Not a good Sunday

NOT A GOOD SUNDAY
I thought I would say something topical or in other words something which motivated (but not inspired) me to write or I could even say, I want to rant. A subject fed intravenously, like a drip from a tap, growing increasingly irritating as the noise reverberates into a growing crescendo.

It is a Sunday morning, blue skies, healthy exercise and good company. Everything should be fine, but it is not. The 24/7 news is always there with the world problems selected or not, for inclusion. This morning the news programmes are seduced by The Vatican's show of introducing two saints to an already overcrowded list. Thousands attended to be there at the dual canonisation of two former Popes. It doesn't matter how godly they were or what great people they were, but what does matter to me is the falseness involved in how to become a 'saint'. Why not remember their contribution to the world and praise them for that. If you have read history then you might remember the antics of some religious people who made relics and sold them to the believers - for money of course.

I am not a Catholic, I do not like the iconography, the feeling of power that it appears to create or the immense show of wealth where there are so many needy people in this world. Then, for me, the final need to object. Mugabe was there. Why? Isn't this man as corrupt as he can possibly be having ruined an economy and eliminated many of his 'own' people.

There you have it. A killer being allowed to sit with the hoi polloi of the Catholic World. Shameful. Or is it better to talk with dictators rather than exclude them?

Or should we embrace him because 'Catholicity makes us pure minded, charitable, truthful and generous' it has been said. I can only hope that this view spreads.

Poetry Orchard

Just to try and balance the birding side, I have been busy doing some other things. I will be going to the Ledbury Poetry Festival in July. They, with other organisations have created the Poetry Orchard which will include a barrel full of poems, each named after an Herefordshire cider apple. They have been published on the poetry orchard website where I have found myself in very good poetic company.
Here is one of mine written from childhood memories but inspired by their idea.

REDSTREAK
(IN TOM JENKINS'S ORCHARD)

I was one of the family
sometimes scarce noticed
by Mollie, Dick or Fred but
Tom was different. He would
light his pipe close to me. We bonded,
shared the aroma of his 'Digger
Flake', rubbed between fingers,
caressed into that old briar pipe
and Swan Vesta lit.

My home, a little orchard, a small
corner. My space next to the
dew pond was sacred, ephemeral.
My spirit still flies, giving it the old
once over. Good people remembered.
You can find them in the Churchyard;
sweet smiles always.

BETTER ALIVE THAN DEAD

The farmers have a saying ' where there is livestock there will be dead stock'. I picked up this Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido) that was clearly very dead to see really what the plumage was like as compared to seeing it in a book. It was beautiful and brown with the large white chin patch. Also note the tail shape. I am sorry that it was not alive but it did give me the opportunity to examine one closely. I have tried many times to spot these characteristics in fast flying ones but light, distance and speed seem to almost always win.

ANOTHER FEW HOURS WELL SPENT

I did go to El Hondo last Saturday morning and it is clear that the birds are arriving with much more song in the air. We had Moustached, Cetti's, Reed and Great Reed Warblers calling all around the main hide. Some of the usual culprits were on view but things are on the move. Montagu's were there, there was a Booted Eagle perched and showing well but only one or two Marsh Harriers to be seen, fortunately, not too many mosquitos. It was a pleasure to talk with a French birder who knew his 'stuff' and to share a common interest with. Likewise, a Spanish family were there with binoculars and cameras showing a lot of interest in the birds. They appreciated viewing some species through our scopes.

This morning I went to El Pinet which is on the border of La Marina and Santa Pola. I find this site to be an excellent one for good vision, closeness of the water and the birds. The islands are fairly close too.

