swallow stopover

Gazelles - Just one today, hornless and usual spot under the largest of the single trees in gazelle field by the dry stone walls. Feral black and white cat sitting nearby, obviously not perceived as any kind of threat. Cat continued east. Good luck to that cat, we've seen it hunting in north valley before, or trying. Sticks out like a sore thumb against that terrain.

Bird of the day would be European swallows, Hirundo rustica flying every direction, at least a dozen, probably quite a few more, flying over north and central east valley and quite high over hill slopes north of gazelle field and just over tree canopy level, in loose association with each other. Probably on passage and just stopped by for some good late afternoon fly hunting.
Always a delight to see their easy grace in flight. We'd glimpsed a couple yesterday but today we got to see more and much better views

Hoopoe one flying by near the bunker.

House sparrows: Around the houses, busy and active late afternoon.

Hooded crows, Jackdaws: Calls but no significant flocks noticed today.

Jays: Much squabbling, continuous screeching heard over several minutes around sunset, north valley.

Greenfinches: More active than yesterday, a little twittering and going to and fro between their favourite thick pines by the bunker and the eucalyptuses.

Blackbirds: Numerous alarm calls heard throughout woods

Bulbuls: Harsh calls in the garden

Raptor calls today and yesterday, I think the sparrowhawk in the pine grove, Repeated ki-ki etc call but sounds a little harsher than the hobby call. Unfortunately didn't see it either time.