European Roller.
01st May 2025
Another bird that is painfully shy is the European Roller – they just won’t tolerate any form of approach. Driving through the remote and rough Meladia valley we could see a bird perched on overhead wires – this is typical behaviour for them, but it doesn’t make a good shot, you are always looking up and who wants a wire through your shot? – I don’t!
As the car approached the bird inevitably moved further on down the wires, it’s just the way it is with them. This time, however, there was a change of behaviour it landed in a small bush – maybe there was a chance of a shot!
We inched close until we were opposite and there was still no movement, I switched the engine off, this usually spooks them, but not this time. I opened the door as quietly as possible and skulked out of the car, keeping low. I knew I had to put my head over the parapet so to speak to get a shot and I thought that would be the final straw, but it wasn’t, it was tolerating me – very unusual indeed. I fired off a couple of shots and I got it before it did indeed fly off, never to be seen again.
The most tolerant Roller I've encountered.
As the car approached the bird inevitably moved further on down the wires, it’s just the way it is with them. This time, however, there was a change of behaviour it landed in a small bush – maybe there was a chance of a shot!
We inched close until we were opposite and there was still no movement, I switched the engine off, this usually spooks them, but not this time. I opened the door as quietly as possible and skulked out of the car, keeping low. I knew I had to put my head over the parapet so to speak to get a shot and I thought that would be the final straw, but it wasn’t, it was tolerating me – very unusual indeed. I fired off a couple of shots and I got it before it did indeed fly off, never to be seen again.
The most tolerant Roller I've encountered.