Here is our starting point the Visitors Centre in San Fernando, but we are now walking further into the Nature Park.
Off we go.
Excellent trails and you can see for miles. This is all marsh land that when the tide comes in, might be covered. This is where the Flamingos will be if they are here.
A Marsh Warbler is what I believe this beauty is perched precariously on the very top of a flowering brush.
A huge growth of Prickly Pear Cactus in bloom.
Interesting to know, is that the Prickly Pear Cactus plant is entirely edible!
The pads can sliced up and boiled down to make jams, jellies, even wine. The fruit of the pears can be eaten but must be ripe and peeled.
None of this is done without proper hand protection.
The Black Winged Stilt is usually about 13-14 inches long....his/her wee pink legs are so long.
The top photo is a female with the colour on her head. Below the male usually has a totally white head in the winter.
The top photo is a female with the colour on her head. Below the male usually has a totally white head in the winter.
You can walk for 30 minutes or many hours along these paths and water canals.
Another type of cactus with only one wee red flower on it.
But...we believe the tide was starting to come in....we are so out of here...just saying...don't panic.
My wee friends again...the Black Winged Stilt.
More cactus...which is interesting because some of Spain looked like it was dry like a desert. Madrid airport and the surround area did. Some areas around Cadiz on our way to San Fernando city appeared to resemble desert like areas?
Below is a Little Stint water bird.
The last days of this plant....but I thought it was quite beautiful.
A Little Egret which seems funny when this bird can reach almost 60 cm in height?
He was drying out his feathers when I snapped this photo of him.
Difficult to 100% identify my beautiful birds as they might slightly not the same as the birding identification photos. Making it hard to be sure.
A White Wagtail is the closest I could ID this handsome fellow.
A Ruddy Turnstone and a Little Stint hanging out.
The bridge in the far distance is our way home. We have walked a long ways and now decided...even though we haven't seen Flamingos, we are going to try to get back to land before dark.
If we go back the way we came it would take over an hour...so we had seen some other walkers looking for a way over the canals and we thought that might work for us too.
Did anyone mention we had to go through this fellows back yard?
He was tied up but really did want us to stay and visit.
Deb talked to him and I made my way, quickly but not rushing, to get by him.
It was complete mud. Oh well...we did find a way...with a couple of soakers....and mud up to our knees we made it back to the city of San Fernando.
Gorgeous flowers hanging over a gated entrance way.
There is our train station....right where we left it.
After 25,000 steps....yikes....we finally got back to Cadiz and enjoyed a great pizza at a place around the corner. Delicious!!!!
What a great adventure.
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