The ravine does it again, just five minutes drive from Rosa Blanca we spent two hours in my favorite spot. Before we got out of the vehicle there were two Grey Wagtails on the rocks by the side of the stream - and there was plenty of running water. Winter had only just disappeared and there was still a chill in the wind, the sun was shining but struggling to warm us. We walked further up and two Choughs flew around the top of the rocks.
The vegetation here is mixed with many greens and the spring flowers adding their whites, yellows, pinks and reds. Such a great array of natural colour. Melodious warblers were all around us with House Sparrow and Blackbird adding to the feeling of peace and quiet of this spot. Crag Martins and Black Redstart flew on the rock face. Two Blue Tits flew with Melodious in and around a Broom bush in full bloom. We turned to look at a Rock Bunting and over our heads flew a magnificent Short-toed Eagle. A single Swift flew high an then we walked into the cave with a Crag Martins nest in view. Another Grey Wagtail flew around the cave and then we walked under the Walnut trees.
I had expected to see Woodpeckers, Tree-creepers, and Nuthatches just as I was thinking this a Green Woodpecker landed in the tree next to us. This was rapidly followed by a Nuthatch. Chaffinches flew around us in a frenzy. Blackcaps and Nightingales were calling but both the female and male Blackcap showed for us. Again the Short-toes Eagle flew overhead. We crossed the road and a male and female Serin were busy feeding. Melodious were still showing well and after a debate a Reed Warbler perched for us.
Our last two small birds were - we believe - two juvenile Stonechats. We were examining some thistle heads for insects when a Buzzard flew immediately above us. On the way back a Greater-spotted Woodpecker landed on a Poplar. Add to the list Starling, Barn Swallow and we passed two Turkeys in a pen! Photos may follow.
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Thursday, 23 May 2013
MAGIC IN AMSTERDAM - Episode Three of SleepyTime’s and Harold’s Bear Adventures
ST has been to Amsterdam yet again. We need not have worried for they behaved impeccably – well almost. The reason for this journey was for a wedding and not anything to do with either ST or Harry but how could we leave them at home on their own. We could not, so they had to come. Air travel is so easy when you have small bears that enhance the hand luggage, peeping out with their cheeky grins and the odd wink to a friendly face. The winker was Harry, of course, because he has two lovely deep brown eyes and ST has not leant to wink with his one good eye. It really is so sad that he has impaired vision but miracles can happen.
It was great for our two Teds had a whale of a time. They needed ‘bear magic’. They puffed themselves up, in Harry’s case, to a sensible one metre seventy five. His athletic build, composure and ‘chatability’ gave him an edge with the girls – they were safe of course!
ST looked stunning. A tad just below two metres, artistic bearing but still looking gaunt, swanned around the room at the reception talking to everyone that would give him time. He dressed with style in a natty grey suit and he even wore a tie. A matching Trilby topped him off with elegance.
They lapped up the love and tenderness at the ceremony, listened to the toasts and speeches, tucked in at the barbeque and then when the music started they were there right up to the end. By then, ST, was almost out on his feet, stamina not yet returned but Harry still had energy left for Meatloaf’s ‘Paradise by the Dash-board Light’.
Then it happened. A showman has to put on a show and Harry proved that he can do that. This Ted clearly is ‘Hot-Property’. Off came his signature yellow bear scarf, whirling it above his head he gyrated around. Then he dispensed with his pointed shiny shoes followed by him undoing the buttons on a very stylish shirt exposing magically ordered chest hair. Shirt off, belt loosened, trousers wriggled out of and they followed in the path of the whirring scarf. Hips demanding that feet stamped out his rhythm as he sang. Well, he certainly ‘flew the flag’ with his Union Jack socks with matching Calvin Kleins. That is style for you. The Bride and Groom danced with him, loving every second.
We left them, those two fantastic Teds, as they wanted to go clubbing. I was not concerned for they were in safe hands and how could you get into any sort of trouble in this city? They were back in time for breakfast, more magic was ordered, deflation occurred, then they popped themselves into a ‘carry-on’. Job done – and now for the flight home with more adventures still to come.
It was great for our two Teds had a whale of a time. They needed ‘bear magic’. They puffed themselves up, in Harry’s case, to a sensible one metre seventy five. His athletic build, composure and ‘chatability’ gave him an edge with the girls – they were safe of course!
