Tarifa September 2023 (1 Viewer)

[Barred Wobbler]

This year was my first visit for the autumn migration since 2019 and also my first opportunity to try out the EOS R7's video system on the departing raptors.

I've put together a couple of videos of the experience.

Part 1 - Raptors (A bit jerky in places - the frequent strong wind makes hand-holding the camera and long lens while tracking a raptor a bit of an adventure. )

Part 2 - Waders etc.

 

[Mike Montier]

Two really good videos there barred wobbler.
Very enjoyable.
Don’t you just love those snake eagles?
Mike

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Two really good videos there barred wobbler.
Very enjoyable.
Don’t you just love those snake eagles?
Mike

Thanks Mike.

I spent hours in the days and weeks before I went away at the end of August watching a live-cam on YouTube at an STE nest in Catalunya (Els Ports). It was fascinating watching the adults bringing in snakes for the youngster as it progressed towards its first flight. I must have watched for a month, daily, but not the early stages of the story. It was already well fledged when I found the video. In all the time I watched it, there was only one lizard brought in, a large ocellated lizard, and the youngster seemed to have a hard time getting its head round what to do with the legs. Otherwise it was all snakes, often large, that were swallowed head first, although if a second snake was delivered too soon after an earlier one had been eaten, the whole 2nd snake would be regurgitated even though there might be only a few inches hanging from the bird's beak. After sufficient time and digestion had passed for there to be crop room, it would have another go, sometimes picking at the second snake around the upper body and eating the meat to make the eventual task with the tail end easier. The most snakes I saw it get in one day was 4, although one per day was the most usual.

I identified what looked like grass snakes, ladder snakes and horseshoe whip snakes, plus a few vipers of some sort.

I'd be surprised if they hadn't posted an edited version of the web-cam on youtube. Well worth a watch.