condor1992
Well-known member
On the 6th April 2023, I had the best birdwatching experience I ever had. Even better than the bearded vulture encounter last summer. I have not, ever, experienced anything like this yet.
To do this trip, I met up with a local guide, John Muddeman. Before I set out for the trip, I didn't have the slightest idea what was about to happen. All I was expecting was distant eagle and vulture photos.
After meeting, we drove off into the Sierra Oeste de Madrid. It was warm in Madrid when I left, but outside the city it felt several degrees colder, and in some places there was even frost on the ground. Our first bird of the day was a young imperial eagle, perched on the pylons at rather close range. It was too dark for anything good to come out of my notorious camera, but I still pulled off a reasonably good image of the beautiful bird, which I had wanted to see for years now. I was absolutely stunned by this sighting. But, it turns out, it wouldn't be the first time this eagle would surprise me.
We continued on and took another road, and soon spotted another imperial eagle, which flew across the road and headed over a small ridge nearby. Another imperial eagle then perched in a tree on that ridge, also close, but unfortunately to see it, I had to look directly into the sun!
We explored the area a bit more, and aside from seeing a tree full of griffons, didn't see much more than that. We returned to the road, but as we did so I spotted a huge raptor perched on top of a pylon nearby. It was an adult Spanish imperial eagle. And it was incredibly close. Closer than the young bird we had seen in the early morning. I was absolutely blown away by this.
Although many more amazing moments occurred today, this was nevertheless the best moment of today in my eyes. As well as being the only time when I would see an adult today. Unfortunately, I did not get good images of it in flight, but it wouldn't be long before I would see a soaring imperial eagle. For the time being, we continued on into the mountains. After trying and failing to see black stork in a good area for them, we looked for black vulture, but these also refused to cooperate. As we were moving out of the area, however, we saw one drifting over a ridge with a griffon vulture, but it rapidly receded into the distance, where it was joined by an even more distant Spanish imperial eagle. We moved into another area, where there was a colony of giant orchids. Whilst I was occupied with admiring the plants, a black vulture had started to fly behind me!
Nothing good came out of that encounter, however, and we moved off to another, nearby location. Here, a young black vulture finally appeared close enough for reasonable photos.
Whilst we observed the bird, we realised there was a black stork soaring next to the vulture! Black storks are notoriously shy and extremely hard to see, and yet here was one of them, soaring over the valley. It was a bit distant, but it was still a black stork. As I took photos of the bird, I also got a griffon vulture into the same frame!
Distracted by the stork, I looked up to see a massive black vulture circling right overhead and at low altitude, and began taking photos of the enormous bird with its 3-meter wingspan.
There was also a very photogenic griffon vulture soaring nearby as well.
After this amazing encounter, we returned to the area where we had first seen the eagles. Indeed, there was now a young bird high up in this sky. And this imperial eagle was circling right overhead! And it was also looking directly at me.
To do this trip, I met up with a local guide, John Muddeman. Before I set out for the trip, I didn't have the slightest idea what was about to happen. All I was expecting was distant eagle and vulture photos.
After meeting, we drove off into the Sierra Oeste de Madrid. It was warm in Madrid when I left, but outside the city it felt several degrees colder, and in some places there was even frost on the ground. Our first bird of the day was a young imperial eagle, perched on the pylons at rather close range. It was too dark for anything good to come out of my notorious camera, but I still pulled off a reasonably good image of the beautiful bird, which I had wanted to see for years now. I was absolutely stunned by this sighting. But, it turns out, it wouldn't be the first time this eagle would surprise me.
We continued on and took another road, and soon spotted another imperial eagle, which flew across the road and headed over a small ridge nearby. Another imperial eagle then perched in a tree on that ridge, also close, but unfortunately to see it, I had to look directly into the sun!
We explored the area a bit more, and aside from seeing a tree full of griffons, didn't see much more than that. We returned to the road, but as we did so I spotted a huge raptor perched on top of a pylon nearby. It was an adult Spanish imperial eagle. And it was incredibly close. Closer than the young bird we had seen in the early morning. I was absolutely blown away by this.
Although many more amazing moments occurred today, this was nevertheless the best moment of today in my eyes. As well as being the only time when I would see an adult today. Unfortunately, I did not get good images of it in flight, but it wouldn't be long before I would see a soaring imperial eagle. For the time being, we continued on into the mountains. After trying and failing to see black stork in a good area for them, we looked for black vulture, but these also refused to cooperate. As we were moving out of the area, however, we saw one drifting over a ridge with a griffon vulture, but it rapidly receded into the distance, where it was joined by an even more distant Spanish imperial eagle. We moved into another area, where there was a colony of giant orchids. Whilst I was occupied with admiring the plants, a black vulture had started to fly behind me!
Nothing good came out of that encounter, however, and we moved off to another, nearby location. Here, a young black vulture finally appeared close enough for reasonable photos.
Whilst we observed the bird, we realised there was a black stork soaring next to the vulture! Black storks are notoriously shy and extremely hard to see, and yet here was one of them, soaring over the valley. It was a bit distant, but it was still a black stork. As I took photos of the bird, I also got a griffon vulture into the same frame!
Distracted by the stork, I looked up to see a massive black vulture circling right overhead and at low altitude, and began taking photos of the enormous bird with its 3-meter wingspan.
There was also a very photogenic griffon vulture soaring nearby as well.
After this amazing encounter, we returned to the area where we had first seen the eagles. Indeed, there was now a young bird high up in this sky. And this imperial eagle was circling right overhead! And it was also looking directly at me.