ST looked stunning. A tad just below two metres, artistic bearing but still looking gaunt, swanned around the room at the reception talking to everyone that would give him time. He dressed with style in a natty grey suit and he even wore a tie. A matching Trilby topped him off with elegance.
They lapped up the love and tenderness at the ceremony, listened to the toasts and speeches, tucked in at the barbeque and then when the music started they were there right up to the end. By then, ST, was almost out on his feet, stamina not yet returned but Harry still had energy left for Meatloaf’s ‘Paradise by the Dash-board Light’.
Then it happened. A showman has to put on a show and Harry proved that he can do that. This Ted clearly is ‘Hot-Property’. Off came his signature yellow bear scarf, whirling it above his head he gyrated around. Then he dispensed with his pointed shiny shoes followed by him undoing the buttons on a very stylish shirt exposing magically ordered chest hair. Shirt off, belt loosened, trousers wriggled out of and they followed in the path of the whirring scarf. Hips demanding that feet stamped out his rhythm as he sang. Well, he certainly ‘flew the flag’ with his Union Jack socks with matching Calvin Kleins. That is style for you. The Bride and Groom danced with him, loving every second.
We left them, those two fantastic Teds, as they wanted to go clubbing. I was not concerned for they were in safe hands and how could you get into any sort of trouble in this city? They were back in time for breakfast, more magic was ordered, deflation occurred, then they popped themselves into a ‘carry-on’. Job done – and now for the flight home with more adventures still to come.
Monday, 13 May 2013
TWO ‘scratchy’ BEARS
New York, the flights, catching a couple hours sleep out of kilter with normal hours clearly affected SleepyTime. He was irritable, but we made allowances for the changes in his life. He has had so many aches and pains that made him so miserable and able to turn out a harsh word every other second. It must have been during his incarceration that he learnt to make such offensive harangues.
Things were troubling him. He has not been used to seeing anyway let alone talking, so I could not expect him to confide in me straight away – could I? I will work on this. I want to help him.
Well the other one has really irked me. I refer to him that way – that is the previously mentioned Harold – in such a manner because of his unacceptable behaviour. He wants the last word always and when it comes to ‘I want’ I draw that great cliché line into use, ‘I wants don’t get’. Oh alright mother I hear you clearly! Then there was the language, with that ‘f’ word coming frequently out in a continual storm of abuse. Why all the angst? I am sure that we can deal with this.
The other thing that got to me was that when it came to bath time he kept putting an ‘r’ into it. I have been to Bath, had a few baths in my time but I have never been to BaRth. How affected can one be? I suppose he learnt this when posing in Knightsbridge, in that posh shop. Oh well, it is only a minor irritation.
There is too much occurring that I have to concentrate on the important issues. I have to tread carefully with ST and Harold in their new relationship and then there is the matter of the kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. And, what abuse occurred?
I have made phone calls and spoken to people in the know in Cornwall but no information has been given. There is no need for urgency now that these Teds have a loving home but I will have to explain about the importance of being nice.
Things were troubling him. He has not been used to seeing anyway let alone talking, so I could not expect him to confide in me straight away – could I? I will work on this. I want to help him.
Well the other one has really irked me. I refer to him that way – that is the previously mentioned Harold – in such a manner because of his unacceptable behaviour. He wants the last word always and when it comes to ‘I want’ I draw that great cliché line into use, ‘I wants don’t get’. Oh alright mother I hear you clearly! Then there was the language, with that ‘f’ word coming frequently out in a continual storm of abuse. Why all the angst? I am sure that we can deal with this.
The other thing that got to me was that when it came to bath time he kept putting an ‘r’ into it. I have been to Bath, had a few baths in my time but I have never been to BaRth. How affected can one be? I suppose he learnt this when posing in Knightsbridge, in that posh shop. Oh well, it is only a minor irritation.
There is too much occurring that I have to concentrate on the important issues. I have to tread carefully with ST and Harold in their new relationship and then there is the matter of the kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. And, what abuse occurred?
I have made phone calls and spoken to people in the know in Cornwall but no information has been given. There is no need for urgency now that these Teds have a loving home but I will have to explain about the importance of being nice.
