8 February, Guadalhorce

What a horribly wet week until Friday, although I had a single, probably unhappy and wondering what the hell it was doing coming over in such conditions, House Martin two days in front of the apartment, and on Saturday a couple of Swallows near the Parador de Golf.

I didn't get out today as I am over-worked with bird stuff (records of seabirds from the storm 2 weeks, since, reading and correcting papers for Ardeola, illustrations for the seabird book and putting together colour ring readings for sending off to ascertain where they come from. So, as the wind was very cold and the knees playing merry hell, I stayed at home and got on with things.However, Patricia has very kindly written to me with what she saw there on the Saturday morning and today and her account is below.

Today there was a Shelduck swimming around in the Laguna Grande. Yesterday there were lots of Swallows, House Martins and Crag Martins flying around the Escondida. I did not get a chance to look in the Escondida today. There is so much water everywhere although at least today the river - Guadalmar side - was lower than yesterday but still flowing steadily into the sea. Both branches of the river flowing steadily into the sea.
At the end of the levée on the beach there were two Kentish Plovers and one Sanderling. We saw the Southern Grey Shrike. There were some Stilts and some Black-tailed Godwits, and yesterday single Redshank and Greenshank. The Garganey seems to be there still and today was visible.
Otherwise not much except awful wind. I had to hold tight to my little fieldscope. To show you have things were, we did not see a Coot until almost the last moment, two in the Laguna Grande and then on my way back to the car there were some in the river.