NATURE & TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY (Under Const.)
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Tits at the PRSE of Madrid (4). Blue tit. Finalist in the photo contest "in the Park I Live 2012", about the Southeast Regional Park of Madrid, organized by TRAMA NGO.
Loving Spring. Pair of mating Lesser Kestrels. The Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a small falcon that breeds in colonies located in places such as hollow rocks, overhangs on cliffs, or, cause they are so famous here in Spain, in roofs of old abandoned buildings. There, they have found a discreet place to nest and give birth to their offspring, as their adult plumage mimics perfectly with the earthy tones of the old ceramic tiles. In fact, during this photo session I found it difficult to locate them with the naked eye, using binoculars or viewing through the telephoto lens. Lesser Kestrels are spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea and across South Asia. And they spend winters in sub-Saharan Africa. 100,000 pairs were in Spain in the late nineteenth century, and they went to only about 5,000 in the twentieth century, so the species was declared at risk of extinction. Today, thanks to the protective measures taken, these little kestrels have improved their populations in Spain.
Lord of the Steppe. The great bustard (Otis tarda) is the largest species of flying bird in Europe. Very popular in Spain among bird lovers, where it is mainly resident, it breeds in southern and central Europe and across temperate Asia. Its habitat is open grassland and undisturbed cultivation, where it feels safe. Great bustards are very shy of humans, have a very acute hearing and are very quiet, which makes observing them closely a difficult task. I managed to make this photograph with the invaluable help of my good friend José David Gomez Díaz. It was in the vicinity of the village Calera y Chozas, in Toledo (Spain).
La Rueda. No event in the life of the great bustard (Otis tarda) is more important and spectacular than the courtship of males to females. The heat is a unique display on which males compete for the best exhibition. They inflate their plumage so that all the white feathers are placed well illustrated, and for a few seconds or minutes are transformed into white balls of feathers. This phenomenon is called in Spain "la rueda" (the wheel). They sometimes bend down a lot onto the grass when making the wheel.
Great Bustard Feeding (Otis tarda). The populations of this species of bustard are declining worldwide due to habitat loss. In the past their area of distribution was much greater than at present, becoming extinct in most of Europe during centuries XIX and XX. The main factors that have determined this reduction have been agricultural intensification, expansion of irrigated agriculture, infrastructure construction, hunting and pesticide use.
Male Great Bustard (Otis tarda). During the mating season, males of this species exhibit elegant "mustaches" formed by long, thin feathers that grow downwards from the base of their beak.
Open Wings and Flying.
Griffon vulture over the river. "Hoces del Río Duratón", Segovia (Spain).
Flight through the canyons (5). The Duratón River Gorges, in the province of Segovia (Spain) is a magical place where one can live the experience of being overflown at a short distance by numerous griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) that marvel us at the sound of their wings cutting the wind.
Tits at the PRSE of Madrid (4).
Blue tit.
Finalist in the photo contest "in the Park I Live 2012", about the Southeast Regional Park of Madrid, organized by TRAMA NGO.
Tits at the PRSE of Madrid (4). Blue tit. Finalist in the photo contest "in the Park I Live 2012", about the Southeast Regional Park of Madrid, organized by TRAMA NGO.
Tits at the PRSE of Madrid (4).
Blue tit.
Finalist in the photo contest "in the Park I Live 2012", about the Southeast Regional Park of Madrid, organized by TRAMA NGO.
See photo in original gallery.
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