Spain VII

The Northern Bald Ibis (Hooaka-tokiホオアカトキ) was reintroduced into Andalucia and the project has been successful. One of the breeding sites the Ibis chose (apparently they didn't like the site humans chose for them!!) is on a cliff by a busy road.

Their plumage was very beautiful and their faces were ... yes, very bald!

They were sharing the cliff with the Western Jackdaw (Nishi-kokumarugarasuニシコクマルガラス).

On the way to the Strait of Gibraltar, we stopped by a lake to check if there was something interesting to see.

Vicent spotted an Osprey (Misagoミサゴ) sitting on a pole in the lake.

resident

Barn Swallows (Tsubameツバメ) and Red-rumped Swallows (Koshiaka-tsubameコシアカツバメ) were flying around and male Stonechats (Yoroppa(Europe)-nobitakiヨーロッパノビタキ) were singing on top of their singing posts.

Barn Swallow - resident

Stonechat - resident

We ended our 2-day birding trip with the Spanish Imperial Eagle.

We really enjoyed every moment of the two days with Vicent. If you have a day or even half a day in Andalucia to spare, we highly recommend to contact him.
Thanks Vicent!

Click here for Vicent's Doñana Wings

Spain II - Doñana National Park

Doñana National Park is located on the southeastern coast of Spain between Gibraltar and the border with Portugal and has one of the largest wetlands in Europe in it, a very important site for wildlife. Vicent, our guide, is knowledgeable and explained a lot about the park.



the birds we saw in Doñana National Park and around

White Storks (Shubashikohシュバシコウ) 

White Storks - resident in Andalucía

Glossy Ibis (Buronzu(bronze)-tokiブロンズトキ)

Glossy Ibis - resident in Andalucía

Spotless Starlings (muji-hoshimukudoriムジホシムクドリ)

These were taken at the same place as the 3rd pic for the white stork.
Red-rumped Swallows seemed to be mending their nests inside the brick building, flying in and out. (no pic...)

They look quite similar to the summer plumage of the Common Starling.
Spotless Starlings - resident in Andalucía

Squacco Herons (Kammuri-sagiカンムリサギ)

Squacco Herons always look surprised:)
wish I could have taken a photo of his/her? back as well.

Squacco Herons - resident in Andalucía


Black-crowned Night Herons (Goi-sagiゴイサギ)

Certainly they are one of the most numerous of the heron family in the world!

Black-crowned Night Heron - resident in Andalucía

click here for Vicent's Doñana Wings

African Sacred Ibis

The natural habitat of the Sacred Ibis (Afurika Kurotokiアフリカクロトキ) is sub-Saharan Africa but they have established themselves in the coastal areas in Taiwan.

Gaomei Wetland is no exception, we saw many of them foraging in the grass.

One of them came very close to the boardwalk which a lot of people were on.

Probably he couldn't have resisted something tasty!