Reach for the skies!!! My tern to fly high!

[Dave Williams]

Mobile tent hide, Hides de El Taray

167)Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt.    BY167 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited May 14, 2022 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

Photographically this is the best I managed which was a shame as it's a "lifer" for me. One for the Big Year though. Every bird counts!!

168)Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole.  BY168 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

169)White Stork

White Stork.      BY 169 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

I'm nearly at the end of my hide photography additions from Spain, and I can understand why not everyone wants to sit in a hide for much of the day but the next few additions are not from your conventional hide! Far from it in fact.

We had 14 sessions in hides during our 7 night stay at El Taray and some where more rewarding than others. There are of course no guarantees with wildlife but your chances of seeing certain species are much improved when someone has already done the groundwork. One of the big disadvantages of course is that the photos you take can be instantly recognisable by the perches or general backgrounds but when time is limited and you are on foreign soil hides and or guides increase your chances considerably.

Out of the 14 sessions booked, two were in the "Hydro hides". Dressed in wetsuits that were constricting, particularly around your neck, our first session in a shallow lagoon that was never deeper than your waist made the experience far from comfortable. My mobile phone recorded that I had covered 1.2 kilometres which might not sound a lot but when you crawl that distance, indeed sometimes the water was so shallow you were horizontal, leaning your arms on the float and pushing yourself along with your toes. One of my colleagues abandoned the session early and by the time I had completed the session I was so exhausted I swore never again. The light had been poor, the birds pretty distant and I was getting agonising cramp attacks on a regular basis. That was it my decision made.

Never, ever, ever would I do that again!

But then I saw the shots the other survivor had taken. They were fare from brilliant but they were much better than mine.

I think I was jealous!

[Galana]

Tell me you are kidding us and we are watching a re run "It's a Knockout" ?

[Dave Williams]

For those not old enough to remember, or didn't have a local version broadcast on your TV, "It's a Knockout" was a popular gameshow where contestants has to perform silly tasks often involving water!

 

So, back to El Taray and a U-turn by me. I decided I'd have another go in the Hydro Hide but I wouldn't attempt to go very far and I'd concentrate if needed on the fishing Terns. Mike opted to go to another hide altogether and so it was just myself and our German friend Christian that were prepared for a second attempt. Neither of us were totally enthusiastic. Christian was worried that as it was to be a morning session unlike the previous one, the water might be cold. I was just not looking forward to it full stop!

We needn't have worried. The water was indeed warm, well it felt it wearing those suits and this time we were taken to a different lagoon which was much deeper. So deep the water came up to our chest. You could actually walk almost normally!

In fact it was fantastic as we also had far more subjects to photograph and the light was much better than the last time too.

Given the low angle we were photographing at I thought the results were pretty impressive and it turned in to one of the most enjoyable photography sessions I have ever had!

170) Pochard

Pochard.      BY 170 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

The hydro hide could get you close to the nest sites and no doubt some great shots when there are young being fed.

171)Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern.    BY171 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[TonyQ]

Well done on your courage to do the second day in the hydro hide.

From your description of day one, I know that I would not have done day two! But you got some great photos and got an enjoyable activity

[Dave Williams]

172)Red-crested Pochard

Red-crested Pochard.    BY172 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

173)Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull.  BY 173 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

174)Black-necked Grebe

Black-necked Grebe.  BY174 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

175)Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis.    BY175 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

The star species of our trip to Spain. The White-headed Duck was a first for me, it's a rare find!

176)White-headed Duck

White-headed Duck.     BY176 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

I was after a shot with it's tail in the vertical position, this is why I went back for a second attempt in the Hydro Hide.I took a few distant shots but as I was nearing the point were you can get out of the water, there in front of me was a posing duck a mere 20 feet away. The light was in the wrong position but the bird wasn't! A great way to end the session.

White-headed Duck.     BY176 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[PeterHG]

A couragous decision to try the hydro hide again, but it did get you fantastic shots!

