G and I spent two excellent birding afternoons: yesterday at a good Lanner site and today much closer to us, but still very good at this time of the year.
Unfortunately the Red-footed falcons and the Lesser Kestrels have gone, but that was to be expected (although we did have hopes for the LKs). But the good news is that at least one pair of Rollers seems to have stayed, since we have seen them at the same site almost every day.
Anyway, yesterday we stopped by at the Rollers' first, seeing a Buzzard and a Hobby (mobbed by House Martins) on the way. Getting closer to the site we heard Golden Oriole, saw one female and two male Red-backed Shrike and a few Turtle Doves. Corn Buntings were ubiquitous, while an Hoopooe took off in front of the car. At the lookout at the top of the hill, a few pairs of Bee-eater around their nests, a Tawny Pipit, Skylarks, a pair of Linnets, Serins, Goldfinches, and one Woodlark. No falcons at first, but after a while we saw something flying in the distance, which turned out to be a young Lanner, soon joined by its sibling. We had them in the scope for a good while, until they perched on the other side of the valley. After a while the two adults also appeared, perched on a branch a little closer to us. In the meantime a Short-toed Eagle hovered high up above the Lanners. Not bad for one afternoon!
Today we set off after lunch and went straight to the Bee-eaters' site which I had mentioned in my previous post: there must be at least 15 pairs nesting there. They were very busy around their nests, while two Stone Curlews foraged in the next field. We also had brief views of a male Wheatear and of a Crested Lark and heard a Melodious Warbler and a Tawny Pipit. There was also a very odd-looking juvenile Starling, so pale, almost orange in colour, that had us hoping for a Rose-coloured, but it had a dark bill, so it must have been some aberrant form of Common. On the way we saw one Red-backed Shrike, a Kestrel, Swallows and Swifts, Goldfinches and more Corn Buntings.
I was hoping for Honey Buzzards, since G had seen a couple in the morning (along with two Short-toed Eagles), but we didn't see any. Still we can't complain! I wish May and June could go on forever!
Unfortunately the Red-footed falcons and the Lesser Kestrels have gone, but that was to be expected (although we did have hopes for the LKs). But the good news is that at least one pair of Rollers seems to have stayed, since we have seen them at the same site almost every day.
Anyway, yesterday we stopped by at the Rollers' first, seeing a Buzzard and a Hobby (mobbed by House Martins) on the way. Getting closer to the site we heard Golden Oriole, saw one female and two male Red-backed Shrike and a few Turtle Doves. Corn Buntings were ubiquitous, while an Hoopooe took off in front of the car. At the lookout at the top of the hill, a few pairs of Bee-eater around their nests, a Tawny Pipit, Skylarks, a pair of Linnets, Serins, Goldfinches, and one Woodlark. No falcons at first, but after a while we saw something flying in the distance, which turned out to be a young Lanner, soon joined by its sibling. We had them in the scope for a good while, until they perched on the other side of the valley. After a while the two adults also appeared, perched on a branch a little closer to us. In the meantime a Short-toed Eagle hovered high up above the Lanners. Not bad for one afternoon!
Today we set off after lunch and went straight to the Bee-eaters' site which I had mentioned in my previous post: there must be at least 15 pairs nesting there. They were very busy around their nests, while two Stone Curlews foraged in the next field. We also had brief views of a male Wheatear and of a Crested Lark and heard a Melodious Warbler and a Tawny Pipit. There was also a very odd-looking juvenile Starling, so pale, almost orange in colour, that had us hoping for a Rose-coloured, but it had a dark bill, so it must have been some aberrant form of Common. On the way we saw one Red-backed Shrike, a Kestrel, Swallows and Swifts, Goldfinches and more Corn Buntings.
I was hoping for Honey Buzzards, since G had seen a couple in the morning (along with two Short-toed Eagles), but we didn't see any. Still we can't complain! I wish May and June could go on forever!
