I never tire of telling my friends that Alcala de los Gazules (Cadiz, Andalucia) is a fabulous place to visit (although they may tire of me telling them). Hosting birding friends & showing them the area is always a joy. This video showcases a favourite walk ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nUZ...

I sometimes forget how lucky I am living near this amazing building, Canterbury Cathedral. The new stonework was glowing in the low sunlight. Better still, the local Peregrine put on a fine display weaving around the towers - not hunting, just playing. Below all but me were oblivious to the show.🪶

The challenge was to post a gif of a movie you've watched more than six times. Hard mode: no Stars (either War or Trek), LOTR, or Marvel. To be honest, I'm not sure that there is one I've watched that often but "It's a Wonderful Life" probably comes closest & is happily seasonal!

A wonderful morning in Canterbury, first seeing two lovely former students (one by design, the other by chance), both of whom are doing very well in their chosen careers, & then seeing evidence of fresh Beaver activity (1st for some time) not far from the city centre. Splendid!

"BB" @britishbirds.bsky.social arrived this AM & it's shocking to consider that I've been getting it for c60 years (bar one year), originally via a newsagents. The cover artwork by Darren Woodhead is one of the most handsome ever in my view. A champion of the "less is more" school of wildlife art!

No photos but good to see Dartford Warbler & Little Owl (increasingly scarce in east Kent) on a pleasant ramble around Oare this morning in pleasant sunshine. 🪶

I first saw Firecrest at Portland in the 60's, in the 70's I was taken to their secret breeding site in the New Forest & in the 80's to a secret breeding site in Kent. Just seen 2 in woods (where they also breed) near my house in Canterbury - now arguably commoner than Goldcrest in east Kent! 🪶

I'm giving a talk on 'Spring in Cadiz Province' this coming Tuesday afternoon (25/11) for Gravesend RSPB Group (Kent) at 14:00 at the Masonic Hall (25 Wrotham Rd., Gravesend, DA11 0PA). All welcome!

Sometimes life sucks, particularly when you're of a certain age. En route to my hometown for a wake for an old school pal, I'm thinking of another contemporary who's just started radiotherapy this week for an aggressive cancer. Then, out of the blue, I hear a Kent friend has suddenly passed away😢.

Awareness that a few Pallid Swifts turn up in the UK in late autumn is relatively new & probably boosts reports. It's a bit left-field but I wonder (esp after colonisation of mainland Portugal) whether the odd Plain Swift is being dismissed as Common but could we confidently identify lone birds?! 🪶

Dusky Warbler on Thanet this AM which showed well intermittently. Also Whitethroat there. Then a desultory look for Pallid Swift (I see too many in Spain to be very bothered). Here's the habitat which held the Dusky - there's miles of similar stuff on Thanet which could hide a dozen Dusky Warblers!🪶

East Kent was awash with rarities today 8/11 - Desert Wheatear, Pallid Swifts, 2 Dusky, 2+ Yellow-browed & 5+ Pallas's Warblers. I only saw the Pallas's at Hope Point (Bockhill) - 3 brief glimpses - as it was very elusive covering every inch of the hawthorn scrub there.

A nice chap just knocked on my door in Canterbury & handed over my wallet -lost near Dover a few weeks ago. He apologised profusely for not being able to deliver it earlier (it's a 40-mile round trip). It's good to have your faith in humanity confirmed. I hope he enjoys the bottle of red I gave him!

Interesting tour & wine tasting at Balfour Winery (Marden, Kent) yesterday (1/11). Good wine but most impressed by their concern for conservation/biodiversity. No need to drive - train to Marden & free shuttle bus. Great day out with kind weather.

Lost wallet - if any birding friends hear of a wallet being found at St Margaret's Bay/Pines Garden/South Forereland (Kent) yesterday, it's mine! Last used at the beach cafe. Cards stopped but don't want the hassle of getting a replacement driving licence, etc.

