[tchagra]

Hi All

The first site last week,20th. was the Olive grove on a private finca,quite young trees,so open habitat.All the vegetation has been cut between the trees which has helped very much with access and putting up the nets.

Even with that still get ticks,been a bad year,very wet spring and a mega hot summer.

All my sites down here are a variation on costant effort in UK.

Here have 2 sets of nets in tandem,both 3 x 18 metres,which is plenty of netting by myself,could do more with another ringer.,lots of potential.

Only secured the site from the owner this summer and have got permission to leave guys etc in place,which makes life a whole lot easier.

Well got the nest open by 06.45 and set 2 tape lures ,1 with RN Nightjar and Scops Owl and the other with Little Owl.

You have alrerady seen the Scops Owl which was the first bird trapped.No success with other 2 birds though so when light changed the tapes ,one with Wryneck and the other a mixed warbler incl,Olivaceous,Orphean,Melodious,etc.,typically Med.flavour!!

Well it was a cracking morning,clear skies calm and by the time I had closed the nets at 11.00 getting ut to 30+ degrees.

June July August and part of Sept,dawn till about 11.00 is the limit in the mornings because of the heat and as it gets really hot the wind becomes a problem too,so I and the birds are attacked on 2 fronts!!

The finca is really in the "campo",surrounded by gently rolling hills and not near any significant water sources which would influence the presence of some bird species.

I always come here early evening before I am going to ring,set the nets,then furl ready for opening in dark the next morning.,gives me a chance before first light to trap Rec Necked Nightjar,Little Owl,Scops Owl etc.

A total of 38 birds and 3 retraps today,incl 1 juv.Scops Owl,7 juv.Blackcaps,4 juv and 1 moulting adult Blackbird,8 moulting juv.House Sparrows,8 juv.Sardinian Warblers,1 juv.Black Eared Wheatear,1 adult migrating Willow Warbler,1 juv.Woodchat Shrike,1 juv.Linnet,2 moulting adult and 1 juv.Goldfinch,1 juvenile Wryneck ( tape lured) and a juv.Melodiuos Warbler (also tape lured).

Retrapped 1 moulting juv.House Sparrow,juv.Blackbird,and juv.Sardinian Warbler.

Although this is the first report for this site ,ever since I started ringing here have had an interesting mix of birds,earlier the bulk of them were House Sparrows,but personally I like them,a much maligned bird,and in the hand the male is a real handsome chappy,and since both adults and juvs undergo a complete autumn moult,they make an interesting part of the study.

I will put up any half decent pix on my gallery area as and when I can esp if the pix shows some interesting moult or other features.,as well as the Med type species will include the more " mundane " UK birds if relevent to the discussions.

Also will explain about the moult of birds down here in the Med.as things are very different from the UK.

Other reports for week and pix to follow later today,unfortunatley ,even though retired ,other things still get in the way of ringing and birding ,like having to go out now to the local bank and pay the rates!!!!

Got to Rush " Time and tide and all that"!!!!

"Your Spanish Correspondent"