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SOUTHERN SPAIN
By Jose Antonio Sencianes
Jose's Website |
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 I grew up in Malaga, in southern Spain, near the strait of Gibraltar, the sea route from Europe to Africa.
Malaga has approximately 300 kms of the most important wetland in Europe: the salt marshes of the Guadalquivir river. Located in the West coast of Andalucia, they constitute a unique space by the singular combination of ecosystems, as witnessed by the variety and wealth of its fauna. |
 Beaches, dunes, salt marsh, lagoons, forests, salt mines... all accompanying Guadalquivir river mouth. Here, you can meet two of the most endangered species on the planet , the Spanish Imperial Eagle Iberica and the Iberian Lynx.
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 A dune cord separates the ocean from the salt marsh... the landscape becomes Saharian and the crudity of the atmosphere makes you think that we will find few birds, nevertheless the reality is very different. A pair of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) breed every year in a ancient arab tower of s.XIII, taking advantage of the passage migrating and wintering birds throughout the coast and it is common to observe them.
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 Near the dunes, the great forests of pines are the perfect habitat for the Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti). From the top of my car and with the aid of the spotting scope I could observe and draw this female that finished hunting one Spoonbill in a near cork oak.
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 Drawing in the salt marsh is not an easy task. The distances are enormous, the watercolor takes in curing and the mosquitos are inseparable companions. Even so, it is the best place to draw shorebirds, like this Godwit (Limosa limosa).
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 In the salt marshes of the Guadalquivir, there are the largest wintering populations of wildfowl in central and northern Europe. The sight of thousands of ducks are habitual and this is one of my preferred subjects to paint. This common sight of Long-tailed Duck (Anas acuta) and Garganeys (Anas crecca) resting, were the perfect models for this pastel sketch.
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