Swallows and fincas

L'Aldea, Ebro Delta - and what an amazing place. I have so many pictures. It is made up of rice fields in a vast flat area. It has a Dutch feel, with cycle tracks, very neat, and Dutch visitors. It has a mesmerising medieval history. There are ancient abandoned fincas (farmhouses) littering the landscape. As it's a rice landscape, most are in puddles.

The puddles also attract a huge diversity of birds. The flamingo effect kicked in early today... starting with this swallow.

I couldn't take my eyes of this swallow

Mr. Mallard dressed for a Buckingham Palace Garden Party - or is it his nest?

One of many hundreds of abandoned fincas (farmhouses) - in puddles

These are not quite so desirable...

Braised Moorhen and Coot Risotto

That's what you might find on the menu in the latest location, according to 'the book'. 

There are birds everywhere in rice fields. Today's record of 55 birds is the best yet. Unfortunately the star bird of the day is a duck - a Marbled Duck. It looks quite harmless and nicely patterned, but without the dash of a Red-crested Pochard or the fabulous blue bill of the White-headed Duck.

First hide visit in the amazing Ebro Delta

Spot the Marbled Duck! (digi-scoped from miles away)

This duck is the right way up but blends in well with the mosquitos. I took this picture twenty minutes before an American tour group turned up. Half saw the bird and the other half didn't. It was so entertaining. The group and the initial sighting of the bird. If you're an expert and interested, this was at Albufera Marsh early this morning and not Ebro Delta.

The flamingo effect

Sylvia (the car) was grounded today. The getting lost stakes seem to be getting higher each day. She was on 'restricted roaming', limited to a 5km radius. So today's pics are relatively sedate.

Synchronised feeders 

These feeding ducks were much easier than trying to get a Flamingo with its head up. As you may know, I'm not a particular fan of ducks (except for White Headed Ducks and Red-Crested Pochard), but they are good at synchronising. 

Taking pics of flamingos is compulsive

There are some birds and butterflies and other 'things' which just have to be photographed... and photographed... and photographed again - in the hope that the next one will be even better. The reality is that they tend to get worse and the frustration factor sets in. This was the only one that had its head out of the water. I have labelled the compulsion to take pics of flashy birds etc. 'the flamingo effect'. 

This Swallowtail Butterfly created an instant flamingo effect 

When the gaudy stuff isn't showing - head for the beach

It was a huge oasis of windswept pristine beach with ships and tower blocks on most horizons. 

Montitxelvo, Ontinyent, Marxuquera

A day in the car (Sylvia). 

Passed towns with difficult to say names

Also made up stories about the names to pass the time. The story based on Montitxelvo was about an unfortunate child who was given the name. The next instalment will focus on how the name is to be shortened at different phases in her lifetime. I was actually quite pleased with this one and it caused me to laugh a lot - and even the driver.

It's just as well we were in good humour. We focused really hard on finding tonight's Parador and were feeling very smug after we booked in and decided to drive up the road, to find the visitor centre for Albufera Marsh - our habitat for tomorrow.

We drove up the road for a while and before we knew it 'the road' turned into a 'motorway', with no means of escape. We were duly sucked in and the only way home was to continue onwards. The further we went, the more we were sucked in and so it went on. I would add that our map is hopeless, with road numbers being completely different to those shown on the signs. Although we don't use the sat nav, it has the habit of contradicting the numbers on the road signs. 

We drove miles and a few more and eventually escaped to the country, going from manic autovista to tiny thin roads by the side of drainage ditches. These often had little thin bridges which give me the creeps, in case we don't fit through. We won through, in typical John Wayne style and even managed to clock up a Whiskered Tern which we're adding to our 'when we're lost' bird list.

The best bits

This is a very strange place in many ways. It has hills and small mountains, on the other side of which lies the coast and Almeria. This side is the better side, but unfortunately Trumpeter Finch habitat is 'probably' better on the other side. I couldn't bear to take pictures of the miles of white plastic greenhouses which dominate the landscape.   

The picturesque side of Desierto de Tabernas

A re-visitation to yesterday's Los Hornos de Calcination provided the opportunity to walk the new cycle/walking path on what was the old railway line.

Early 1900s - too busy for Black Wheatears

It's now the prettiest cycle track with stunning views shown in the top picture. The wild flowers are lovely.

Beautiful flowers

The hotel is of industrial desert proportions. It acts as a giant roadhouse and the main bar/feeding area is reminiscent of the saloon bar in Western films of my youth. Litter and 'swill' builds up on the floor during the day and it's only swept up when it reaches epic proportions. 

