Spanish Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) It has always been a problem, and worldwide has caused some serious or even catastrophic environmental disasters. Take the Cane Toad or Rabbit in Australia, the Grey Squirrel or Zebra Mussel in Ireland, or in Spains case, the American Louisiana Crayfish. The Spanish Terrapin, above, is […]
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Blue–winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens) I was out in El Chiquero for a picnic with my wife. You know, riverbank, blanket, chicken sandwiches, white wine, 36C heat, dried Manchegan countryside full of thistles prickling you from beneath the blanket, ants scurrying about. Idyllic… No actually it was very pleasant, apart from […]
Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) Last week I was rather sick with a cold. The temperature was 26-30C each day and it killed me to have to stay in for most of it. Thankfully it´s passed now and I was able to get back on track and into the field. And […]
…without using missiles but with a camera and lens. Sometimes the pen is mightier than the sword and Ecologistas en Acción and EFE have reported this action in our protected areas to the authorities and the press. I have mentioned it before in a previous entry and now something is […]
It was a fantastic week last week. I visited Cabañeros to see the Berrea, or deer rut, and also Fuencaliente where the hills were alive with their bellows. At the Laguna de Navaseca there were four Ruff, one of which was in an unusual breeding to non-breeding plumage, six Black-tailed […]
The Bellowing Stag after Dusk The Autumn Equinox in Spain is when summer officially ends and autumn starts. At this time of the year in the mountains of Toledo and the Sierra Morenas, as well as many other parts of Ciudad Real, the sound of autumn is the famous Berrea, […]
I´m talking about birds and people. Las Saturday I had the pleasure of a trip around las Tablas with Darío from DestinosManchegos, a tour operator in Daimiel. I was brought along to see how they give their tours as they have asked me to give one in English later in […]
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides), a photo by Mike at Sea on Flickr. The call the Squacco Heron the Garcilla Cangrejera in Spanish, which means the Crabbing Little Heron, more or less. In the Tablas at the moment there is an abundance of fish and crustaceans which have proliferated due to […]
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) It would appear that we are starting to be visited by a number of migrants here in La Mancha. It´s a great time of the year to see some birds you wouldn´t normally see, such as this lovely Wood Sandpiper as seen at the Laguna de […]
Female Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) Back in Spain I may as well keep up with some Spanish stuff also. So I went off to the steppes for a quick look to see what was going on in the terrible heat we are having here. To my delight I found a […]