SPANISH STEPS (part2)WHERE VULTURES DARE

WILD WEST

SHORT TOED EAGLEMONTE HACHO

GRIFFON AT NEST SITE

ADULT GRIFFON VULTURE

SUB ADULT GRIFFON

A SKULKING SARDINE WARBLER

BLACK WHEATEARBLUE ROCK THRUSH

GRIFFON VULTURE

Nothing much happens here before ten o`clock,because central european time at 5 degrees west means it does`nt get light very early.Staying local today to investigate the mountain area above Montejacque,Mount Hacho is a shade over a 1000 m above sea level. A country road runs up the valley between the two peaks providing a fairly easy walk.Griffon Vultures nest in the area and will frequently inspect you ,prospecting for lunch no doubt.Other good birds seen on this walk included Rock Bunting,Black Redstart,Thekla Lark,Woodchat Shrike,Sardinian Warbler,Short toed Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush, and best of all two pairs of Black Wheatears.The weather was perfect the birding was good,probably my best day of the holiday.

SPANISH STEPS(PART 1)HELP ME RONDA

The last week has been spent in Montejacque, Andalucia in southern Spain,staying in a pleasant rented house

CHOUGH

DOUBLE CHOUGH

MAIN SQUARE

RONDA BRIDGE

GERANIUM BRONZE

that was advertised in Birds magazine.On our first full day we went to Ronda to stock up on essentials and see the famous gorge,it is a terrific sight with crag martins and choughs flying around.Also found there wasthe geranium bronze butterfly which is a south african species that has established a foothold in southern europe having been imported with pelargoniums to Mallorca in 1990,it has been found as far north as Brussels.

SPOTLESS STARLINGS

CRIMSON SPECKLED MOTH

RED RUMPED SWALLOWS

MARBLED SKIPPER

RED RUMPED SWALLOW

Back in the village found resting on a tower crane were a dozen or more starlings ,not our birds but Spotless Starlings,much cleaner than  ours in fact spotless.The next day was overcast and drizzly so went for a walk at Benaojan beside the Rio Guadiaro,here we saw red rumped swallows,booted eagles,short toed snake eagles,black kite,olivaceous warbler,spotted flycatcher and kingfisher as well as more familiar species.Along the road was a hidden cave called Cueva de la Pieta which cost 7 euros to get in you carried your own tilly lamp and no photos,but it contained some brilliant stalagtites and mites and some primitive cave paintings so on balance it was worth a visit....coming soon The Alhambra and lots of vultures.

TICKING OVER

DAR MLODZIEZYHMS KENT..

  Went up to Oare on thursday last week,after an early visit to PoW pier to see the Polish radio symphony orchestra arrive on the sailing ship DAR MLODZIEZY, HMS Kent was also berthed at the cruise terminal.On arrival at Oare bumped into Geoff Burton who told me of the white rumped sandpiper that had been found on the east flood,this was duly found and gave quite good scope views.Over on the mud finally found little stint and curlew sandpiper,first for the year these two,while the WRS is a lifer,my fourth of the year, with white tailed plover, pectoral sandpiper and spotted crake.Another thursday shower was followed by a pretty good sunset;not a bad day all in  all.WHITE RUMPED SANDPIPERCOOL CLOUDSDAYS END

A BIRD IN THE HAND

SPOTTED FLYCATCHERGARDEN WARBLERLONG TAILED TITSWALLOWTREE PIPITGREEN WOODPECKERWHITETHROAT (adult and juvenile)Ringing at St Margarets on sunday morning,no not the bells, the birds, turned up a couple of surprises when a tree pipit and a couple of young swallows were trapped.The whitethroats are shown for comparison, with  the young bird having a much duller eye colour.Note the eyelid of the long tailed tit andthe angry look of the juvenile woodpecker.The spotted fly was seen a bit earlier in the week at Kingsdown along with the Autumn Ladies Tresses on the front lawns along the cliff top.A.L.T.

A PERFECT STORM

THE END IS NIGH

ANY  PORT IN A STORM

Last thursday afternoon I went for a walk to the Prince of Wales pier,as I got to the seafront the sky turned distinctly darker,I calculated that the coming rain would miss the pier so I continued on my way.The storm clouds gathered and lightning could be seen over the hills at guston and the rain was mainly over that way too.The clouds then rolled menacingly over the castle and then the harbour but the pier stayed on the edge thankfully.Eventually the clouds passed and a rainbow appeared over the harbour.Later that evening a magnificent sun dog appeared as the sun lowered in the west.The harbour was host to several adult med gulls and two hungry sandwich terns during the storm.

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WE`RE DOOMED

SITTING ON THE FENCE

WHEATEARBLACK REDSTARTBLACK REDSTARTAUTUMN GENTIANCOMMON LIZARD

DEVILS BIT SCABIOUSFIRECREST

The fences at Samphire Hoe are often very good for the odd bird or three,yesterday was no exception with wheatears meadow pipits and black redstarts obliging.In the afternoon a couple of common lizards were seen taking in the warm autumnal sunshine on the low wooden fence near the office and some autumn gentians were found alongside the railway fence.Today, Wednesday ,after a mornings chores I went to Langdon cliffs for a couple of hours after the rain had eased off.Eight corn buntings were in the linseed several chiff chaffs blackcaps and whitethroats were in the scrub along with a tit flock and a chaffinch influx. Moving on a firecrest was in the bushes on the lower tramway where a devils bit scabious was blooming.On the way back several whinchats  a lesser whitethroat and a raven were seen,quite a worthwhile afternoon stroll.