Moving into dry season

This season's snapdragons by the north valley watercourse. The old stems from last season are still present and this season's stalks, are, as you see, considerably shorter.. Since these are wild, nothing to prune back the old growth but fire, which HAD been in the area the previous year. Is the new growth short because much surrounding vegetation was cut by those 'tidying' the area for the saplings (so they received much light from the start), or did the presence of last season's stalks get in the way of growth- or both?

Monday 10th May:

Westerlies most of today blowing away a brief earlier 'hamsin, mild,

Gazelle: 3 today, 1 adult male alone in forest across north valley watercourse. 2 more, both females or female and well grown young, same area, just west of bat cave.

Bee-eaters: did not hear,

Hobbies: brief glimpses

Swifts: some aloft and screaming as yesterday

Turtle doves: heard near the shaft.
Great spotted cuckoo: one flew over north valley.

Blackbirds: some alarm calls, no song noticed.

Collared doves: coos and activity in pines

Eurasian Jays: some calls, a pair chasing a big brown job, didn't see enough to be sure if visiting Buteo type or a resident long eared owl.
Great tits: Family in hawthorn by north valley watercourse, not sure how many juveniles, vocal, active

Greenfinches:

Jackdaws: About valley in general, Hooded crows: about valley in general

House sparrows:about buildings and neighbourhood edges, Laughing doves: same, and coos

Stone curlews: calls dusk, Syrian woodpeckers: calls near orchard.

Tuesday 11 May

Bee-eaters: calls heard somewhere over east valley watercourse.

hobbies: in flight to and fro over east valley watercourse and orchard area.
Swif: some aloft and screaming as yesterday about dusk

Blackbirds: heard

collared doves: active and vocal

Eurasian Jays: active, foraging on ground.

Greenfinches: yes, calls, twitters as usual lowest altitude parts of the woods.

Hooded crows active around the valley, flying over mostly, also foraging on hill slopes and fields.

Laughing doves: yes, coos

Sunbirds: Avremi found empty nest on the sidewalk a few entrances up, chicks already fledged? probably

Wednesday 12th May
Early morning, melodious calls of white spectacled bulbuls.
Hyraxes active along valley road today. Hooded crows, jackdaws, hobbies about. Greenfinches twittering as usual. Turtle doves heard near the bunker rubble.
24.5-32 degrees C

Thursday 13th May
By 5.15 a.m. House sparrows already up. 5.15 a.m. white spectacled bulbul, 5.23 am jackdaws

Feral dog pair in young pine grove, female looked like she was nursing, and limping a little. They did not keep their distance, seemed very weary. No sign of puppies.

bee-eaters: flock of about three dozen assembled by sunset, flying to and fro over north watercourse. We saw groups of increasing numbers intermittantly up till then.

hobbies:calls from owl glade area. Jay by bat cave.
Swifts: some aloft and screaming over north gazelle field, north watercourse dirtroad turn off area.

Blackbirds: heard, some song

collared doves: active and vocal, cooing. turtle doves cooing close to north valley watercourse.

Greenfinches: calls, twitters as usual lowest altitude parts of the woods.

Hooded crows active around the valley, on cypresses here and there.. one feeding young great spotted cuckoo in cypress by bat cave.

Today's range 15-27 degrees C winds west to north west or north most of the day, light, up to 4.5 kt late afternoon.

Saturday 15th May

Hyraxes: active cypress slum colony including several young, some also at pumphouse

Swifts: some aloft and screaming over pine grove east of cistern area.

Blackbirds: calls, song
collared doves: active and vocal, cooing. turtle doves coos .

Greenfinches: calls, twitters as usual lowest altitude parts of the woods.

Hooded crows active around the valley, on cypresses here and there..
Syrian woodpeckers: calls
Graceful warblers : by valley road, active, foraging,

Around house and valley road: white spectacled bulbuls, sunbirds, house sparrows, laughing doves
House sparrows also seen foraging on slopes by east valley watercourse.