The pink flamingo gracefully and silently flew over one of the most important wetlands in Western Europe, not far from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona, but the roar of the plane's engines broke the calm as another plane took off.
Environmentalists say the Delta De Llobregat Delta, a natural park protected by the European Commission, faces a real threat from plans to expand the nearby Barcelona airport.
After the 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona was opened to international tourism, and Barcelona Airport was built in a wetland.
The Spanish government and Catalan authorities last week signed the controversial €1.7 billion (£1.44 billion) deal to expand the airport, which is the gateway for British tourists to Barcelona and the Costa Brava.
The plan envisages increasing the number of passengers from 55 million to 70 million a year, extending a runway to the wetlands, and building a third terminal.
The expansion of an already busy airport has proven controversial because it appears to contradict a law passed this year by Spain's left-wing government that calls for a 23 percent reduction in emissions from 1992 levels by 2030.
Critics have questioned why Barcelona, with a population of 1.6 million, needs an airport to accommodate 70 million passengers. Barcelona has held protests against mass tourism.
Barcelona's left-wing mayor, Ada Colau, called the plan a "big lie" that would only benefit speculators.
Although tourism has not fully recovered from the outbreak, there are at least 10 flights per minute when visiting the Lolobregat Delta.
Pink flamingos are a favorite of birdwatchers, who also observe large bitter birds, Eurasian scallop owls, small flamingos and Kent birds.
Conservation groups claim a range of bird species have lost their habitat due to earlier expansions at the airport.
"When you sit here quietly and suddenly hear the sound of planes taking off, it's like the noise of a Formula One car," said José Garcia of Depana, a local environmental group that opposes the plan.
"It doesn't make sense as we work to cut emissions."
Garcia believes the EC will set legal hurdles ahead of the plan, which is not expected to be completed by 2030.
Brussels, which has the final say on the airport expansion plan, has warned the Spanish and Catalan governments not to expand the airport.
The European Commission noted in May that despite being one of the most densely populated areas of the Iberian Peninsula, the fragile ecosystem of the Lolobregat Delta has excellent biodiversity and plays a vital role in the migration routes of many European birds.
Authorities said the Spanish and Catalan governments failed to compensate for the use of protected land to build taxi parking areas.
However, Spain's transport minister, Raquel Sanchez, said the plan would bring 83,000 new jobs and create a new conservation area for wildlife. Sanchez was until recently mayor of Gava, a town near the airport.
In an article for the el Periodico newspaper, she wrote: "If we do it right, the expansion of the airport will require more protected areas and stronger protection in the delta region, as this will facilitate connectivity between natural spaces that are currently difficult to connect." ”
Investors say this is a pivotal moment to create an international hub for Barcelona.
Josep Sánchez Llibre, President of the Catalan Business Association Fund de Treball, said: "The airport must become an international hub and we cannot afford to miss new opportunities to make Barcelona famous. ”
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