GREENER GRASS

I suppose we always think the grass is greener on the other side of the street, so for some time now I’ve been eaten up with jealousy reading Ernesto Villodas’s Cantabria blog NO SIN MIS PRISMÁTICOS because of all the stuff he sees up north. But we should also appreciate our own backyard and it wasn’t too bad this morning in Rosarito with the first summer visitors arriving and the first songsters warming up. After the clouds cleared away there were lovely views against the backdrop of Gredos.

As for birds there wasn’t even one Crane left, but we did see 46 Pintail, 7 Spoonbill, a V of 42 greylags migrating overhead, 2 Bullfinches, Chiffchaffs hawking for insects and a beautiful Otter swimming along the river. The first Little Ringed Plovers were calling and one did a lovely display with its tail spread out.

MORNING TRIP TO ROSARITO RESERVOIR

This morning we paid a visit to the tail end of Rosarito Reservoir and a nearby pool. Despite braving temperatures of -4º and a nagging wind we saw precious little, "only" a few Cranes, Cormorants, Storks and a charming little squirrel whom we caught "red handed" with his breakfast

 Breakfasting Red Squirrel

 Squirrel caught "red handed" with his breakfast

 White Storks

Typical Extremadura scene

Cormorant flying overhead

CRANE ROOST IN ROSARITO RESERVOIR

Here in Villanueva de la Vera we’re lucky enough to live only 9 km from a Crane roost, in Rosarito Reservoir. They’re here from October to February though the roost size each night is very variable. On the best nights up to 6000 or more come in. When the flocks fly honking and trumpeting overhead, against the backdrop of the snow-capped peaks of Gredos, it’s a stunning spectacle of light and sound, which we try to enjoy as many times as possible each winter. Trouble is, despite being declared as a SPA, the roost is given no protection whatsoever and the birds are often pestered by quads, motorbikes, 4X4’s or fishermen who insist on driving their cars right to the water’s edge. We visited the roost last night and only about a thousand birds came in. Let’s hope it’s just a one-off dip and not because of all the nuisance they suffer.

Crane flying above my head