Barranco de Barafonso

My son has another photograph he’d like to take. He’s researched it all and knows the route we’ll be taking and we’re sussing out the best places to park. It’s in a deep-walled dry canyon, and in photographs you could be convinced you’re in Antelope Canyon in Arizona.

One website I see says, “You’ll see a few local birds like kestrels and chiffchaffs and maybe even a raven or buzzard flying overhead.” That sounds good. As we arrive I see an eagle take off and fly low over our heads. I get a shot of it retreating. It’s a Booted Eagle, Aquila pennatus, I’m sure of it.

The barranco, or valley, is fascinating. It’s dry and ends in a dry waterfall. It’s cut vertically into the soft volcanic rock.

Barranco de Barafonso - Gran Canaria - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

I can see why it’s called ‘Instagram-ready’.

Here’s my son to give it some scale:

There are several large families with young people here as well as us. There’s an art form in keeping them out of the picture.

Standing here is like being a temporary witness to a deep-time event.

My son has the photograph he wanted. I’ve acted as his camera’s tripod and remote shutter release. Later, I post a photo of the eagle on social media asking what species it is. The answer comes back, “Es un águila calzada morfo claro”, which appears to translate roughly into, “It’s a light morph road eagle”. Road Eagle? It’s a Booted Eagle. Lovely.