From nothing to something!

Thursday 10 April

Just an ordinary day; nothing expected, no goals set just me and the jobs to be done.  First down to the home village of Benamargosa to collect the post and check in at the bank, no pun intended.

Leaving the house to turn down on to the lower track I confronted a single Red-legged Partridge defiantly standing in the centre of the road doing  the "chicken thing" as it tried to determine who would win if he took on the car.  Naturally, he opted out and just waddled over the bank and out of site.  Approaching the village I had a pair of Blackcaps and then a similar number of Sardinian Warblers.  A sole male Blackbird and a small charm of Goldfinches also made themselves conspicuous.

Then, once in the village, not only the summering House Martins that were already back in residence but my first Common Swift of the year, having seen a Pallid Swift earlier in the week.  Then it was home to start work on the pool repairs involving replacing the pipework between pump and filter; thank goodness for kind and knowledgeable neighbours who we can truly call friends.

Job done and Jenny already off to her Spanish classes, etc and it was take in the washing, hang out the next batch, get lunch out of the way and find that I still had time to see if I could find my way over to Almarchar and fellow birders Howard and Angelina.  Common Kestrels on the way down the mountain and then Red-rumped Swallows flying over the dam as I crossed La Vinuela reservoir in addition to the Barn Swallows.  A very lovely hour or so spent in their company and just before leaving the unmistakable song of our newly-arrived Common Cuckoo.  Two birds calling from across the narrow valley and one clearly presenting itself on the electricity wires.  Second new bird for the year so I left in a very happy mood.

Back home, having discovered the short cut via the the dry Rio Benamargosa, that is if you ignore the three metre width but reasonably shallow, and Triana so that I approached the house via the main track up from Benamargosa.  The upper reaches of the track then produced a pair of Red-legged Partridges, so not all have been shot out of existence by the local cowboys, and more Kestrels.  That should have been it for the day as I settled down to check emails, etc until Jenny called form outside.  Above us in the almond trees a Golden Oriole was singing away,  So, one day when nothing expected and I end up with three new birds for the year.

Now if only my computer had been returned from the repairer I could have accessed my library to illustrate the above.  Ah well, another day perhaps.

Today's birds:
Red-legged partridge, Kestrel, Rock Dove, Collared Dove, Cuckoo, Common Swift, Thekla Lark, Barn swallow, House Martin, Red-rumped Swift, Blackbird, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Serin, Goldfinch.