DAY 20 (25 APR) – Cattle egrets (bubulcus ibis) (La Janda Wetland, Spain)
Very excited to include the first birds of my nature journey.
Driving (very slowly) through this historic wetland – a vital staging post for a huge variety of migrating birds that cross the Gibraltar Straits – I suddenly saw loads of nesting cattle egrets. These are native here.
The orange patches and crest apparently indicate breeding birds or juveniles. I probably broke all bird-watching rules by getting too close but their flapping made for good pictures.
I think the cute hoopoes that arrive later in summer might use the same nests – will report when the time comes.