Opposite the car park I saw a Kentish Plover(Chorlitejo Patinegro) with others to be seen easily. Slender-billed Gulls(Gaviota Picofino) were on the water looking clean cut and beautiful with Avocet(Avoceta Común) and Black-winged Stilts(Cigüeñuela Común)feeding around them. However, I had not come to see these but for the terns. The nearest island was home to the Common Terns(Charrán Común) and the other main island was home to Sandwich Terns(Charrán Patinegro). The air was full of them together with numerous Barn Swallows. Two Mediterranean Gulls(Gaviota Cabecinegra) were preening in full view and thus giving an easy view of them for me. I knew that the Collared Pratincoles(Canestera Común) had arrived and they afforded excellent views on the shingle banks but not close enough for the camera.

I was looking at Curlew Sandpipers(Correlinos Zarapatín) when I met Spanish birders from San Sebastián who confirmed my identification of the Curlew Sandpipers.

Next a Yellow Wagtail(Lavandera Boyera or possibly one of the other sub-species passing through and sorry no photo) appeared, flying, feeding and perched. it was a superb yellow underneath with a bluish head and with a greenish back. Striking and beautiful.

On the way home I stopped close to the intersection of the Lemon Tree Road and the Crevillente Road which has always been a very good site for viewing harriers. There was a male Montagu's (Aguilucho Cenizo) flying overhead and showing clearly all the markings. It then flew over the reed beds in good view for about ten minutes. After passing through Los Montesinos and driving along La Marquesa another male Montagu flew over. I think that was a good morning.

I know that I had a much easier morning than the incoming birds who not only had to contend with the vagaries of the natural world but also the guns of the hunters after they have crossed over from Africa. There is a needless slaughter going on where they are shot out of the sky with modern weapons, to be laid out, lined up with a posing hunter so that the world can see what he has achieved. It is difficult to know what to think about people who shoot for pleasure, to show how skillful they are and then to pose for the world to see. If I did what I am thinking of doing it would be called murder!

Photos taken by me on a Canon 40D with at Tamron 18-270 mm Lens.

Avocet, Kentish Plover and Curlew Sandpiper

GOOD COMPANY ON ISLE DE TABARCA

I decided that another excursion to Tabarca could be good this month. The Costa Blanca Bird Club then arranged their monthly trip, and so we decided to be sociable and go with them. The sun shone, visibility was good but where were the birds? Of course there are birds and you will see something always. This island is a stop off and a refueling site for many migrating birds but not today. The nets were up with only one beautiful Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical) caught and then viewed closely in the ringer's hand. Sardinians (Carruca Cabecinegra) were calling and popped up giving good views. A Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudon Comun) did the same. Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina) - it is Theklas on this island - so the identification is a safe one and even I know the sound of a Crested Lark (Cogujada Comun) from a Thekla!

At the northern tip, on the rocks, one Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador), two Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Comun) with Shag (Cormoran Monudo). Walking back there was a discussion on whether some of the birds were either the former or Cormorants (Cormoran Grande). A lesson learnt in the field is one learnt well. Apart from a size comparison I now know to look at the foreheads, steep with a Shag or flat with a Cormorant. Of course, plumage can confuse!

The full list can be viewed on the CBBC web site, http://www.costablancabirdclub.com

Words of advice. Shoes are essential and definitely no sandals. The island is rocky and the ground uneven. There is a small town which is where you can eat but be warned it is dearer than the mainland. I paid two euros for a small beer (I think they must have seen me coming!) and that is far too much. Unfortunately, the meal we had was very bad but the wine was good. I think, the least said the better about the food, only made pleasant by the company that we were in.

Some of the members are visiting Sierra Morena later this month in search of El Lince - the Iberian Linx - and if you have not been there you should go. The birds ought to be good too and I hope they have good luck with this endangered cat.

