Common Buzzard at Extremadura

Extremadura's dehesa landscape—those open expanses of holm oak shaped by centuries of low-intensity farming—provides a superb backdrop for photographing Common Buzzards going about their business. This corner of western Spain, tucked near the Portuguese border, remains refreshingly undeveloped and sparsely populated, meaning fewer distractions and disturbances when you're trying to frame a shot. Visiting in April, as our Birds of Extremadura holiday does, gives photographers the chance to work with good light across this open terrain. Patience and a willingness to scan the wide dehesa vistas will serve you well here.