Visit to Gazelle field with son too

above: favourite Greenfinch food


Gazelles in gazelle field (by husband in stealth mode) Close as we could get with a little casio digital.

6th June 34 C falling to 26 C clear skies - 5 pm + > 6.30 pm 41% humidity wind 16.5 knots W

Gazelles: 4 full grown or almost full grown, one with thin horns.

Turtle doves: some cooing

Husband briefly saw a House martin - Delichon urbica unless it was a swallow with underdeveloped tail.

Greater spotted cuckoo over gazelle field flying west to the north valley woods

We took our 11 year old son with us today since he's flying to Europe tomorrow and wanted extra time with us. He was delighted to get good views of the greenfinches ("they're as green as parrots!") and the gazelles ("cool!" and a Captain Jack Harkness quote about their hindquarters that I'm not sure if I can repeat here ) but naturally went after the agamas again, I think hoping to touch one, till I advised against it.. though they are shy they'd give a nasty bite if cornered. Then he had a delightful time at the cistern spotting water boatmen (Notonecta) a bug that has extra long legs like oars for 'rowing' through the water. We'll have to get a jar of that water and check it out with the microscope for microcrustaceans etc. The water in the cistern is about four feet deep or more .. NOT for closer unsupervised approach by young boys. Of course he can swim but hard to see if their are any nasty underwater hazards in those murky depths. You know boys.. 'Don't ever bring your little brother here without us!' is like, 'don't go to the elephant graveyard Simba!'

Reminds me of the time when they came back from a walk in the woods in the rainy season, soaked beyond raindrops. 'We didn't go into the na'hal (creek) mom, you told us not to, we only climbed up the waterfall..' !!

House sparrows: foraging all grassy weedy places close to and far from human habitation

Senegal doves: cooing.. pair in centre of forest

Hooded crows: active singly and in pairs, foraging, quite quiet

Jackdaws: One! Silent, flying from buildings to north valley

Jays: Many active and vocal foraging in woods and out on gazelle field where gazelles graze.

Feral pigeons: Flocks and singly, flying over valley

Greenfinches: Lots active and twittering all over woods, 'chee' and 'piooo' calls.

Blackbirds: some song. Alarm call in garden

Chukars: nothing

Collared doves: Some coos and active in various places in forest

Stone curlews: calls just beyond gazelle field.

Sunbirds: some calls in garden

Graceful warblers: some calls grassy areas by valley road

Syrian woodpeckers: nothing

Bulbuls: prize for first bird of the day today! .. in my Bauhinia calling before 5 a.m.

Great tits: Calls edge of gazelle field foraging in pines.

5th June: Clear skies. 32 C peak to 23 after 7 p.m. just under 60% humidity, 11 plus knots WNW but not felt in the valley.

Gazelles.. 3 about 6.30 p.m. by trees in gazelle field, two grown females + almost fully grown

Turtle doves: Much cooing

Greater spotted cuckoo: calls

House sparrows: Vocal and active everywhere

Senegal doves: Some cooing.. active foraging many places

Hooded crows: Active as individuals, some vocal

Jackdaws: still absent

Jays: vocal and foraging many locations in woods

Feral pigeons: individuals and small flocks overhead

Greenfinches: Many calls, singing, active in trees.

Blackbirds: Some song

Chukars: silent

Collared doves: Some cooing and flight calls, active foraging

Stone curlews: Some calls north edges north valley,

Sunbirds: calls in garden

Graceful warblers: active foraging and some vocal

Syrian woodpeckers: calls in E end north valley

Great tits: Active and vocal around edges gazelle field.