Sunday, 5 May 2013
SleepTime Episode One
Once upon a time there was ‘Sleepytime’, a Ted that had been cuddled, squashed, snore upon and dribbled upon by a much younger Michelle. She had been deprived of the company of her one and only Teddy Bear for years. He had been kept, we think, lonely, cold and rejected – this scribe presumes because he has only given one or two hints – in an austere garage or loft in a draughty Cornish town. How he got there is a mystery and he will not say – damn him! I have my own theories about his imprisonment for that is what it must have been, surely.
Anyway, this battered relic of sentimentality is with us. The poor thing now has a yellowish pallor and would you believe he only has one functioning eye. He has had a couple of warming days in the sun and he was then tarted up, just a tad, with a red neck-ribbon and then we were off courtesy of British Airways from Alicante to Heathrow via Gatwick and then onward to New York. He was joyous; a big smile creased his face for he was on his travels yet again.
I will want you to know that he has been a well-travelled bear before he was hidden away in a very dark place. Of course he had travelled like Paddington from deepest darkest Peru to be with Michelle in England but that was when he was only a baby. When still quite young he had been as far away as Tehran when the whole family travelled to Iran where Richard (Father of Michelle) was gainfully employed by The Shah and his regime.
On 22nd July 1976 ‘Sleepytime’ boarded a VC 10 at Heathrow to take off for a month’s holiday in Tehran. He was back home in August but was to make this trip thrice more notching up nearly fifty hours of flying time and almost 20,000 miles. Wow, what a bear!
Then the log shows that he had a single trip to Amsterdam but we don’t know what for. However he did get his travel log signed but there is no evidence of the return journey. Perhaps there is nothing sinister in this but a lonely bear could have been attracted to some pleasure of the bear kind. He could have succumbed to carnal delights or he may have been happy just gazing at the sights. I am convinced that he would have found some shapely curves to satisfy his desires. Maybe after a beer or several he may have found a coffee shop where he could let all his hair down. This could explain where he lost not only some of his colour but that left eye. I talked to him the other day about this single trip but he turned his blind eye to me and remained stum. It doesn’t really matter for don’t we all have something to keep to ourselves that we don’t want the world to know about.
Anyway, there is to be no more speculation about his adventures. This time we kept both our eyes on him when we flew to New York and brought him back home. He behaved himself impeccably and he was just beside himself when we took him to The Rockefeller Centre to show him the city’s best views. He loved it and you can see his smiling one-eyed face when he is perched and posing for the camera. He says it was a bit too chilly for him now that he is over forty! We took him back to the hotel and wrapped him up warmly.
As well as that old VC 10 he has now been on a B777-200 and an A320 Airbus and I think that he may have caught the travel bug again because I saw him paying a lot of attention to the American Shuttle parked on the aircraft carrier Intrepid when we took a Circle Line Tour around Manhattan Island. I have been warned about bears and there stubbornness for pushing the boundaries. I noted his sly looks but we will keep the top bolt across on the front door which will thwart any escape.
We are now back at home and he has added some eighteen more travel hours with over another 10,000 miles but he does say that he needs to recover before he goes off again. I think that he may need to slow down quite a bit but bears, I am told, have great stamina.
He certainly will not want for company as he now has a prime slot and he is not alone. He, being an expensive minded bear, went into Harrods where he spotted a mate. Now, he has Harold to keep him company or maybe there is more to it? ‘Gayly’ he may now live.
NB Michelle has her own Junior Jet Club travel log which has been signed by all captains on our New York trip. Bully for them!
Anyway, this battered relic of sentimentality is with us. The poor thing now has a yellowish pallor and would you believe he only has one functioning eye. He has had a couple of warming days in the sun and he was then tarted up, just a tad, with a red neck-ribbon and then we were off courtesy of British Airways from Alicante to Heathrow via Gatwick and then onward to New York. He was joyous; a big smile creased his face for he was on his travels yet again.
I will want you to know that he has been a well-travelled bear before he was hidden away in a very dark place. Of course he had travelled like Paddington from deepest darkest Peru to be with Michelle in England but that was when he was only a baby. When still quite young he had been as far away as Tehran when the whole family travelled to Iran where Richard (Father of Michelle) was gainfully employed by The Shah and his regime.