John Wayne rides into town

That's me (!), riding Sylvia into another town. This time it's Hotel Hospederia del Desierto in the desert area of Desierto de Tabernas. Not just a deserty place, but one which is used as a setting for Westerns because of its Lone Ranger-like habitat. It's far from glamorous and giant gravel pit/dust bowl springs to mind. 

This is far from a smooth, sandy, quiet place, where you get up early, travel long distances to climb steep-sided pointy sand castles to watch the sun come up. The area has a history of gouging holes for iron extraction and that sort of thing and the remains of old buildings and workings litter the landscape. 

We happened to drive by an old smelting works with restored kilns - or 'Los Hornos de Calcination', close to the little town of Lucainena de las Tores. We popped into the site because it is off the beaten track, unlike where I am sitting now, next to the main road which is buzzing with traffic. There's a racing circuit not far away and car and trailers with bikes have been stopping off here. 

This is also a 'wedding hotel', with fountains and dust and noise, and there's one tonight. It is Saturday, after all. I keep an eye on the days of the week, but mostly it only makes a different at the weekend when it's busier. 

I've gone off track somewhat, because when we stopped to read the notices and marvel at Los Hornos de Calcinacion, we watched and photographed a frisky food carrying, flirty pair of Black Wheatears - then found the nest. 

Los Hornos de Calcinacion

Flirty Black Wheatear - a long way off

The Black Wheatear family of Los Hornos de Calcinacion

As you'd expect from an area famed for making Westerns, the internet is super-fast which is why you're being treated to more than one picture. Yesterday's took over an hour to up/download. That was at the last place where the bread was tough and tasteless, as per our hosts. A grim surveillance team, permanently dressed for a duvet day.

It was back to the Autovia this morning and it was a relief to be on the move again - especially without getting lost. 

Can't resist these

Shopping is not a feature (so far) of this trip, except for picnic supplies. We thought we'd stop for a cup of coffee and followed the knife and fork signs and ended up instead with a mountain of rather dated ceramics to get our teeth into. I prefer to take pictures of this sort of merchandise.

There are downsides to this speedy internet. I'm choking on the smokers' smoke and the traffic is noisy. There are tiny flies trying to infiltrate my G & T and my laptop. The sploshing of unmeasured gin into this huge glass is having an impression on my ability to spell....the wedding has gone very quiet...

Up the mountain

We are staying close to 'ski-central' at Monachil, which looks like a cute mountain town/village on Google Earth. It probably was once.

There's  only a scratching of snow at the very top of the Sierra Nevada. It's scruffy and uncared for, with ugly multi-story concrete complexes dotted close to the super-highway on the way up. The rubbish is widespread, including wind-blown plastic bags and redundant bits of cable car. As you can tell, it wasn't my favourite place.

In its favour, there was no wind and it was perfectly still and quiet - the sort of quiet you only get at the top of mountains. We were entertained by two duelling Black Redstarts for a while but birds were scarce. 

The stillness was the best part of this rather grubby and uncared for Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada

The Sierra Nevada is brewing up somewhere behind this warning sign. Spent most of the day either on the Autovia or towards the end of the journey, getting helplessly lost not far from it. Helplessly, because even the so far unused sat nav tried to send us in the wrong direction. Thank goodness for good old north, south, east and west, otherwise there's no knowing where we might be. Even the mountains weren't any help.

All was very jolly when we left the coast and headed for the hills. We whizzed past Marbella, Fuengirola, Torremolinos, Malaga. Went through tunnels, experienced a few tolls, saw hardly a bird and took loads of pics out of the window - to keep boredom at bay. 

The navigational plan included giving Granada a very wide berth because it is huge, confirmed by the rather large circle on our map. Unfortunately the city sprawls all over the place and we got caught in its spread. The story is too long and tedious to tell. Reversing up and down the same streets, nearly driving down weeny ones, ending up in a huge orchards/allotments in the centre of a large town (grrrrr). It really goes on and on. Follow a signpost and where does it take you? To a school of course, in mid pick-up of kids. There you are, at the total end of your tether and you're held up by the lollipop person... for quite a while as it was a big school. 

After quite a bit more shuffling, which isn't easy in the super huge Sylvia... we are here, wherever that is. We must be near the mountains because the church clock sounds like a giant cow bell. Will report further when I've found out where I am...

Ghosts and tea

It turned out nice again so what better way to celebrate (than with a nice cup of tea)

It wasn't quite that easy. My Stone Curlew of yesterday turned up in mid-eating when I was starving. We both clicked away and took loads of unfocused pics. We didn't notice the arrival of the silent birdwatcher. A man wearing camouflage trousers and carrying binoculars and a camera appeared as if an apparition. We bid him an enthusiastic 'hola' and he 'hola'd' back - and that was it. He stood very close to us (in the middle of nowhere - as per Pete's Dutch family in car park) and either took, or pretended to take pictures of Pratincoles. It is quite likely that we had parked right in the middle of his regular birding spot, but we don't know. The funny thing is that he didn't say another word and we were rendered mute. We didn't speak either AND more importantly, I was desperate for a cup of tea. It was a bit like finding an apparition in your garden and not speaking to it. As birding folk are quite macho (I'm not a real one), it wouldn't have done to have unpacked Phil's festival stove and popped on the whistling kettle - let alone have a cup of tea. 

