Azure skies

Trips to the Sierra whether it be Relumbrar, Segura, or Alcaraz are always a treat for me and one of the things I most look forward to when I'm visiting this part of the world. Today it was the turn of the Sierra del Relumbrar to be graced by our presence, so at 8am, lacking in energy, we hopped into Rafa's car to set off on our little adventure. 

¡Hola 2015!

Hey everybody.

I'm  not one for giving a mahoosively in depth explanation of my absence because I'm sure you've all got busy lives to be on with (also there isn't an explanation), but here I am, back again.

My 2015 has started off in an always sunny, but not so warm corner of La Mancha... where else?! Despite the weather basically being the same as back home on our Island, with the new year arrived a miniscule amount of warmth and the opportunity for a brand new year list. A chilled out walk up to the castle and around the village provided some lovely starters for the year, including Black Redstart, Chiffchaff, and a second (but even poorer) view of Dartford Warbler, bustling among the Opuntia plastered rocks as we made our way down the village. Oh, and of course, the usual suspects House Sparrow, Starling, and Kestrel. Not bad for a morning!

Apart from a short expedition into the forest for a session of planting Holm and Kermes Oak acorns and plantlings with ARBA, where heard-only Treecreeper, Sandgrouse, and Woodlark didn't quite make the new list, our only other nature 'excursion' during the last week has been to and from the village. Fences and fences of Goldfinches and Linnets, one Kestrel, and a large unidentified raptor was yesterday's selection, but I live in hope that plenty more trips around those parts will provide me at long last with my bogey bird; Little Bustard.

Bird Drawing of the Day: Woodpigeon

    Some of you might remember the series of posts that I used to call 'Biro Bird of the Day', where I showed my biro drawings of birds (duh). Encouraged by some of my friends, I've decided to start over this section renaming it 'Bird Drawing of the Day', as I feel encouraged to use new techniques such as watercolours. For my first drawing I chose one of the commonest birds of our part of the world, the Woodpigeon.

A trip to enemy territory｜Patch League

Yesterday, I paid a visit to the patch of one of my fellow patch leaguers, Africa of Wild at Hull (ABugBlog).
The sun was shining, and, apart from a bit of wind making it a little chilly it was a lovely day for birding. We started off at Springbank Cemetary, and within a few minutes heard the unmistakable call of the Chiffchaff, a first for the year for me and at long last. Other than the Chiffchaff, bird wise there we weren't too lucky with the only others being the typical residents Wren, Robin, and Dunnock. Invertebrates, on the other hand, we a plenty. The first rock we turned over immediately yielded one new member of the patch list, the Black Millipedes below (Tachypodoiulus niger), and a new harvestman for the list (Nemastoma bimaculatum), as well as some other nice specimens:

Black Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger

Oxychilus spp. ?

Something which I had gone without noticing, but which was pointed out to me by Africa, was the enormous number of Tawny Mining Bee nesting holes, both at the cemetery and our next destination; Pearson Park. This is a bee I'd never really seen much of before, though I can't say I'd ever looked for it, but I am now definitely keen to find some on my own patch as they are a stunning species. However, not quite as stunning as another bee we found later in the day...

Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva

        We began at the Wildlife Garden, and whilst having lunch had a Sparrowhawk fly overheard and a sole Swallow (spotted by Africa but missed by me). We then went on to the park itself, where we didn't see a great deal in the way of birds but after hearing it's loud call, were drawn to a tree close by where we were treated to amazing views of a Great-spotted Woodpecker drumming, something neither of us had seen before but awesome to watch. If only I'd had my proper camera!
         After Pearson and a much needed coffee break, whilst walking close to Princes Avenue Africa spotted  a bee on the pavement. Only seconds later, the bee was almost run over by a small child riding a scooter, but fortunately had it's like spared. It was a Cuckoo Bee Melecta albifrons, and the most beautiful bee I have ever seen. The picture really does not do it justice! Africa said how it must have started flying at the wrong time of day and not been able to gather up enough energy to continue on it's way, so we put it on one of it's favoured plants to regain some energy...

Cuckoo Bee Melecta albifrons

A wonderful species to end a great day with!