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Extremadura |  |
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Travel report Extremadura / Cáceres May 14 - 17 2009
To the Dutch, who finally found their tongue again 
, we returned the favor and gave them a hint, where they could …
… find the majestic monk vulture, one of the biggest birds able to fly!:
Really more than impressive to see such a huge vulture above!:
For the first time we also saw two beautiful male orioles, but unfortunately the boys didn´t sit still for a minute for a photo, but disappeared immediately in the dense leaves.
Barb wire fences - also in the Extremadura dramatic implications for the birds world
Two local bird watchers wanted to explain on a map how we could come to the place, where we could see from closer European rollers and also monk vultures, namely in the direct surrounding of the garbage dump of Cáceres. A little bit difficult, because these field ways were on no map and so the Spaniards without further ado decided to drive in front, that we for sure could see these outlaying places. So nice of them!
But the quiet observation came to nothing! The Spaniards had told us about the huge problems which the barb wire fences - with which more and more farmers use to fence their fields - are causing for the birds world. And just a few minutes later we came face to face with the drama, what the following photos might show. But first of all I would like to inform you, that all went well and the black kite will be released to freedom about 3 weeks later.
Such a sad picture. The kite was fighting for his life to free himself from the barb wire fence!:
Both Spaniards were, same as we, amateurs and none of the four of us had really an idea what exactly to do. I remembered the towel in my car to cover the head of the bird. Everything else the two men were doing:
But that was not easy at all, that much the poor bird got entangled with its wing. That looked very bad!:
Finally the Spaniards managed to free the poor animal and quickly we went on the way to the animal-care-station, about 30 km away in Sierra de Fuentes.
By arrival the black kite immediately was checked by a vet. Lucky enough nothing was broken, but the flesh wound had to be treated but they were full of hope that the kite would be brought back to nature within the next 3 weeks. Uffff!
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