Gazelles: No show today
First return was quite expected, in fact I'd mentioned to husband while walking along the valley road that we should look out for chaffinches. I did spot a small band of small finch like birds flying from the pumping station area north over valley road, looked like finches in flight but hard to ID in silhouette. We turned the loop connection to the dry stream trail and husband noticed small jobs active in the pines, cypress and acacias on the south side of the path. It was a female chaffinch! Fringilla coelebs Nice view. First definite sighting of the season. I saw her fly off a few minutes later and she had company.. I glimpsed her roving partners heading off with her.
The other interesting small bird in the same trees, was quite obvious by its rust red tail but I wanted it to sit still for a moment to get a proper sighting. It was busy hawking flying insects between the trees. Presently it settled in good view for a short while- a very nice female ( or immature) European Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) close 'cousin' of Blackjack, the black redstart that has resumed haunting the bunker ruins.
Black Redstart: 'Blackjack' present again in the ruins, only one today, flicking and whistling possessively. I assume the other male was chased off. Of course I have no way of knowing if the winner of this little territorial conflict was the original bird we saw, not without colour ringing them, but 'king of the ruins' gets honorary title of 'Blackjack'. I don't know if they would share, they seem quite territorial.
Stonechats: The light was fading fast as we headed north into the moorish part of the north east gazelle field but we did confirm the continued presence of stonechats. One called from up by the fence and within a fraction of a second it was answered by another from the scrub near the easternmost almond tree and by another from another part of the scrub. They are no doubt claiming and asserting rights over their little winter territories too. None were in view as far as I could tell but light was too dim. I scan likely places with field glasses and husband eyeballs for movement, which seems to be a good system.
Nice size Eurasian Sparrowhawk: flying 'upstream' south along the east valley just above canopy level, no doubt hawking for possibilities.
Falcon, harried away from 'windsurfer hill' by hooded crows. I could tell the flock was excited and they were drifting west over where we were by the pumping station. The falcon wheeled around easily out of their way, then decided to beat it over the hill crest to the west. Probably a kestrel but couldn't make out much in almost silhouette.
House sparrows: Active as usual in the gardens.
First return was quite expected, in fact I'd mentioned to husband while walking along the valley road that we should look out for chaffinches. I did spot a small band of small finch like birds flying from the pumping station area north over valley road, looked like finches in flight but hard to ID in silhouette. We turned the loop connection to the dry stream trail and husband noticed small jobs active in the pines, cypress and acacias on the south side of the path. It was a female chaffinch! Fringilla coelebs Nice view. First definite sighting of the season. I saw her fly off a few minutes later and she had company.. I glimpsed her roving partners heading off with her.
The other interesting small bird in the same trees, was quite obvious by its rust red tail but I wanted it to sit still for a moment to get a proper sighting. It was busy hawking flying insects between the trees. Presently it settled in good view for a short while- a very nice female ( or immature) European Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) close 'cousin' of Blackjack, the black redstart that has resumed haunting the bunker ruins.
White wagtails: Heard around look-out corner? Brief and unconfirmed but third day in a row such a call heard there. Could also be one of the other wagtails.
Black Redstart: 'Blackjack' present again in the ruins, only one today, flicking and whistling possessively. I assume the other male was chased off. Of course I have no way of knowing if the winner of this little territorial conflict was the original bird we saw, not without colour ringing them, but 'king of the ruins' gets honorary title of 'Blackjack'. I don't know if they would share, they seem quite territorial.
Stonechats: The light was fading fast as we headed north into the moorish part of the north east gazelle field but we did confirm the continued presence of stonechats. One called from up by the fence and within a fraction of a second it was answered by another from the scrub near the easternmost almond tree and by another from another part of the scrub. They are no doubt claiming and asserting rights over their little winter territories too. None were in view as far as I could tell but light was too dim. I scan likely places with field glasses and husband eyeballs for movement, which seems to be a good system.
Nice size Eurasian Sparrowhawk: flying 'upstream' south along the east valley just above canopy level, no doubt hawking for possibilities.
Falcon, harried away from 'windsurfer hill' by hooded crows. I could tell the flock was excited and they were drifting west over where we were by the pumping station. The falcon wheeled around easily out of their way, then decided to beat it over the hill crest to the west. Probably a kestrel but couldn't make out much in almost silhouette.
House sparrows: Active as usual in the gardens.
Senegal doves: A brief coo mid afternoon and an individual seen in flight on the street.
Hooded crows: 50 or so up on windsurfer hill. Just after sunset a wide flock of some 40 or so Jackdaws returning from foraging somewhere on hills to the north. They headed for windsurfer hill, immediately raising a clamour from the hooded crows. All of them were interacting like mad over the next few minutes. The larger hoodies probably didn't want their distant cousins barging onto 'their' hill.
Jays: Numerous individuals in field and woods vocalising and foraging as usual.
Feral pigeons: Some seen around buildings as usual
Greenfinches, chukars, collared doves, stone curlews, graceful warblers, : silent or absent
Blackbirds: A pair seen foraging in the dry stream bed
Sunbirds: Calls in the garden. Also calls from a central pinewood territory.
Sunbirds: Calls in the garden. Also calls from a central pinewood territory.
Syrian woodpeckers: Calls
Bulbuls: Plenty calls in the garden
Great tits: Calls from the pine woods off valley road and the vegetation and acacias up the slope between valley road and the buildings.
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