Alarming start to today's birding - my phone hadn't charged overnight so no news, etc. Luckily, my passenger Nick B wanted to look for Y-b W in Ramsgate Cemetery (my 1st visit). Got there just as y'days Red-flanked Bluetail was refound. 😁 No photos - here's a similar one I drew (decades) earlier 🪶

A glorious autumnal day in Kent so I cycled from Canterbury to Reculver & back via Chambers Wall & Hoath. Few birds about so stopped at the charming & clearly much-loved Hoath church. Perhaps over-restored in the 19thC but we'd have fewer surviving Medieval parish churches without the Victorians!

Double jabbed flu/covid AM then several hours PM looking for an elusive juv PALLID HARRIER at Reculver/Shuart (Kent) finally seeing it late afternoon. 🤞🏼it winters. Now reacting to the jabs & feeling a bit ropey ☹️🪶

£6,000! Thanks to the generosity of the birding community, my 300pp guide to Birding Cadiz Province has now raised 6x more in donations to the @alzheimerssoc.bsky.social in Liz's memory than I dared hope. PM me with your email address if you'd like a copy. Please share! Heartfelt thanks to all 🪶

My good friend in Alcala de los Gazules, Bob Lloyd, has just posted this excellent analysis of Ai on his FB page. It's so good that I have to share it here.

I birded this AM then PM cycled out to Patrixbourne to marvel at one of Kent's finest Norman church doorways (2nd only to Barfreston). What must it have looked like when freshly carved? Iron gateway to the lord of the manor's abode, a sad reminder of the demolished (in '45) Georgian Bifrons House.

Oceanic sprites dancing on the rolling swell - a short account (with my naff photos) of the Wilson's Storm-petrel bonanza I enjoyed this September off Chipiona - the last of my 4 autumnal updates. 🪶 birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birdin...

I've just finished revising my free Birding Cadiz Guide (but donations via my Just Giving page to Alzheimer's Society are very welcome). No major changes, just minor updates (corrections are also posted on my blog - birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birdin...)

Twitched R-n Phalarope at RSPB Lydden this morning ... by bike! Avoided the busy A257 (Canterbury-Sandwich road) by taking minor roads via Bekesbourne, Staple & Eastry to Worth (c34-mile round trip). Rewarded myself with lunchtime baguette at Chalkpit Farm cafe. Home in time for an afternoon nap 🙂🪶

A fabulous birthday w/e, courtesy of daughters Gemma & Anna. 1st a visit to Hawkinge Battle of Britain Museum (so many excavated Merlin engines!) & then a moving visit to the BofB monument (Dad was RAF in WW2). Supper at the superb (& absurdly underpriced) www.nepalikitchen.co.uk in Sandgate.

Another blog post updating my Birding Cadiz Guide mainly concerning water levels & access along the Gudalquivir between Trebujena & Algaida. More to follow. Pleased to top-and-tail my spring-autumn season with Rufous Bushchat! 🪶 birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birdin...

Another date for my insomniac friends to note - I'll be giving a talk entitled "Fabulous February - Birding in SW Andalucia in Winter" at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory this Thursday (25/09) at 19.00 🪶

I've started to post blog updates re. Birding Cadiz Province after my recent visit (my guide will be updated anon). First up, a comparison of two lagunas - L de Medina ( wet & brilliant) and L de Jeli (disappointing - now invisible from the hide) 🪶 birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birdin...

Remarkably empty skies above Alcala de los Gazules this morning - a LK, a handful of Griffons and the odd phalanx of Alpine Swifts arcing over - saved by the late appearance of two Black Storks. They decently remained long enough for me to nip downstairs for my camera & get some record shots🪶

3 hrs birding nr Castillo de Torrestrella (Medina Sidonia) this afternoon. Last 3 visits have produced Spanish Imperial Eagles (up to 4) within minutes. Arranged to show the site to a friend today who wanted to show SIEs to the birding group he's leading. Naturally, they didn't show! Whose law?🪶

Few raptors (& all very high) over my terrace in Alcala de los Gazules this AM but swarms (hundreds) of Alpine Swifts tracing a path across the sky.

