A paradise found - then lost!

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What a glorious day last Sunday was, I Truly Believe that spring had begun. My usual stroll along the Rio Genal Gaucin in the valley below was an absolute joy and was interrupted by many stops of observation instead of dashes for shelter. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, butterflies were fluttering by and the early spring flowers brightened my spirits.



BlackCaps, Chaffinches, Robins, Serins and the occasional explosive outburst of the Cetti's Warbler out-performed the sound of the rapid river flow with their melodic Heralding of a new day, a new beginning, a new season? I noted several spring butterflies, Brimstone, Cleopatra, Green-striped White, Small White and the wonderful Spanish Festoon (see photo), all lovely and resplendent in their colorful livery and hard to track in their chaotic flights of fancy.



My view up to the Sierra Crestellina was unbroken and free from cloud, what a joy to watch the Griffon Vultures soaring effortlessly on the thermals of the real first year and what they were reaching great heights. A perched Bonelli's Eagle was also most welcome, a regular sighting this spring at the westward end of the Crestellina massif.



Several Iberian Wall Lizards came out to play and were surprisingly active, quick jerky movements caught the eye as they scurried from sight. Carpenter Bees flitter amongst the Bermuda Buttercups dragging each stem almost to ground level with their heavy bodies and were probably quite bewildered with such an array of yellow flower heads to choose from.



The river itself seemed quite devoid of life Because of its high level and rapid flow, not Wagtails, Little Ringed Plovers or Common Sandpipers, mainly shingle Because there were no banks or exposed muddy areas for them to feed from. Nevertheless, The aforementioned Cetti's Warbler ventured across the water on occasion giving reasonable views.



Looking skyward once more I noted the local pair of Common Buzzard were soaring, staking their claim to the 'flying rights' of the valley, several Crag Martins dashed about with their urban cousins and recent arrivals, Barn Swallows and House Martins.



All this from just a two hour stroll, my paradise was re-found, but as I sit here writing this two days later, dismayed, disgruntled and dis-illusion to have it all Snatched away by 48 hours of continuous rain after I was misled into thinking Spring had really sprung!




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[Peter]

Excellent account of a great area. I think we are all getting mightily peed off with the current rainfall and it really is becoming most frustrating for birding!!

Peter