of Garganey and Short-eared Owls, 7 Feb.

It was Federico who gave me the heads-up at at about 13.00 today, that he was at that very moment watching 5 Garganey (3 males and 2 females) on the laguna Grande down at the Guadalhorce.

So, busy stifling my envy as male Garganey are one of the prettiest of ducks in my opinion, I replanned the afternoon (actually, I had no plans but don't tell the wife and was still wondering how much the repairs to the big Olympus and the telephoto are going to be).

I saw my first Garganey down at Beacon ponds, to the north of Spurn Point, one late March afternoon around 1959-60 with late March weather, grey windy and wet and fell in love with them then and there, never mind the Rough-legged Buzzard that we had trudged miles to try and see (and did). I was down at the Guadalhorce by 17.10 and made a beeline for the laguna Grande and hit luck within 2 minutes of arriving, with 2 males and a female visible but distant on the far side of pond. Fortunately they had the decency to come reasonably closer and I managed to get some nearly decent shots with the small Olympus.

Having stayed to so long and watching and talking with a three French birders and Lupi it seemed intelligent to stay on and see if we had any luck with the Short-eared Owls and we did with two of them, as the photos - not brilliant but the light was not good and the little Olympus was hand held, but I think you get the idea. One is notably paler than the other and has less ginger in the wings, one of which looks as though it has received a dose of shot as one primary is missing and another broken.

We also saw at least 3 Marsh Harriers, a very dark Buzzard and the Osprey. Some Swallows and House Martins were around too but the final touch to the afternoon was at absolute last light, just as we reached the cars.

A Booted Eagle flew over being pursued by one of the Short-eared Owls! Stunning but it was too dark to even try a photograph. Now that's what I calla good afternoon's birding! Agreed?