I slunk in a camping chair on the other side of the super vehicle - yes, a camping chair. Eventually he went, as quietly as he'd arrived - and then... the birder from Northumberland turned up...

bbbbbbbb

Bird Spotter of the Day

Where does this gale force wind\hurricane come from? The super huge, packed with stuff, vehicle has been the mobile bird hide today. It has been challenging in many ways: 

Too hot
Too cold with the robust AC 
A chink of a window open and in comes the sand.
Having to look through too many pieces of glass: glasses, camera/binoculars/scope, dirty windscreen.
The one with the super-huge camera (to match the car) is on the wrong side and can't take a picture of the bird(s) - ha ha. 
That's why I got some respectable pics on my little camera. 

I have also been boasting non-stop about picking out a Stone Curlew which was 'miles' away! Anyway, must stop boasting and will share some of today's pics with you.

Solitary Eurasian Spoonbill

Collared Pratincole

Two Collared Pratincoles

At the coast

Monday 20th April
I wrote about being at the seaside yesterday, then hurricane force winds set in and the super-speedy internet was swept away, and my words with it. Trying to write and post on a daily basis whilst travelling is fraught with uncertainty. I should stick to pictures, (take ages to load and need the internet) and here's one of a distant shoreline, beyond the boardwalk mentioned in today's list. 

Sea, sand and grass - imagine the gazillions of kite surfers off the picture on the right (it was that sort of day)

It looks very nice but the wind was strong and getting stronger

This is my phone note list of the day as it unfolded. Apologies if you don't like lists. Blame the weather.

First day at the coast
Really nice 'tourist' hotel
Big room, bath with chandelier and dream of a shower
Late breakfast
An actual proper buffet
Quiet and whispery - maybe six other guests
No 'buenos dias' here
Walked track at back of hotel
Met group of school children on a nature walk
They practised their English on us
They were very enthusiastic. It was already quite hot and their teachers looked grumpy. 
Went back to hotel (a novelty) and drank a coke with ice (holiday drink) and took bad picture of swallow on nest above my head.
Did some laundry and hung it below the chandelier. Didn't dare risk the prongs of the light.
Drove to a boardwalk not far away. Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Pallid Swift.
Horribly sand-blowingly windy
Annoying plump exercise walkers on boardwalk walking right through us.
Unfriendly
Drove further along the coast
Rusty wind turbines
Thick cloud
Glimpses of huge ships and Gibraltar
Not at all appealing
Larger version of Torquay-like area (with rusty wind turbines)
Dog woman moved in next door but one
Huge huge friendly dog
She was sat outside her room (grassy area) and the dog barked at her for ages and ages and ages. She took no notice.
I asked the 'doggy' what the matter was (hungry, lonely, walkies?) and was met with a growl from the woman. It was charging around. I suspect it wanted a friendly chat. I suspect it didn't get one.

From top to bottom

Fifteen hundred miles done and have arrived at the bottom at last, near Tarifa on the coast. Spent a second strange night in a room of bunk beds. The building echoes and the effect of jabbering of children and the bunks has begun to make me feel like one. So might has well have a very random geography lesson, in list form. Some of it isn't geography, because the list was compiled whilst travelling.

The list, as it happened:

Left orange blossom county and drove through cereal country.

Bare earth

Barely anything

Potatoes

Pollution on the distant horizon

Got lost for a time

Cyclists abound. Discussion about collective noun. A cluster of cyclists? A lycra of cyclists?

Very lost. Followed signs to town of Moron, reached dead end.

Took Autovista, did a huge circle .adding a few miles

Drove through mix of Cork Oaks and vines.

Could see hills of Sierra de San Juan in the distance.

Celebrated successful navigation through Moron with coffee stop at 'sticky, dog poo, house of horrors road stop.

Provided you didn't look around\up, the coffee was ok..

Devon-like Spanish countryside of winding roads, through hills with smaller fields and green farmland.

Cyclists still popping up.

Driving repeatedly in and out of Cadiz and Seville Provinces.

Passed through town of Coripe - bright white - prickly pears - more Moorish than Devon.

Went passed Medina Sidonia and couldn't remember history association??

Re-entered wind turbine country.

