Working in the sunshine again today, and I’m up on the hillside just outside the village of Lanjaron. Chaffinches , Blackbirds and Great Tits provided most of the background chatter, but some old favourites still managed to give the day a Mediterranean twist…
We crossed a small stream on the track this morning, and a Cetti’s Warbler sang loudly from a stand of tall grasses as we passed. Red-rumped Swallows swooped low over the house as we arrived, while House Martins and Swifts swirled in the skies overhead. The “pruh…pruh” calls of Bee Eaters were a welcome distraction later on, as a flock of maybe twenty or so passed through…always great to get a glimpse of these beautiful summer migrants.
A short drive for food at lunchtime took us away briefly from the gardens and orchards and out over broken, rocky slopes before we dropped down to the main road. Nice views of Crested Larks here…no Stonechat which was a surprise but bright, pristine Goldfinch and Serin added a splash of colour to the day and a Blue Rock Thrush showed well, perched as ever on a favourite craggy outcrop.
All in all, a pretty typical spring day down here in the Alpujarras…and we’ve got a lot more to look forward to. April has been a spectacular month, and I can’t wait to see what May has in store!
