The sight from the terrace of my house in Casares is spectacular! After the “cold” winters, vultures increase their activity on the sunny days that cover the months of March, April and May, and I am lucky enough to enjoy their emergences nearly every afternoon right now! And I can add the appearance of migrating birds as well. I saw a white eagle the other day and a group of migrating storks. Wow!
I always find it pretty amusing to see howvisitors, or evenmy sisters or parents gawk at the vultures that fly right over their heads. Some of them fly so close that you can distinguish the feathers on their wings and their beaks. This is what leaves you most astonished of all. It is their king-like attitude and figure that leaves you staring into the blue sky despite they already flew past seconds before.
A predatory bird
Vultures, they are amazing predators. I have only seen them once, having a ‘nice lunch’ ten metres from my fence. With a ‘nice lunch’, without giving away too many details for my sensible readers, I mean I saw how a sheep was eaten between 11 vultures. You can know if they have already found their prey if they fly in circles above a certain spot, and later circulate down with the airstreams to start with their feast. Impacting!
Still today I enjoy how they approach the countryside with wide open eyes, looking for a meal. They usually fly in groups; this is what allows you to make a distinction between vultures and eagles, as eagles normally fly alone or in pairs.
Living in nature
It is spectacular to live in this rich diversity of species, living a luxurious life as well as living the adventure of Andalusia’s nature. The vultures are here all year round. Yet now in spring we see a wide variety of other birds spending a few days in the area. Sometime we see the eagles traveling back in groups, storks are yearly visitors as well and so is the Hop to mention a few.
Nienke Ernstsen | 15th April 2014
