Tõnn wintering
Text: Urmas Sellis
Photos: Antonio Zaragozi
Translation: Liis
Tõnn observing the photographer from a dried eucalyptus branch.
Young greater spotted eagle Tõnn who spread his wings for the first time in Estonia last year is wintering for the second year already in south-eastern Spain, in the El Hondo Nature Park. This is a wetland in the middle of dry agricultural lands. Antonio Zaragozi, Eagle Club’s local contact there, went to look for Tõnn on October 18, and found him: the photos here are from that day. According to Antonio Tõnn seems to feel at home in El Hondo and is happy and healthy. This year there is more water than usual in the El Hondo wetlands, since it had been raining heavily at the end of September, just before Tõnn arrived.
.
A view that meets visitors to the El Hondo wetlands
Nature Park means that the area as a rule isn’t closed to visitors. Everybody can observe the birds or otherwise enjoy the nature. Paths and viewpoints have been set up for this.
View from a nature trail.
Not only Tõnn likes this wetland: thousands of other birds have found it a good place for wintering or for a stopover on their migration. In the last photo Antonio has caught a squacco heron – a southerly species that hasn’t been observed in Estonia.
Squacco heron in flight above reed banks.
Tags: 
