Lagunas de Ruidera and Tablas de Daimiel.

On the road again and heading south, for the Lagunas de Ruidera, we pass through some wonderful scenery and at Molina de Aragon, we pause to photograph the amazing Castillo. The Torre at the very top of the photograph is the Torre de Aragon. It originated as a Moorish fortress in the 10th & 11th century and became the residence of the Lords of the taifa of Molina. When El Cid was exiled from Castile, he resided here. In 1129 Alfonso 1 of Aragon captured it from the Moors. It is a vast structure on a hill with a commanding view of the surrounding countryside and originally the line of towers included a village. Strangely this photograph looks digitally altered, but is totally untouched!

Traveling on towards Cuenca, we saw more and more of these strange stacks of some sort of bright red willow, which were being grown as a crop and we have no idea of its use, but it is used alot!

Eventually we arrive at the Lagunas de Ruidera and they are stunning. Situated in a Parque Natural on the arid plains of Castilla- La Mancha. The source of these lakes are filters, springs and streams that come together around Ruidera. 

Naturally formed by 16 small lakes at different levels, the crystal clear waters cascade one to the other and form an important area for migratory birds.

There are many beautiful, tall, silver trees surrounding the lakes and I think that they are some sort of Poplar.

The Guadiana river (one of Spains longest) has its source here, but disappears underground, only to rise agin 15 kms away at our next destination, Daimiel.

The Tablas de Daimiel are an extremely important wet land site and ecosystem, for many migratory birds, in a very arid area of Spain. Although covering nearly 20 square kms, this is the smallest of Spains National Parks. During our visit we observed that they are expanding the park into the neighboring dry land areas, in an effort to try to stop over exploitation of water resources. While not wanting to become political, we wish that they would adopt this idea in the Strawberry growing province of Huelva, where illegal water extraction is causing water levels of the Donana National Park to drop to dangerously low levels. All for the sake of cheap Spanish Strawberries!

On the tranquil waters of Daimiel a Red Crested Pochard can glide safely, as this is no longer a water fowl hunting area.

A Ferruginous Duck.

Northern Pintail

Tufted Duck

Common Teal

And in the serenity of Daimiel a Grey Lag Goose watches from the grass, as we take our leave.

The road to Laguna de Gallocanta and the sacred home of the migrating Common Crane

THE ROAD TO GALLOCANTA.

At last the sky is blue, after we have travelled through rain and huge winds from the Pyrenees. We are heading for the Laguna de Gallocanta, where we hope to see the Cranes that have over wintered there and the ones flying in to this rendezvous point, from further south.  En route passing the red town of Daroca, we have to stop to photograph the magnificent fortified entrance and the town beyond, as red as the soil of Aragon.

All the buildings look as though they are forged from the very earth, with the church at the heart of the town.

Perched high above the town is all that is left of the Castillo of the Mayor.

Onwards to our destination, the Puerto de Santed stands guard at the entrance to the Laguna. Which is on a high plateau, some 995 m above sea level, the landscape shows the vast emptiness of the place.

The Laguna is surrounded by a patchwork of grassland and farmed fields, where the farmers put out straw to feed the Cranes, perhaps saving their crops! We were so pleased to see so many Cranes remaining, as you see below, they were thick on the ground.

Thousands of Cranes, like so many grey clad commuters, with the village of Las Cuerlas in the background.

We watched so many comings and goings as they fed on the fields, in the evening, sadly the light was getting worse.

The light here at Gallocanta is amazing, big skies and the clouds rolling in, I think we are in for a storm!

Storm we had, wind and lashing rain, but the morning was not so bad, so Mike set off, that is him, on the road below the village of Gallocanta, hoping to get some good shots, although the light is not brilliant.

The birds are getting restless, they will soon be making their flight north to their breeding grounds in Scandinavia and northern Europe.

They mostly seem to be in family groups, below is a typical family, with one juvenile, playing follow my leader.

Some young birds and many adults are starting to jump up and down, which is part of the courtship ritual. It is very amusing to watch and seems to be catching, as when one starts, very soon lots of them are bobbing up and down.

This is still, to us, a very special and almost spiritual place, where a dusk vigil, is rewarded by the haunting cries of these wonderful birds as they fly in to roost for the night. At our home in France we always look forward to the flight of the Cranes, southward foretells of the coming Winter and northward heralds the coming of Spring, but always, always, their cries fill the air.
May they forever fly their paths across the sky, we wish them safe journey.

Winter mist rising over the Dronne river.

Waking Sunday morning, wow! the view out from the house across the Dronne river and into the Dordogne  looked amazing. Breakfast on our terrace with the view below. If only all winter day's could be this good! but then we really would be spoilt.

As the sun starts to warm the air, the mist seems to retreat back towards the river.

Time to walk the hedge rows, as the frost fades and the birds forage.

Into the view to see who's about.

Dunnock hunting for food in the mist.

Alway's a joy Great Tits with other tits in winter foraging parties.

Blue Tits

Following behind a lovely male Siskin

The Dunnock returns in the warm sun.

After a beautiful day and not expecting to use the camera again!

What a sunset.

A stunning day!

Bassin d' Arcachon views from Lege Cap-Ferret.

The last week here in the southwest of France has been beautiful, it has been some years since we had  perfect December weather. Cloudless sky's and very cold nights.
On Tuesday we had to take the camping car to Horizon in Bordeaux, for some work to be undertaken. We decided after dropping it off, that we would continue west to the coast. having lived in Aquitaine for many years,we had never visited Cap Ferret. At what is called the Point (literally) we headed out onto the beach. You look out into the Atlantic sea and to the left is the entrance to the Bassin de Arcachon, and the giant dune de Pyla, one of the Cote d'Argent's must see sites.

Fishing boat heading for home, lots of gulls looking for a free meal.

Looking out from the beach, no it is not the sky but the giant dune du Pyla.

Like a optical illusion as the fishing boat passes the dune. It stands some 100m high making it the highest in Europe.

A timber groin looking more like sticks of asparagus growing in the sunshine.

Old stone fortifications lay in the sand like sinking tanks, with very modern camouflage.

A great day out!

Black Headed Weaver birds breeding on the Algarve Portugal

In the Spring of 2012, I spent a couple of days at Vilamoura and the Ria Formosa Natural Park both on the Algarve trying to photograph these lovely little birds. Originally from Kenya they are doing well now here in Portugal. They have become quite a generality in some areas. Around the artificial lakes and golf course at Quinta de Largo walkers are often treated to a flash of yellow as these bright males fly through.    

  Male Black-Headed Weaver. 

The female black-headed Weaver.

The male bird seems to be responsible for the main nest construction.Here you can see how he has found a favoured leaf, of rush as he has already taken a previous strip maybe two, see the step in the leaf!

Here is the nest, see the way that it has been weaved using the rush stems.

The females seem to be responsible for the soft inner lining of the nest

 Nearly all the birds seen have been ringed for identification and continuity.

She has no problem in cracking open the seed head.

The male arrives to perch under the nest, you can just see the dried out remains of last years nest above.

Female watching progress at the nesting site.

The males hover under the nests communicating with the female inside.

A beautiful little bird but so hard to photograph, so low down in the rushes. 

But worth the wait!