On 22nd July 1976 ‘Sleepytime’ boarded a VC 10 at Heathrow to take off for a month’s holiday in Tehran. He was back home in August but was to make this trip thrice more notching up nearly fifty hours of flying time and almost 20,000 miles. Wow, what a bear!
Then the log shows that he had a single trip to Amsterdam but we don’t know what for. However he did get his travel log signed but there is no evidence of the return journey. Perhaps there is nothing sinister in this but a lonely bear could have been attracted to some pleasure of the bear kind. He could have succumbed to carnal delights or he may have been happy just gazing at the sights. I am convinced that he would have found some shapely curves to satisfy his desires. Maybe after a beer or several he may have found a coffee shop where he could let all his hair down. This could explain where he lost not only some of his colour but that left eye. I talked to him the other day about this single trip but he turned his blind eye to me and remained stum. It doesn’t really matter for don’t we all have something to keep to ourselves that we don’t want the world to know about.
Anyway, there is to be no more speculation about his adventures. This time we kept both our eyes on him when we flew to New York and brought him back home. He behaved himself impeccably and he was just beside himself when we took him to The Rockefeller Centre to show him the city’s best views. He loved it and you can see his smiling one-eyed face when he is perched and posing for the camera. He says it was a bit too chilly for him now that he is over forty! We took him back to the hotel and wrapped him up warmly.
As well as that old VC 10 he has now been on a B777-200 and an A320 Airbus and I think that he may have caught the travel bug again because I saw him paying a lot of attention to the American Shuttle parked on the aircraft carrier Intrepid when we took a Circle Line Tour around Manhattan Island. I have been warned about bears and there stubbornness for pushing the boundaries. I noted his sly looks but we will keep the top bolt across on the front door which will thwart any escape.
We are now back at home and he has added some eighteen more travel hours with over another 10,000 miles but he does say that he needs to recover before he goes off again. I think that he may need to slow down quite a bit but bears, I am told, have great stamina.
He certainly will not want for company as he now has a prime slot and he is not alone. He, being an expensive minded bear, went into Harrods where he spotted a mate. Now, he has Harold to keep him company or maybe there is more to it? ‘Gayly’ he may now live.
NB Michelle has her own Junior Jet Club travel log which has been signed by all captains on our New York trip. Bully for them!
Thursday, 2 May 2013
Back to birding at home
After an evening stroll around Las Ramblas I was encouraged by very good sightings of Mistle Thrush, Long-tailed Tits and eventually a Nightjar flew close to us. I think that it was a male by its white markings but not a Rednecked one - that will be hopefully later on. Nightingales provided the music for the evening down in a rambla.
Today, I walked out from home and soon I saw a Woodchat Shrike fly to a perch. This enabled me to see it fully together with a Reed Warbler. Perched close by was a Bee eater.
I continued on looking for any snake that might be out and about now that the sun was hot. Barn and Red-rumped Swallows, were feeding low over the vegetation together with the occasional House Martin and all the time I could hear Bee-eaters flying and calling. Near the canal a Nightingale sang from a dense clump but I carried on to my favorite spot of last summer. This is where I watched other Nightingales, Reed and Melodious Warblers - but not today.
After the cold winds, rain and now warming sun the fields are a mass of color with insects buzzing around. There were numerous Large Whites flying together with the occasional male Clouded Yellow. I had a close view of a Painted Lady.
I have had more productive days but that will do for now.
Today, I walked out from home and soon I saw a Woodchat Shrike fly to a perch. This enabled me to see it fully together with a Reed Warbler. Perched close by was a Bee eater.
I continued on looking for any snake that might be out and about now that the sun was hot. Barn and Red-rumped Swallows, were feeding low over the vegetation together with the occasional House Martin and all the time I could hear Bee-eaters flying and calling. Near the canal a Nightingale sang from a dense clump but I carried on to my favorite spot of last summer. This is where I watched other Nightingales, Reed and Melodious Warblers - but not today.
After the cold winds, rain and now warming sun the fields are a mass of color with insects buzzing around. There were numerous Large Whites flying together with the occasional male Clouded Yellow. I had a close view of a Painted Lady.
I have had more productive days but that will do for now.
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