Local Birding with John and Jenny Wainwright

It seems that everybody here is waiting for the continuing rain to stop so that normal birding can be resumed as soon as possible.  Judging from John and Jenny's experience over the past days it seems as if it is a case of having your binoculars and car keys to hand so that you can be out of the house at a moment's notice.  Even so, I love their photograph of a Wren going about its home building and it really captures our concept of  our little Jenny.

Rough Road and more 7th March 2013

It was clear when we left the village, but all hell let loose later.

It had rained all morning, so when the skies cleared we took the chance to pop out for a couple of hours. On the way we saw Common Kestrel, Spotless Starling, Corn Buntings, Black Redstart and House Sparrows.

At km16 - above Salar - we turned off onto the rough road, here we saw Chaffinches, Bramblings, Cirl Bunting and Blackbird.  As we started down the really decrepit road the rain set in again, but as we were well into our trip we continued.  At the bottom of the hill we turned right towards Sierra Loja, a few Azure-winged and Common Magpies were seen as well as a Jay, a Mistle Thrush and a few Chaffinches were spotted in the tops of the trees and below them a Great Tit foraged among the branches.

At the ford we had to take the old bridge as the stream was in full flood, but there were still the odd Blackbird, Robin, Crested Larks and a few House Sparrows.

The rain had really taken a hold now so we turned back for home.

Sierra Loja  8th March 2013.

A really beautiful sunny day, wind picked up later on.

Wren Chochin Comun Troglodytes troglodytes (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

We were forecast with rain all day long, but the opposite occurred and it was wall to wall sunshine. We had the morning planned out so in the late pm we drove up to see what damage the wind and rain had done.  A few trees had come down across the track but these had been cleared, apart from that all OK.

On the way up we saw Crossbills, Blackbirds, Collared Doves, Wood Pigeons and Black Redstart. As we turned to go up to the hidden quarry a male Wren was seen collecting nesting material and duly photographed. In the quarry itself we found Chaffinches, Sardinian Warbler, Chough and Common Kestrel.

The track was quite busy with cyclists and walkers, so we headed for the cliff face and here we saw two Black Wheatears, more Chough, Jackdaws, Red-legged Partridges and Black Redstarts. Further up we caught up with Little Owl, another Black Wheatear and more Chough.

Nothing outstanding but a couple of hours out in the fresh air (and away from the housework).

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