a large group. However while hanging back behind the wagon train I did manage some good close-up shots of a Thekla Lark that posed nicely for us.
Black-eared Wheatear -
Although we had a good day with some excellent sightings, good photo opportunities were few and far between. It was a pleasure though to see so many Black-eared Wheatears, a particularly lovely bird that graces the higher slopes of the sierras in Spring, here it was a lot more numerous than its Northern cousin.
Spanish Ibex -
We spotted a number of Spanish Ibex looking down on us from the rock ridges, probably wondering what all that traffic was doing up here.
Rock Thrush -
Then at the furthest and highest point along the track we finally found our target bird, the superb Rock Thrush. This colorful male, seen here highlighted against the skyline on a ridge, shows the classic orange underparts with the slate blue-grey head, a superb colour combination. Some distance off but not too far away for a record shot.
Spectacled Warbler -
Although we did see plenty of other species, including Northern and Black Wheatears, Blue Rock and Mistle Thrushes, Rock Bunting and Rock Sparrow, Azure-winged Magpie, Red-Billed Chough, Jackdaw and Jay, Bee-eater and Black Redstart amongst many others, for me the next best sighting was of a Spectacled Warbler, a bird I do not see very often so very welcome.
Andalucia Bird Society, Field Trip to Sierra Loja 17th April 2013
The group photo above does not quite have everybody on it, Elena is lost in the background somewhere along with some others too as I believe the total group number was twenty-nine, an excellent turn out.
I know the Red Legged Partridge is not the rarest or most exciting sighting, but I couldn´t resist posting this photo as the bird almost screamed "Take me!" and posed conspicuously on a rock very close to the car. So here he is. I think it must have been a good year for this species as there are a lot about, all looking extremely well fed. I expect that there will be some well fed hunters too as a result when the shooting season opens.
I know the Red Legged Partridge is not the rarest or most exciting sighting, but I couldn´t resist posting this photo as the bird almost screamed "Take me!" and posed conspicuously on a rock very close to the car. So here he is. I think it must have been a good year for this species as there are a lot about, all looking extremely well fed. I expect that there will be some well fed hunters too as a result when the shooting season opens.
