With the trips in recent years tend to prioritize runs of various kinds I have had to down prioritize wildlife tours which I try to find opportunities to do something about. A colleague who is an avid photographer mentioned a professional photographer who guides tours mostly around Europe which sounded fairly small and manageable among my running trips so I jumped onto the site and took a look.
Immediately there were a few trips that piqued my interest and considering they were all including 2 professionals they were quite affordable, too. And I had just splurged on a new camera body for wildlife photography so I had to find a justification for the expense, so it came easy to me to book two trips to Spain.
20th - 24th of May
We'll be flying out to Madrid where we'll be picked up and go to Villacañas where we will be staying during the trip. The following three days will have a similar schedule; leave in the morning for a large private property and get settled into a bird hide before sunrise, leave midday for lunch and return in the afternoon until sundown. There are plenty of hides places on the property so with some rotation there will be plenty - and new - opportunities throughout the days. On the last day we have another photo session in the morning before leaving for the airport in the morning and return home.
10th - 14th of December
Once again we'll be flying out to Madrid and checking in at a hotel near by. The following three days will consist of us leaving before sunrise to a nearby property (a different one than the previous trip) and occupying the hides from sunrise to sunset. During that time the hope is to get an opportunity to photograph the Iberian lynx. Yes, that one again - I do tend to be a cat person when it comes to wildlife. The last day we may or may not be able to do a morning session in the hides before returning to Madrid and flying back home.
Being Spain it's easy to get back and forth (and therefore not a long flight) and not a huge expense for what I get from it. And while wildlife is never guaranteed, even if what we are hoping for doesn't show up I expect there will still be plenty to look at during the wait. In any case I think this will be two enjoyable small tours to do.
