We left northen Spain and headed south - a 6 hour drive - to our destination for the second week just south of the town of Villacanas to El Taray, a large estate set up for wildlife photography
After settling in to our hotel in Villacanas - very basic but clean - we headed for El Taray for our evening session in hides located about a couple of hundred metres from the farm buildings. A pond with two two people hides and all set up for the evening show.
First to arrive for a drink was a pair of Collared Doves

and a Crested Lark

Several flocks of Sparrows were almost constant - House Sparrow

and Tree- Sparrows, now quite a rarity in the UK.

Jackdaws were regular visitors as they were nesting in custom-built nestboxes close by.

But the whole set up was disturbed for a time by a Marsh Harrier that landed in front of the hide.

But for me, the stars of the show were Spotless Starlings, a new species for me and also virtually constant and very entertaining.


By 20:30, the light was beginning to fade and tiredness was setting in after the long drive so we headed to the hotel for dinner at a local restaurant and a good nights sleep in readiness for an early start in the morning.