[Dave Williams]

After our seven days using hides at El Taray we headed north to the Sierra de Gredos aiming for  two days in open countryside with a couple of targets in mind. When I originally booked our self catering apartment I had Bluethroat in mind, a firm favourite of mine. As it happened we had just a very brief view of one and at a fair distance too but we were not too disappointed..we'd already had some cracking views in Cyprus so now the main target was Water Pipit, Rock Thrush and Rock Bunting. 

It was quite a long journey in hot sunny conditions but we broke the journey at a service station where we had a very acceptable meal for a very reasonable price which demonstrates what a rip off UK service stations are. In fact it demonstrated what a rip off the whole hospitality sector is in the UK. Our regular breakfast for thee was an excellent coffee and churro which came to a mere 5.10 euros. Lunch at the restaurant next to our motel style hotel was an amazing and substantial three courses, a pint of beer and a coffee for 11.50 euros per person. We were sorry to leave that behind!

Anyway once we arrived at our destination we headed up the mountain to the Plataforma de Gredos just to check things out. The car park was rammed full and walkers were pouring off the mountainside! That didn't bode well but it was a holiday weekend, the weather was superb and we were not hoping to see much as it was now evening. 

Evening though is the best time to see Iberian Ibex at lower levels and we enjoyed watching their amazing footwork and balance as they crossed the river.

Iberian Ibex by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

Iberian Ibex by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

Tomorrow was for the birds!!

[Dave Williams]

What a difference a day makes! 

The weather forecast had not been good but we woke up to thick mist and light drizzle. A disaster! We'd driven all this way and it looked as if it was a wasted journey.

With nothing better to do we decided to head back up the mountain and were served up a miracle.

We broke through the cloud base and it was brilliant sunshine up there.

Better still the weather must have put most folk off even looking because we barely saw a soul for the first few hours.

I got some of my best shots ever of Ortolan Bunting and Yellow Wagtail but they had already featured in my Cyprus count.

Then we latched on to a top target.

A 177)Water Pipit was chasing a mate around the area. Never coming close for a really good view but close enough to be my best ever ones!

Water Pipit.     BY 176 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

 

Edited May 17, 2022 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

Very confiding, a

178)Rock Bunting

Rock Bunting.  BY177 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited May 17, 2022 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

Gathering mud for nesting

179) Craig Martin

Craig Martin.      BY178 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

The weather though was turning and rain looked imminent. And rain it did just after we had made it from the car park in to the first restaurant we came to. Our high opinion of Spanish catering could have been completely changed had we been forced to eat here regularly. Over priced and disgusting! The beer was OK though!

The rain continued all afternoon and in to the next morning. We tried our luck going back up the mountain the next day but miracles don't happen two days on the run so we headed off to Madrid as there was little point hanging around.

The new additions I saw in Juan Carlos Park that afternoon have already been added so that brings my Spanish count to an end. Well, almost. I have some shots of high flying Griffon Vultures but I don't think I need to use them. I'll be sitting in a Vulture hide in Bulgaria on Friday!!

Edited May 17, 2022 by Dave Williams

[xelas]

Congratulations Dave. On birds and other trophy 🤩.

[Kitsafari]

what a novel way of watching and photographing the waterbirds by wading into the waters! Not sure that I'd be as brave and adventurous as you but you sure got excellent close-ups of the birds 

[Dave Williams]

So, a brief visit home to watch some footy, touch base with Claire  and combine birds with dog walks has brought a couple of additions.

I went looking for Treecreeper and 180)Wood Warbler. Only successful with the latter but as they aren't here all year that was the preferable choice if I had to choose one!

 

Wood Warbler.  BY 180 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

I went looking at the local reserve for Reed and 181)Sedge Warbler but it was too windy for the former and running out of time for them!

 

Sedge Warbler.    BY181 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

Still a singing 182)Song Thrush was nice compensation.

 

Song Thrush.   BY182 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

Found some more from Spain! This was one from the first Hydro hide session...also known as water torture!

183) Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe.    BY 183 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[michael-ibk]

Wow, those hides really did produce terrific results - very interesting! Stellar shots Dave, Bravo!

[Galana]

That misty photo of the Grebe is quite artistic. I can see how the Hydro Hide can achieve good angles.

Very nice.