CASTILE–LA MANCHA
The Toledo region is located in central Spain and forms part of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. The area is defined by the vast high plateau of the Meseta Central, giving the landscape a relatively high average elevation of around 500–700 metres above sea level. The scenery is dominated by open plains, gently rolling hills, and dry agricultural land. In the distance to the north, the beautiful Gredos Mountains rise on the horizon.

The climate is continental, with hot, dry summers and cold winters. During summer, temperatures often exceed 35°C, while winters can bring frost and occasionally snow. Precipitation is relatively low and mainly occurs in spring and autumn. The dry climate influences the vegetation, which largely consists of hardy shrubs, grasslands, and oak woodlands—particularly holm oak and cork oak. The Tagus River, the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula, flows through the region. It has played a vital role in both nature and human settlement in Toledo. The river cuts through the landscape, forming valleys that provide more fertile land compared to the surrounding dry plains.

Overall, the natural character of the Toledo region is defined by a dry inland climate, elevated plains, and a landscape where water resources—especially the Tagus—play a crucial role for both ecosystems and agriculture.

We visit the area during the Spanish spring, which for a Scandinavian evokes early summer. The landscape turns green, and a wide range of plant species are in full bloom. By the first week of April, spring is well underway, and the weather is generally mild to warm, with typical daytime temperatures around 16–18°C and nights dropping to about 5°C.

This photography tour is entirely focused on getting close to birdlife by working from specially designed hides. The photographic opportunities for a wide range of species are truly world-class.

THE GREAT BUSTARD
The impressive Great Bustard is Europe’s heaviest bird species. Together with the Kori Bustard, it is also the heaviest flying bird in the world. An adult male can reach an astonishing weight of 15–18 kg. These large birds inhabit vast open grasslands. Spain, with just over 25,000 individuals, is estimated to hold around 60% of the global population. Here, the species is strongly associated with the Meseta Central—the extensive plateau covering much of central Iberia.

The lekking display of the Great Bustard can be observed during early spring in Spain. The male moves proudly within his display territory, producing a bubbling call. During the display, he throws his head back, rests it against his wings, flips his wings to expose white feathers, and raises his distinctive “moustaches.” Fights between males may also occur. The female is significantly smaller. The Great Bustard was once present in parts of southern Sweden until the mid-19th century. The species is sensitive to disturbance and requires specific habitats, thriving in extensively grazed grasslands with large, continuous open areas.

In spring, males gather at traditional display sites where they perform spectacular courtship displays to attract females. They inflate their plumage, twist their wings to reveal the white feathers, and move slowly and proudly with flared moustache feathers in an extraordinary spectacle. Our tour is carefully timed to offer excellent opportunities to observe and photograph these displays.

MAJESTIC IMPERIAL EAGLES
The Spanish Imperial Eagle is one of Europe’s largest birds of prey. It breeds sparsely across southern and central Europe and eastwards into Central Asia. In Spain, the species is now doing well, with a population of around 1,000 pairs and increasing. We will encounter this majestic bird at the foothills of the Gredos Mountains.

The Spanish Imperial Eagle is a striking raptor with a distinctive plumage that makes it easy to identify. Adult birds typically show a warm chocolate-brown body, with darker brown wings and back, and pale yellowish tones on the neck and head.

THE GRACEFUL IBERIAN MAGPIE
Until recently, the Iberian magpie was considered the same species as the azure-winged magpie found further east in Asia. More recent research has shown that the two populations diverged more than a million years ago. One theory suggests that during the Pliocene, a savanna-like belt extended from the Iberian Peninsula to East Asia, but glaciations later caused habitat changes that isolated the populations. In fact, several species pairs show similar disjunct distributions, such as white stork/Oriental stork, dunnock/Japanese accentor, and greenfinch/Oriental greenfinch.

The Iberian magpie is a medium-sized corvid, characterized by its slender body, long tail, and pale blue plumage on the back and wings, while the head, chest, and belly are grey to whitish. The tail is long and narrow with dark tips, giving the bird an elegant appearance. Its eyes are dark and the bill is black, creating a striking contrast with its colourful plumage. We will have the opportunity to photograph this species at close range from a hide located in open cork oak woodland.

PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS FROM HIDES
We visit Castile–La Mancha in early April, when conditions for photographing these spectacular species are at their best. The region offers many hides, each designed with a focus on one or a few specific species. Our priority during the tour is to provide the best possible opportunities to photograph some of the most sought-after species.

We will spend time in hides across a variety of habitats, including open steppe, wetlands, dramatic mountain landscapes, cork oak groves, olive groves, and grazed scrubland. The hides we use are specifically designed for species such as Great Bustard, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Iberian magpie, Little Owl, Lesser Kestrel, Hoopoe, Carrion Crow, Griffon Vulture, and Iberian grey shrike.

In addition, there will be excellent opportunities to photograph species such as Black Kite, Red Kite, Western Marsh Harrier, European Serin, Spotless Starling, and Hawfinch.

Several of the hides accommodate multiple participants, while others are for individual use. All hides are purpose-built to maximise photographic opportunities for the target species. Some are equipped with so-called “stopsol” glass, meaning you will photograph through a special type of glass. You will need to bring a tripod and tripod head. In some hides, both are used in the standard way, while in others the tripod head is mounted directly onto a platform inside the hide.

At the start of the tour, we will plan the week’s schedule together. We aim to adapt the program to suit individual preferences as much as possible. After each day, we evaluate the results and adjust the plan to ensure that all participants have the best possible opportunities to photograph the key target species.