After a great day's birdwatching yesterday it's back to work for me today, and I'm off up the mountain above the village to wrestle with a cement mixer for a few hours. It's good to be back on my old patch for the day, and as always I'm keeping an eye on what's passing through.

Nice views of the usual warblers through the morning...the "tack tack tack" calls of Blackcap and the slightly softer churring of Sardinian Warblers were no surprise and the sweet "hwit...hwit" calls of Chiffchaff added to the background noise of the Serin, Goldfinch and Great Tits. Black Redstart and Robin flitted between the shrubs and bushes, and the local Kestrel showed well as it patrolled it's territory over the hillside below us.

Business as usual then...all that was needed was an appearance from one of our larger local raptors and it wasn't that long before another local favourite drifted into view. A pale-form Booted Eagle: pristine black and white plumage below, with the characteristic "V" shaped wing bars clearly visible in the bright morning sunshine. Most of Europe's Booted Eagles head for wintering grounds in Africa but a few stay on in SW Spain...I hope we'll be seeing them throughout the winter months.

While I was busy working Kiersten meanwhile was out and about higher up the mountain, hoping for a glimpse of something a little more unusual...and wasn't disappointed. She snapped some fantastic shots of a Bonelli's Eagle. With only a few hundred pairs left in Europe this rare, hawk-like eagle is a spectacular local resident and it's great to have some photos. Note the tawny, pale orange chest of this individual: juvenile plumage, showing they have bred successfully in the region. Superb stuff!

Keep checking the trip reports for all the latest updates, we'll keep you posted with all the news as the month rolls on....