Travelling back from Madrid.

A long drive back from Madrid airport.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

Stephanie, Ken and I were up and out early and making the 50 or so Km drive to the Airport where they were off to Morocco for the last leg of their holiday. We made good time even though the traffic was heavy and we were at the airport in plenty of time. 

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

From here I retraced my tracks back to the Cordoba road south, the road we had just travelled to the airport on were now at a stand still. I eventually worked my way out of the city and into the country side, a 100KM or so south of the city I pulled off the motorway for a coffee and whilst I was drinking it and having a nice lump of toast I looked out of the window and saw several Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) on a newly harvested field. 

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

Once I finished I drove out along several farm tracks amongst the fields and had great views of the Bustards along with several Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and a single Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) amongst a feeding flock of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis). After a while I continued on south and made my way home. 

Photographs: 3x Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).