Los Pájaros (Holiday 9/14)

This was a day I'd been looking forward to since before the holiday even started. Javier, who runs the Posada Molino del Canto, is a serious birder and runs trips from the guesthouse. When we first arrived I'd asked about that, and he wasn't sure if he was going to run one. But fortunately Bev, one of the Aussies, was keen on going as well, so today was set.

The day truly lived up to expectations, with time spent around the misty valley, the river, then up onto the plateau. I'd been hoping for some more firsts, so it was nice to nab a distant Hobby early on, but there were also Short-Toed Treecreeper, Spotless Starlings, Egyptian Vultures, and Tawny Pipits.

We were rattling around in Javier's old Mitsubishi, creeping about the lanes, with him spotting improbably distant birds, with an even more improbable sighting of two traffic cops at one point as we peered into a tree looking for a Nuthatch. In 20 years of doing this, Javier has never seen the police on these roads, so he was fairly confident putting their stern words to one side (they'd had a go at him for stopping at the side of the ridiculously quiet little road).

The most amazing moment came as within one sweeping vista we could see 15 Griffin Vultures; 3 Golden Eagles; 2 Peregrine Falcons; and 2 Egyptian Vultures. It gave me goosebumps, and I could have stayed watching all day (one of the extras is one of the Griffins with 2 Golden Eagles).

Lunch brought with it an incredibly heavy shower of rain, starting the moment we started to eat, ending the second Javier had put everything back into the back of the car, as we sheltered in there to finish eating. Javier clearly felt responsible, despite our protestations to the contrary.

Towards the end of the trip he popped us home via Orbanejo, a great little village with a waterfall seemingly springing from the middle of it. It was only a brief stop, and was pretty touristy, but worthwhile for two reasons.

Firstly, to see it.

Secondly, because we went back.

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After getting back to the guesthouse we had some time to kill, a few hours of downtime, and we knew there was a walk from Orbanejo, up onto the plateau behind. That gave us the chance to evade the tourists, but even better were another couple of big birds spots - both of which I had to get Javier to ID later. The first I suspected, but dare not believe, was a Short-toed Snake Eagle. I've wanted to see one for years, and there it was perched on a telegraph pole in the distance on a hill. I was chuffed with that, then it took off, and started circling towards and above us. The first extra is that bird So very, very pleased.

The second, on the way down, was an incredibly distant Booted Eagle, and it seems on both we were ridiculously lucky to see, as all the local birds have already headed south. It's likely these are French birds, lagging slightly behind the rest of the migrants.

On the plateau, however, was the best bit of the walk. Here, the farming lands of Orbanejo, is where a load of Chozos were built. They're stone storage buildings, which felt similar to the Cleits of St Kilda. Some were still very much intact, others falling apart, and it lent the area a slightly desolate, every so slightly uneasy, feel. There was an atmosphere you couldn't quite put your finger on. It was just amazing to experience.

The views above Orbanejo on the climb up, and descent down, also defied much explanation, which is why one of them is the main shot of the day rather than any of the birds...

* * *

Later in the evening we find out it is Carlota's first day back at school after the summer break. With this in mind, and the first day conversation about Nessie, a scribble down a little good luck cartoon, and leave it on her schoolbag, which is already waiting for her in the morning by the front door.