Extremadura

Some 1200 miles away from our home Caceres is located, a beautiful ancient city (25 BC!) in Spain. It’s situated in the centre of the Extremadura, the purpose of our journey.

Before we got there we paused in the regional nature parc La Brenne and the nature reserve of Marais d’Orx in France. Quiet places for walking and being surprised by seeing for example the green lizard and the vagrant emperor.

In Spain we passed los Picos de Europa, where we also stayed for a while. We enjoyed the fresh spring weather and flowers in the pure surroundings of the embalse de Riaño, where the splendid green hairstreak showed up several times!

At our destination, the Extremadura, the summer had already started and nature was in full swing. Temperatures were high and many birds of prey were surrounded by their offspring.  In the prairie-like “dehesas”, grasses and flowers were in full bloom.

Most impressive in the Extremadura were the huge vistas with vultures, kites and falcons in the sky, detecting mice, snakes or other tasty snacks.

On the fences or the small rocks in the field you would easily spot birds like the cute crested lark, some bee-eaters or the beautiful blue European roller.

We also enjoyed the sparkling Tagus river and water reservoirs (embalses), which are important lifelines for all living creatures in the area.

In my pictures I hope you’ll recognise my story and get some idea of the beautiful time and experience we had.

Western green lizard (Lacerta bilineata) 

Embalse de Riaño, at the foothills of the Picos 

Green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

Villafrea de la Reina

Lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni)

Dehesa de Hinojal, Extremadura

European roller (Coracias garrulus)

Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus)

Trithemis annulata (Violet dropwing)

Black kite (Milvus migrans)

European bee-eaters (Merops apiaster)

Spooky weather in the Extremadura

Orange featherleg (Platycnemis acutipennis)

Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus)

Dehesa de Belén, Extremadura

Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia)

Crested lark (Galerida cristata)

Cranes (Grus grus!) at Lac du Der, France

Every year, in the months of February and March, impressive groups of cranes fly all the way from Spain to Scandinavia. They use the summertime to breed there and fly back in October and November.

They have fixed places on their route to rest and forage on land and shallow water.  

Cranes are omnivores and eat mainly waste grains, berries and insects.

A fortnight ago we went to the “Région Champagne-Ardenne” where these magnificent birds usually take a rest en feed themselves. Especially the “Lac du Der” is the place to be. We were lucky that the weather was very beautiful for the time of year: bright and clear and not very cold, some 15° C. and most importantly, we saw thousands of cranes!!

As you can see in my pictures we could admire them in all sorts of situations: flying in formations, landing, foraging, quite close, far away, in the morning  and at sunset.  

We look back in wonder and gratitude!!