Making sure I will not be going to the US anytime soon. Best description I've read in a long while.

My December article for SUR in English and here I briefly discuss my favourite birds. www.surinenglish.com/lifestyle/pe...

So far, ABS has published 54 editions of its quarterly 'Birds of Andalucía' and I have been involved in all of them, the last 30 as main Editor. The magazine has consistently punched above its weight and I am so very proud to be associated with this amazing magazine.

Exhausted at the moment and time to focus on important things. Winter cheer is getting out into nature and the mutation of thrushes does the trick in lightening the load and providing respite.

Siskin have arrived in large numbers. Here one perches on a pre-glacial tree species the Abies pinsapo (Spanish fir) it is a species of fir native to southern Spain (limited to my mountains) and northern Morocco. And yes, it does look like a Christmas tree before it reaches maturity!

Trying my best to work on the book. Progress has been good the last couple of weeks, so hopefully I might get there by the end of the year for proofreading and editing. I hope the end result will have been worth the effort.

My article for the November edition of the Costa Connection magazine. Bad news with some hope. A short read and a different focus from my normal articles for CC.

Beginning to think I've lost my mind writing a book about La Serranía de Ronda as a paradise for wildlife. It is not some vanity project, more a promotion of the area and a reference for future studies and comparisons. Photo by friend Stephen Powles - Ancient Pinsapo forest Sierra de las Nieves.

Many of our wintering birds are now returning to the Serranía de Ronda, what a spectacle they provide.

Fewer Short-toed Snake Eagles passing through my patch, which might suggest peak autumn migration has passed.

Common Redstart are joining the rush to Africa alongside Pied and Spotted Flycatcher.

Our local resident Blue Rock Thrush are almost complete with their autumn moult. They are handsome birds at all times of the year.

Post breeding White Stork in search of a baby to carry...

Referring to Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Christopher Hitchens said “If you gave him an enema, he could be buried in a matchbox”.

Pied Flycatcher are passing through in large numbers and over a wide front, soon most will have passed through the region and have made the crossing to Africa to continue their journey across the Sahara Desert towards their wintering grounds. Here a male takes a break from it's long journey.

I had been making headway with writing a book on a paradise for wildlife, but all the news and my timeline is filled with such hatred I fear nobody would be interested in such a thing as nature.

Temminck's Lark female approaches her brood as they beg for food. Just one of so many wonderful lark species to be found in Morocco.

Nice Wryneck in the garden this morning.

Farage is a political fraud! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzpn...

Willow Warblers make their return journey to Africa now and numbers will be peaking this month. Such delegate warblers and incredible they make such amazing long migrations.

My favourite autumn migrant is Northern Wheatear and they are now starting to pass through, a migration here that will last into October. It can be fun to separate the nominate race from the Greenland race as they will also follow the western flyway.

My latest article is published by Costa Connection Magazine in their August edition circulated today. An article that confirms that, yes, I am still crazy after all these years.

The Egyptian mongoose, which is native to north Africa, is also found in Spain and Portugal. Evidence points to it having been carried here in Spain by human agency. The question is, by whom? Here a curious pose in the blistering heat currently cooking my area.

An attractive member of the region's raptors is the handsome Black-winged Kite and I would think most of us get a thrill at seeing them. I always remember the first one I ever saw and how surprised I was at their small size and just how strikingly beautiful they are.

I don't think there is a more loathsome politician in the UK than Farage, although Tice et al run him a close second. Espouses just everything from the Trump playbook.

And should be at the top of the list to be made public!

Mistle Thrush (Europe's largest thrush) is notoriously shy and so when this opportunity arose at close quarters it was be quick and take advantage. It seemed more interested in what might be overhead than me, the moment was fleeting but frozen in time by this timely snapshot.

Red Fox are common throughout my region and many can appear almost grey. I always enjoy the encounters I have each year and thrilling to watch their antics as they quarter areas in search of food.

We have a wonderful number of butterflies here in our region and as summer progresses so too does our enjoyment of these beautiful insects. Here Wall Brown (Lassiomata megera) enjoy the sweet tastes of the many local plants that flower in the summer heat.

During the hottest of days it can still be worthwhile to catch up with a favourite bird before they start to disperse for their long journey south to Africa. One bird that makes these forays bearable is the stunning Black-eared Wheatear. The most attractive of wheatears.

Red-veined Darter ensuring the future and no doubt enjoying a get together!

Another constant, at least for me, when visiting our neighbour in Morocco is the wonderful Spiny-tailed Lizard.

A regular on my visits to Morocco has been Barbary Ground Squirrel. Fun and cute all at the same time.

My local Bee Eaters are keeping busy around their colonies at the moment and make for a spectacle with their vibrant colours and cheerful chatter.

Known throughout the western palearctic as Shore Lark, not as Cornell would impose as Horned Lark, like disrespectfully calling European species with the name grey as the americanism gray, perhaps we should look at the name Atlas Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris atlas?

The diminutive Subalpine Warbler has done its best to avoid me this year, but you can fly but you cannot hide! Such a striking small and skulking warbler and really always a thrill to catch up with...

Any visit to Morocco never seems complete without finding the beautiful Blue-cheeked Bee Eater, so colourful and just a wonderful bird to spend time with.

My monthly article for the regional newspaper SUR appeared in today's issue and reflects on the Common Redstart and finding it breeding in my local area after 21 years. A short read.

Nice to catch-up with Rock Thrush (male) during my time in the High Atlas Mountains. A beautiful bird and much prized sighting.

Whether wandering across Morocco or my own patch at this time of year, I am always struck by how juvenile birds have yet to learn of threats to their survival. Here a Juvenile Cream-coloured Courser shows absolutely no fear but it won't be long before it adopts caution as the better part of valour.

Enjoyed wandering the sand and stone deserts of Morocco and finding a few target birds including this stunning male Crowned Sandgrouse.

Big thing on my agenda whilst visiting Morocco for the first couple of weeks in May was to try and get better photos of a few species including Crimson-winged Finch. I haven't processed all my photos yet but this popped out at me this morning!

Summer homesteaders of my local patch include these wonderful and striking Woodchat Shrike.

Among the wonderful number of larks in Morocco is the magnificent Temminck's Lark with its perfect impression of an invading Viking's helmet. A beautiful songster and great to spend time with.

Amidst work I am desperately trying to organise my photos from a recent tour of Morocco. Probably one of the standout birds for me was the bizarre looking Thick-billed Lark, a strangely beautiful bird and a joy to observe.

Some good news reported by me in my latest article for our regional newspaper SUR. Glossy Ibis buck the trend and have increased in recent years.

Today's beautiful little brown job is a locally common Thekla Lark. Lots of visiting birders have problems separating this bird from Crested Lark (lots of resident birders do too)...

Even well developed young Temminck's Lark still depend on supplementary feeding by parent birds.

Viva Llanos de Libar, so pleased to have this as my local patch and now taking advantage before the track closes to vehicles on 1st June for the summer. Always a joy finding Black-eared Wheatear on their summer territories.

Back to my local patch today after an absence of 2 weeks. Amazed to find a male Redstart singing in the oak woodlands of Llanos de Libar (21 years since the last time I found them breeding here).