A beautifully sunny yet cool morning with a light cooling breeze here in the shade on my terrace in Alcala de los Gazules. I decided to do an Ebird list once I saw my first raptor but I'm still waiting (a rare event here). 20+ Alpine Swifts low overhead was some compensation 🪶

Somewhat miffed to dip Ruppell's Vulture at Laja de Zarga yet again (seen once in a dozen visits) but pleased to see two at Cazalla later. My birding day ended with 2 (possibly 3) Spanish Imperial Eagles south of Medina Sidonia. One being mobbed by a Bonelli's Eagle as I got out of the car🪶

Y'day Bee-eaters flew above me at tree-top level but it was a strain to hear them. A few moments ago 50-60 flew over the terrace only a little higher up in, as far as I could tell, complete silence. Hearing loss really impacts on birding☹️ but the view here is still great! 🪶

Waxbills may not be a native European species but that doesn't stop them from being pretty little it's when seen up close 🪶

After fruitlessly checking Valcargado track y'day & La Janda this AM, a last gasp attempt at Castillo de Torrestrella (Medina Sidonia) came up trumps with 4 Spanish Imperial Eagles circling high. My guest Jonno Cook (@sussexornitholo.blue.sky) was rather pleased 😄

Rubbish BoC shot of a dark morph Montagu's Harrier in Cadiz - always great birds to see but made better still as it was a lifer for Jonno Cook, Gemma's RSPB colleague & @sussexornitholo.bsky.social committee member

It's always good to see Rufous Bushchat regardless of what we're supposed to call them these days! My favourite site near Trebujena amongst low intensity vineyards, rarely disappoints even this late in the season! 🪶

I walked 2 km up to Laguna de Jeli from the A 390 this AM hoping to find that the winter's rains had revitalised it. Sadly, it's now 100% enveloped by tamarisks. No water now visible from the hide. Fancy "observatios" are pointless without actively managing the reserve accordingly.

... and here's sunrise over the Alcornocales this morning

No birds of note but a glorious Alcala sunset!

Morning on La Janda (Cadiz) - 2 SIE, a few Booted & S-t Eagles, 2 Egyptian & many Griffons, 9 Black Stork, Wood Sandpiper were highlights. Then Barbate PM where I digiscoped this Elegant Tern seconds before it flew off🪶

Slow birding from the terrace this AM - 30+ Alpine Swifts, 2 Lesser Ks, 8 Booted & 2 Short-toed Eagles plus c50 Griffons so far. No White Storks yet. Ironically, I could have seen c50 storks over my Canterbury house last week (albeit introduced Knepp birds). 🪶

Fantastic to see Laguna de Medina covered with birds: c370 R-c & c100 Common Pochards, 170+ Gadwall, 31 W-h Duck,a Marbled Duck, 20+ B-n Grebe (prob more). Star birds 11 Ferruginous Ducks & a Red-knobbed Coot (amongst a reported 3.000 Common Coot.

I understand why Brit and other birders congregate around Tarifa but they're missing out on the rest of Cadiz Province. Laguna de Medina is now in superb condition - the best in a decade. Thousands of Coot, a few R-k Coot, Ferruginous & Marbled Duck etc. You'd be mad not to visit!

After a very slow start, I had a magical pelagic off Chipiona today. 2-3 European Storm Petrels and a group of c25 Wilson's dancing on the swell at close range (many more seen). Surprisingly few Gannets, Cory's & Balearics though. Also an interesting small skua I want to double check ... 🪶

Donations to the Alzheimer's Society in Liz's memory for my Birding Cadiz guide (via www.justgiving.com/fundraising/...) have now topped £5,500. Aiming for £6,000 by the end of the year. Thanks to all. PM me your email address for a copy or visit birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com. Please share!🪶 🪶

As well as having great views, Alcala de los Gazules is an attractive & charming pueblo nicely set on a conical hill. Having nurtured a disproportionate number of leftie politicians, it's also known as the "Cradle of Socialism in Andalucia" which suits me fine! Local birding's good too!

Good to be back in Alcala de los Gazules (Cadiz). Sunny with a light cooling breeze on the terrace - perfect! A quick look netted 2 Lesser Ks, 3 Booted Eagles & Spotless Starlings🪶

I retrieved the map of my bike ride this AM including birding sites of Chambers Wall, Reculver, Bishopstone Glen & Swalecliffe 🪶.