EL HONDO 5th April

This morning was sunny but with a lot less wind than the previous week. There were some Mosquitos but next week could see many more - so be warned. Fortunately the sky was full of Swifts (Vencjo Comun/Palido) with Barn (Golondrina Comun) and Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Daurica), House Martins (Avion Comun)and the occasional sightings of Sand Martins (Avion Zapador)

I concentrated again on Moustached Warblers (Garricerin Real) and saw them flying in and out of the reeds. They were calling and so were Reed Warblers (Garricerin Comum) I am reliably informed. There were some great views of the White Egret (Garceta Grande) as well as Purple Heron (Garza Imperial) flying. Six to sight Glossy Ibis(Morito Comun) flew past as well with one Squacco (Avetorillo Comun) flying in front of us.

I am informed that both a Little Bittern (Avetorillo Comun) and also a Montague's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo) were seen - so they have arrived! Hopefully on view this week-end too. We had some terrific views of both male and female Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental) as they flew around and both descended into the same clump of reeds twice. So, maybe a nest site? Also an Osprey (Aguila Pescadora) flew giving us a superb sighting.

Stanza Mar Menor

STANZA MAR MENOR UPDATE

We have met regularly since December but the meeting on Friday will be our last one until the end of April as some individuals will be away in Ireland, Scotland and England. Fortunately we all have internet connections and scrutiny is always available by email which does mean, that we can all keep writing and get valuable feedback.

We have welcomed Tom to the group and he brings with him his own knowledge of life with a realistically earthy approach. We like what he does and we hope that he keeps on doing it.

Now that David is back from Russia he has had published his train poems, In Praise of Rails, (ISBN 9781495916519) and he is in the process of getting his Wombat children stories into print. He has also enraged the BBC with his view on breast feeding in full public view. He certainly has a way of forcing his point in all directions. If we all did the same wouldn't life be boring! He is also working on stories in conjunction with a proposed anthology with WORDPLAY. I hope that all this work comes to fruition.

Douglas, we are all pleased to know, is gathering together a lifetime of poems for a collection to be published. There are more than enough poems for his first book and there is some evidence that a second book could follow. We think that this is wonderful news as the world should be able to see his beautiful work. What else can this superb writer do after that! We all thank him for his keen eye to detail and I hope that he does not get tired of correcting our oversights! He also had one of his poems published in last year's Poetic Republic anthology.

Margaret is also putting together a collection of her poems and short stories. She has been concentrating on this and other work and I know that there is some wonderful things amongst it all. She is also working on 'poems on postcards' as a way of getting her poems 'out there'. The pictures on the post cards are intended to complement her words. I know that there is going to be some more fine writing on view. She will be spending April in Yorkshire, hoping to read at 'open mics', and no doubt finding inspiration at the same time. Who knows what will flow from her laptop. She is engaged with WORDPLAY as well, and on more than one topic.

John has been Journal Writing since last September and has found this to be a source of both information and inspiration. He has a small collection (but not enough yet) from his last visit to his county of birth in Herefordshire. He is a friend of Ledbury Poetry Festival and through them he has participated in what they have created with Paul Henry, the poet in residence for the county, The Apple Orchard. This has inspired five poems, each named after a local cider apple drawn from his past knowledge of the locality. He will be in Ledbury for the ten day event where he hopes to 'lap up' the atmosphere, rub shoulders and get inspiration from meeting other writers. Summer in a verdant county should be good.

We are also intending to have participation in Poetic Republic and we have discussed what poems could be suitable. There is also a small interest in other competitions including John's attempt for one inspired by Edward Thomas's, Adlestrop. However we all favour the Poetic Republic's way that all entrants are able to judge the work of others, in batches of 12, which avoids the view of a single judge or a panel of them. We think that that is way to do it!

Add to this the involvement that I have already mentioned with WORDPLAY, there is also regular meetings with TORREVEIJA WRITERS CIRCLE. You can see that we have a variety of people and groups in which we are in contact with.

Through David we have contacts with the Spanish community in San Javier where we will spend an evening with students there who have been studying The First World War and the poetry emanating from it. They will read a variety of war poems and if necessary we will also read. This will be on 29th April and our next meeting will be on Thursday 28th April in San Javier.