ROSA BLANCA AGAIN

We are in Sierra de Segura again and staying at RosaBlancaBnB with Wendy. This time we have been accompanied by two urbanites from Hove-Neal and Robbie- who had decided to see some of ‘the real Spain’. Oh! How they enjoyed the experience of it, the sheer beauty and the space of being up there. Now that they have seen a little they want to come back and seem some more. We went ‘off road’ and high into these mountains. Angel was our driver as there was two vehicles out on this trip and the ‘boys’ thought that he was just that-an angel!. He knew his stuff for you could see that he loved his local patch and he certainly knew where those elusive animals were.

We were up there almost all alone and high enough for the air to be clean and nowhere is there a pylon or pole in sight. The only technical muttering is deep from inside someone’s man bag as a mobile demands attention. You are never alone with a phone-even someone else’s tuned in to ‘Message in a Bottle’. The sound of the wind in the trees was all the music that I could ever want. It just helped the peace settle around us.

Okay, enough of that and now down to hard facts. It was a light birding day but there were still some Swallows heading south with a few Northern Wheatear fluttering about. There were flocks of Mistle Thrush, Serin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Linnet. It was good to see two Black Wheatears that flew to our right-their white tail feathers showing clearly for us. We had a great view of a perched female Kestrel but others flew around often as they swept low over the parched sierra hoping to scare up some prey.

We had some really great views of Griffon Vultures as they perched on rocky outcrops and flew around. We had the advantage of being higher than they were thus being able to see their brown plumage. In one location we had a quick look at a large bird that flew before anyone could see what it really was. The thinking ranged from Golden Eagle to even Black Vulture but sadly in the blink of an eye it had disappeared among the trees.

Our two mountain men found a female Muflon and we had good views of Cabra Montes, Red (Ciervo) and Fallow (Gamo) deer with young. All this was good as the sierra is waiting for its autumnal soak for the fungi to poke their heads up and to allow the rut to get going. The leaf colours are changing but the next few days will see that change accelerate.

All four of us had great fun during our two night stay-which is never long enough for me-with Neal and Robbie seeing this area for the first time. They witnessed the friendliness of the rural people which was amplified by being poured gin and tonics among the trees by a very sociable Spanish family enjoying their day out. It just tastes better when it is unexpected. Thank you to everyone for helping me to enjoy each day.