Winter stuff returning.

It's almost 4 p.m. on Wednesday and a short while ago a male sunbird was singing not far off outside the window, probably in the Bauhinia, perhaps in the willow. For this reason I include an interesting photograph from Ruthie Schueler of this spunky little bird.

Yesterday I heard our first definite stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) of the season. He was singing briefly somewhere in gazelle field, actually at least two.. there was an answering bird from the cistern area but we didn't catch sight of them , just heard a sequence of whistles and 'taks'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Stonechat

'Maybe' black redstarts but not actually spotted though we approached the rubble with care not long before sunset, no bird appeared to be using it. We did hear redstart like whistles in the eucalyptus grove and also earlier from somewhere down in the east part of north valley.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Stonechat Graceful warblers:

Gazelles: One, well grown female, moving from behind the hawthorns and over towards field behind the cistern. They often use the old water channels so can disappear out of sight in those quite easily, I think that's what she did. I wonder if they will eat the hawthorn berries themselves? They need tough mouths to deal with the thorns but they might have that.

hyrax, plenty activity in the cypress slum area including youngsters.

House sparrows:around the houses as usual.. afternoon chatter begins before 4 p.m. and is already quite lively by 4.10 p.m. increasing in intensity as I write.

Hooded crows: windsurfing up on the hill.. some dive bombing like behaviour.. part of play or aggression towards jackdaws that are also joining in the play to some extent?

Eurasian Jays: active and vocal throughout the woods as usual.

Feral pigeons: about as usual

Blackbirds: about the woods as usual, 'chak chak' and glimpsed.

Collared doves: occasionally seen flying between eucalyptus, being very quiet.
Graceful warblers: some calls but much decreased in intensity of late.

Syrian woodpeckers: quite vocal in the pines and cypress

white spectacled Bulbuls: vocal in gardens and various parts of the woods.

Great tits: vocal in pines and on bank by valley road.