Stopped for a break and mini-Sunday lunch at Paterna de Rivera, at traditional bar restaurant. Couldn't work out what we were eating- v. confounding eggy dishes. Mine seemed to contain green bitter twigs and strange mushroom/meaty lumps and more.

Friendly hubbub of conversation a contrast to last night's kid-screaming fest.

First signpost to 'playas' - and the sea. I'm on holiday! Bring on the cozzie (swimming).

 Can't resist a roof or two and some washing

Can't resist peeking inside people's open front doors

Back into serious turbine country

Orange blossom, Cork Oaks, Wildflowers and a Hawfinch

Saturday 18th April

Cork Oak country - star birds Hawfinch, Wryneck, Golden Oriole

Staying at a phantom brand new building (another one) which isn't on Google Earth - important when planning for a decent night's sleep. It is a Spanish-style 'outdoor centre', mostly focussed on eating indoors. The fabulous food is cooked in an industrial sized kitchen (for the industrial weekend crowds). Because it feels like a conference venue, we did our translation homework and shared, after much dictionary/phone/head scratching:
Gambas
Champinones rellenos
Espinacas con garbanzos
Tortillitas de Camarones

House with wild flowers

Frustrated by lack of paths - no paths actually. Spent the day on the little roads in the hills, locked out of every rambling opportunity by fences and more metal gates.

Bought a saucepan from an interesting hardware store for boiling eggs to liven up picnics.
Cut hair with bendy nail scissors...then found the hair-cutting scissors... And, yes Pete... I didn't have much to start with.

My Hawfinch - spot the blue bill

Contrasts

Friday 17th April
Took stinking, polluted, bumpy Autovia to Cordova and beyond. Beyond was a miracle of joint navigational skills. The wrong exit off a motorway or ring-road can have a magnetic attraction...

Stork suburbs of Cordova - miraculously heading in the right direction

 

Sierra de Hornachuelos

Sierra de Hornachuelos... It seems like a different Sierra every day. This one is very special. This is orange country and the air is filled with the aroma of orange blossom and wild flowers. For the time being, it's buzzing insects, singing Nightingales and gnarled Cork Oaks. 

Saw first deer, but no boar - I'll keep looking.

Misty, wet, cold and queasy

An unusual bump

The lumpen bump symbolises the lack of joyful activity on a misty, wet and cold day in the mountains. I probably nearly poisoned us on yesterday's arrival picnic and am feeling about as enthusiastic as the weather. Last night's dinner didn't help and we're sticking to pubs from now on. Bring on the tv football and enthusiastic friendly people.

Nothing like a nice cup of tea!

As the day unfurled, I wrote a phone list of mainly highlights to distract from the lows. It reads as follows:

Misty, wet and cold in Sierra de Cazorla

Queasy, post-stomach ache

Approachable fox in the forest

Drove mountain roads to source of Guadalquiver River 

Nuthatch

Crested Tits

Less Mist and rain

Mistle Thrush flying to nest - watched from a distance

Recorded Red-billed Choughs calling in ravine at Griffin Vulture site

AND THEN

Driving back, nearly got the super huge beeping vehicle stuck in a slim street. It was extremely nerve wracking, particularly as the street narrowed gently as we squeezed through between the houses. It was either the houses or us. We may have had three inches on either side. I hopped out to monitor the squeeze and the poor driver had to put up with super-beeps inside, getting louder and more shouty. We just made it, but goodness knows what we would have done it we'd got stuck.......   

Encounter with a forest fox

Into Olive and Nightingale Country

There are so many abandoned houses in the Spanish countryside, that I can get enough of them. This was a particularly fine specimen.

I wonder who lived here...

Olive trees in all directions

A knitting pattern?

Trees growing right up to the walls of the house

Flamingos in the Wind

Stuck in this windy flat featureless landscape, apart from endless patchworks. However... there are lakes to be explored, according to 'the book'. Ignored the one in town, pessimistically assuming it would be dry. Headed out of town to another, Laguna de Manjavacas. It was as windy as Tierra del Fuego on a bad day and there were no birds.

Nothing here but wind

Returned to town and the beginning of an incredible day of showy birds, including a TOTALLY NEW ONE - a White-headed Duck. There were quite a few and they popped up around the edges of Laguna de La Vega del Pueblo, which must have had just the right amount of water in it. I'm not a great duck fan, but how cool is this...

My White-headed Duck

Mine, because it was so windy that it was difficult to keep my modest camera steady. You can't see any white horses in this picture, but there were plenty and the lake was literally bubbling because of the wind.

An impression of the super lake and some of its flashy residents

Other favourites included Black-necked Grebe, obviously the Flamingos and Little and Black Terns.

The stars of my 'Flamingos in the Wind' film

A lonely colourful little house on the windy plain