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The Laguna de Fuente de Piedra is the largest lake in the whole of Andalusia. Flamingos have made it their favorite stop here. Each spring many thousands of these birds arrive at this shallow lake, which is over 14 kilometers in circumference, within it is an islet called La Colonia which, early each year it is one of the most densely populated bird places anywhere. This Lagoon is the only place in Europe where the flamingo breeds inland, just as it does in the African lakes. They come here to breed just about every year. In 1985, for example, enthusiasts figured that more than 3,000 breeding pairs came here. It is not difficult to watch them arrive, the best point seems to be at a spot called the Cerro del Palo, using binoculars, you can check and do your own sums. On the busy islet they build their nests using mud dredged up from the bottom. They are built so close together the effect is that of a flamingo tenement, with scarcely enough room for them to spread their wings on takeoff. During the early part of the year, water continually evaporateas and by August the lake is often dry. Breeding is a race against the clock, the babies young must leave the nests before the centre is accessible to predators. Sometimes they succeed, others not. Fortunately the birds do not breed every year to maintain their numbers.
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