I try to walk in nature as much as I can, especially when I visit my grandparent's village; and bringing binoculars and camera here is a must, since birdwatching is nomally rewarding: some species are almost warranted, and apart from the usual suspects, sometimes a rarity comes along.
Stonechats belong to the warranted category, obviously. And I'm glad they do, because they're every birdwatchers dream: clear plummage difference between sexes, not shy, and always perching in easy to spot locations, normally at the very top of something.
See how easy it is to tell sexes apart? And in this time of the year, with Spring arriving in full bloom, they're even more active and noisy.
This time though, what made my day wasn't the usual suspects, but a rarity. Birds of prey are a normal sighting here as well, and not long after starting my walk, the booted eagle soared over me.
These cuties come in different plummages, one lighter and one darker, and although it's not easy to see it here since it was against the light, this is the paler version. It's the plummage type I see here the most, and also the one that makes it easier to identify them.
She flew away, minding her business, and some time after I spotted another bird of prey far away, flying in my direction. I though it was the same eagle coming back... but I quickly noticed this one was way bigger. I grabbed my binoculars and it was clear what was coming: a species I hadn't seen for a long time! Not only that, but she got close enough for me to get a decentish photo!
A snake eagle! They're stunning, and also easy to identify, with their pale barred underparts, dark head and the bar on the tail. It was likely the closest I had one of them flying near me. Unfortunately she didn't stayed for long, but this sighting alone made the whole walk even more worthwhile.
On the way back, another species Im really fond of, but one I hardly get on camera. They're one of the most colourful birds of our fauna, but also a shy species, and I can hear and see them easily, but it's not that easy to get near when they're perched.
So this is the kind of crappy photo that I manage to take, the slightly blurry-far away-perched bee-eater.
Oh well, at least I get the chance to see them, right? ;)
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