Natur-al-Andalus

As far as we can tell European Shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis have been raising their young on the cliffs and ledges around Gorham's Cave for at least 60 thousand years! Here is part of the ...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2013/07/european-shags.html

Horses were a feature of the Neanderthal landscape outside Gorham's Cave. The habitats in the Coto Donana, where we can find semi-wild horses today, are very similar to those that existed out...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2013/07/horses.html

The Red Kite Milvus milvus is a tree-nesting raptor that eats a wide variety of small prey, from frogs and mice to birds and small rabbits. It is also a regular scavenger, attending carcasses...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-red-kite.html

Red Deer Cervus elaphus and Magpie Pica pica were two abundant species that lived on the sandy plains off Gorham's and Vanguard Caves. The deer would have been hunted by a range of carnivores...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2013/06/red-deer-and-magpie.html

The plains outside Gorham's Cave attracted many scavengers who were always ready to take the opportunity of a carnivore kill or the remains of animals left by the Neanderthals. The Griffon Vu...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-griffon-vulture.html

The Spotted Hyaena Crocuta crocuta was the commonest carnivore outside Gorham's and Vanguard Caves between 60 and 20 kyr. Some of the specimens were huge, much larger than any cousin that you...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-spotted-hyaena.html

After a year's absence we return with a purpose. Each post will consist of a photograph taken by one of us and a brief description. Our aim is to slowly build up an archive of images of the s...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-new-face-of-natur-al-andalus.html

This time of year sees a life and death drama unfold on numerous occasions above Gibraltar's skies. Tired migrating raptors reach the cliffs of the Rock of Gibraltar after crossing the sea. ...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2012/04/migration-drama-above-skies-of.html

We spent some time watching and photographing the rare Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti in one of its traditional haunts, in the Monfrague National Park of Central Spain. This is...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2012/04/where-imperial-eagle-is-lord-and-master.html

Easterly winds, grey skies and showers at this time of year tend to bring down migrants at Gibraltar. Here they can feed in the olive scrub and woodland, sheltered from the wind. Many have ju...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2012/03/when-bad-weather-brings-migrants-down.html

Two of us (Geraldine and Clive) spent a few days in the stronghold of the world's most endangered cat - the Iberian Lynx Lynx pardina. This animal was familiar to us from the fossils we have ...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2012/03/in-land-of-iberian-lynx.html

For over a week now we have seen a most wonderful spectacle - the spring migration of raptors across the Strait of Gibraltar. Many species are now coming through but the star of the show has ...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2012/03/peak-migration-of-short-toed-eagle.html

Today we start a new section of our blog, dedicated to species profiles. We start with the Eurasian Black Vulture Aegypius monachus. This species is a solitary tree nester that survives...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2012/03/species-profile-eurasian-black-vulture.html

We hear a lot these days about the cold conditions in Europe and how these have forced many Lapwings and other birds south to our area. But the marismas in the south-west function like an Afr...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2012/02/early-spring-in-marismas.html

This is the time of year when flying fish are passing through the Strait of Gibraltar. They attract many predators that chase them and catch them below or above the surface of the water. Thes...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/09/september-feeding-frenzy-in-strait-of.html

Late August and early September mark one of the most incredible and impressive of bird migration spectacles - the passage south of the Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus across the Strait of Gibral...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/09/day-of-honey-buzzard.html

The Orca activity in the western end of the Strait at this time of the year is related to the exit of the Red Tuna from the Mediterranean towards the Atlantic. The tuna enter the Mediterranean...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/08/activity-in-strait-of-gibraltar-in-mid.html

The last 24 hours have been magical. Few places can offer what the Strait of Gibraltar can. Here an Orca Orcinus orca off Tangier, Morocco, this morning...Last night 10 thousand Black Kites M...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/08/magical-24-hours.html

We saw the last Black Kites Milvus migrans migrating north in mid-June. Now they're back, heading south for Africa with this year's youngsters! For a few days now small groups of Black ...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/07/raptor-migration-in-late-july.html

The mountains of Cazorla (above) in south-east Spain are a reservoir of trees, insects and forest animals. It is here that the Guadalquivir River (below) starts its long journey towards the ...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/07/forest-animals-of-cazorla.html

Audouin's Gulls Ichthyaetus audounii are not the only gulls now leaving the Mediterranean  for the rich waters of the Atlantic (post of 10th July). The attractive Mediterranean Gulls Icthyae...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/07/more-migration-towards-atlantic.html

In our blog of 24th April, Stewart had visited a breeding colony of Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis that was starting up. Now he returned to find thousands of birds in a colony in full swing, from...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/07/cattle-egrets-of-all-shapes-and-sizes.html

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus brookei at Europa Point, Gibraltar - 10th July It was back on the 22nd February that we got this shot of the adult peregrines mating. We've been...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/07/peregrines-new-generation.html

After a short break, we're back with the Natur-al-Andalus blog and we hope to provide you with the latest information of what's going on. Gerry and Stewart Finlayson previously contributed to thi...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/07/were-back.html

Among the spectacular sights of southern Iberia in the spring is a colony of nesting egrets. Stewart went on a mission to capture the beauty and elegance of the Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis i...

http://naturalandalus.blogspot.com/2011/04/in-colony-of-egrets.html