KenM
Well-known member
On Tuesday 29th we picked up our hire car, a Citroen Cactus, aptly named for the location. We drove North to Antigua, stopped and gave the town the once over, It was here that we encountered our 1st Goldfinch of the trip. However with an intended busy day ahead, we pressed on to La Oliva, where we stopped for a Coffee break. Getting out of the car in brilliant light a Hoopoe flew across the road and into a field of ''Prickly Pear'' type cactus.
As we strolled towards the ''caffeine'' stop we saw the same Hoopoe carrying food flying through a builders yard, over the wall and disappearing. This was observed many times during our stop (apparently they can breed in Dec.according to lit).
Walking back to the car replete with coffee, we glimpsed and heard a very uncooperative Spectacled Warbler, before heading West to El Cotillo/Tindaya, where we hoped to perhaps catch a glimpse of Houbara? despite much scanning, It was a ''thumbs down'' affair.
Next stop Betancuria!...Oh If I'd only known in advance!!!..on the way there we came across a ''viewing area'' where we promptly stopped, to find two Buzzards disappearing over yonder hill! Some less than perfect shots were obtained...thus we pressed on.
I had no idea that the gradient was going to be so steep, or that the road though perfectly surfaced, appeared to be narrow particularly on the bends. This was somewhat disconcerting with my wife sitting on the right hand side of the car (sheer drop side), and sounding like she was giving birth on every bend. This was compounded by my ''distance'' ratio gear box, which felt like I was ''stirring a cake mix'' every time I changed gear on a bend at the most ''critical time'', basically I wanted to get to a point, where we would begin to descend, as we seemed to be going interminably up!!
Eventually we started to descend (thank Christ!), and the 2nd Coffee of the day was much appreciated, a very attractive village (the old capital), nevertheless....one that I won't be going back to in a hurry...and I didn't see African Blue Tit, however the double dip day, was somewhat salvaged by a superb African Monarch butterfly another tick! Returning back to the hotel, tomorrow would be another day, albeit one..that I'm still trying to get my head round?
As we strolled towards the ''caffeine'' stop we saw the same Hoopoe carrying food flying through a builders yard, over the wall and disappearing. This was observed many times during our stop (apparently they can breed in Dec.according to lit).
Walking back to the car replete with coffee, we glimpsed and heard a very uncooperative Spectacled Warbler, before heading West to El Cotillo/Tindaya, where we hoped to perhaps catch a glimpse of Houbara? despite much scanning, It was a ''thumbs down'' affair.
Next stop Betancuria!...Oh If I'd only known in advance!!!..on the way there we came across a ''viewing area'' where we promptly stopped, to find two Buzzards disappearing over yonder hill! Some less than perfect shots were obtained...thus we pressed on.
I had no idea that the gradient was going to be so steep, or that the road though perfectly surfaced, appeared to be narrow particularly on the bends. This was somewhat disconcerting with my wife sitting on the right hand side of the car (sheer drop side), and sounding like she was giving birth on every bend. This was compounded by my ''distance'' ratio gear box, which felt like I was ''stirring a cake mix'' every time I changed gear on a bend at the most ''critical time'', basically I wanted to get to a point, where we would begin to descend, as we seemed to be going interminably up!!
Eventually we started to descend (thank Christ!), and the 2nd Coffee of the day was much appreciated, a very attractive village (the old capital), nevertheless....one that I won't be going back to in a hurry...and I didn't see African Blue Tit, however the double dip day, was somewhat salvaged by a superb African Monarch butterfly another tick! Returning back to the hotel, tomorrow would be another day, albeit one..that I'm still trying to get my head round?