Finally! On the very last day of what’s been a rather bleak January I find myself with a bit of time on my hands and it’s a leisurely stroll back to Lanjaron for me, a welcome chance to enjoy a bit of sunshine and catch up with what’s out and about as I follow the [...]
Oct 162009
With the month rolling on it’s time to catch up with all the comings and goings “on the doorstep” as I take another look at birdwatching down in the valley below the village. All those House Martins that hung on through the tail-end of summmer have finally really thinned out now…with just the last one [...]
Oct 062009
It´s the first week of October, and I´m helping the Spanish Highs Mountain Guides crew with some work on their house above Lanjaron. As always, I´ve got one eye on the sky and I´m listening to the birdsong on the hillside around me. As ever, the Sardinian Warblers are clicking and churring in the olive [...]
Thursday morning, and as usual I’m “doing the rounds” and checking out what’s going on before I start work. It was the beautiful, bright song of a Blackcap that got me out of the flat today, I tracked its calls from tree to tree around to the back of the house as it stayed in [...]
After the relentless sunshine of summer the weather has finally broken…we’re in the second day of thunder and lightening and pounding rain, got caught in it earlier and it was freezing. Not before I’d managed to get out on patrol again however, as I continue to check out the valley below Lanjaron for departures and [...]
Wednesday morning, and car trouble on the hillside above the village means we’ve got an hour to kill while the engine cools down. With the Lanjaron river below us a slow walk up the side of the valley was the perfect distraction. A pale-form Booted Eagle drifted lazily overhead as we set off, giving us [...]
It’s Friday morning and it’s a big day for Birdwatchalpujarras…my new colleague and birdwatching partner Kiersten and I have got Gerry and Chris out with us for the day, two widely travelled and very keen birdwatchers over from Manchester for a week of sunshine in Lanjaron. With a full day to work with we’re hoping [...]
Sunday morning, and Birdwatch Alpujarras are taking a couple of clients out for a few hours up the hillside above the village. The high winds and grey clouds of Saturday had given way to bright sunshine so we were hoping for a productive day. After the great birdwatching of last Wednesday we’re retracing my steps, [...]
Wednesday morning and Birdwatchalpujarras are taking a client out for the day from our base of Lanjaron. A moment to collect our thoughts before the mission begins sees us take five minutes near the castle to discuss the route plan. A tropical sounding birdcall from the eucalyptus trees behind us grabbed my attention and then [...]
Apr 092009
The week began with work on the hillside above Lanjaron. Heard but didn’t see Bee Eaters passing through…stronger winds made listening out for them a little more difficult. Wednesday arrived, day off work. Decided to take a run up the slopes of Sierra Lugar, a landmark mountain south of the village, as yet unexplored. After [...]
