After working up on the mountain yesterday I’m free to go birdwatching again, and I’ve got unfinished business to catch up on. I’ve been really keen to complete a circuit around the ridge below the village, and I’m off to finish the walk I started two days ago. I had a nice day-list on Monday, so I can’t wait to see what else turns up as I pick up the trail at the far end of the cliff…
I followed the track along the top of the ridge through the olive groves, with the Lanjaron valley below me on the left. It’s windier and a bit more exposed up here, but I was sure with a bit of patience there’d be something interesting to see. First up, Crested Larks…old familiar favourites, but it was great to see them so close the village. I counted half a dozen within no time at all, showing little fear as they foraged on the ground for insects and seeds only yards away. I passed some farm buildings and a Black Redstart was no surprise, perched on a window sill as I walked by. The perfect habitat for this year long resident…rough open ground for feeding and old walls for nest sites in the spring.
Perhaps of more interest was a party of Rock Bunting…long, white-edged black tails, distinctive black stripes on grey heads..again, by no means a first but I was really pleased to get a winter flock of these attractive little birds on my doorstep. A nice tick for the “backyard”!
I thought I’d get a view of our local Kestrels up here, they nest on the cliff-face opposite the house, and sure enough I had good views of both the male and the female. I was less prepared for the next bird of prey though…Golden Eagle! I had unbelievable views as it soared along the cliff-edge, showing its patchier, sub-adult plumage superbly as it worked the air effortlessly along the ridge. A quick “you’ll never guess what” phonecall to Kiersten suggested it was one of a pair she’d been tracking as they passed their house on the otherside of the valley…I’d never seen these magnificent birds below the village before, a truly great moment and a brilliant addition to the day.
I think you could be forgiven for thinking that could probably be enough for one morning, but the day had one more surprise in store. I spotted a rather non-descript greyish bird busily foraging in low thorny vegetation, only yards away from the road…the long twitchy tail made me stop dead in my tracks and for a minute I really wasn’t sure, but there was no mistake. A Dartford Warbler! They have a reputation for skulking, nervous behaviour but it ignored me completely and I had fabulous views as it hopped around almost mouse-like right in front of me. Only the second Dartford I’ve ever seen and a terrific end to the walk. As I headed back to the main road only one problem remained…how was I going to tell Kiersten my camera batteries were on charge?
