This has been the first post for a while, so before I begin, I´d like to say that I hope that you´re all keeping safe and healthy and wish you all the very best as we make our way through these tough times.
For more than obvious reasons, I can´t write much about any recent birding trips! However, it´s always interesting to see what´s passing through in the skies above Valencia and what´s about in the area immediately surrounding our apartment. I hope that you´re all enjoying the bird life that´s close to you, be it in your gardens or on your daily walk. I´m really enjoying the photos on social media of what people are seeing each day.
Bee Eater
This week a Zitting Cisticola appears to have taken up residence in a small area of what we tend to call “waste ground” close to our apartment. Especially now, these patches of undisturbed vegetated ground can prove to be excellent feeding areas or even nesting sites. Despite its roadside location, this little patch has also given me views of Cattle Egret, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Sardinian Warbler, White Wagtail, Spotless Starling, Goldfinch, Serin and a Sparrowhawk.
Zitting Cisticola
But the bird that I´d like to mention today is the ever popular Bee Eater. I´ve managed to get a few views of small flocks passing over, usually quite high, but during the past few days I´ve heard their distinctive calls many times, even from the bathroom! The lack of human sounds and traffic noise make detecting bird calls much easier!
Bee Eater
This magnificently colourful bird is always a firm favourite with clients, so this year, as we can´t physically share them together, I thought I´d post a few words and photos of them here. We usually see these on the mountain trip, and during the summer months when I live in our house in the mountains, I´m extremely fortunate to have them nesting in tunnels in the banks at the side of the track that leads to the house. Every evening, they feed in flight over the garden, often with large flocks of Swifts.
They tunnel into soft earth banks, where they typically lay between 5 and 8 eggs. They nest in colonies, and also feed and roost in flocks. As their name suggests, they feed on bees, but not exclusively. Dragonflies and other insects are often taken, commonly in flight.
The return of all summer visitors is always a cause of joy. But for me, the sight of Bee Eaters together with Swifts is one that I always associate with the early evenings of summer. I hope to be able to enjoy them in a rural setting before much longer, but for now, I´m happy just to hear them passing over head and to know that they´ve made it back into Southern Europe.
Keep safe everyone. Best wishes to you all.
Written by David Warrington.
Bird Watching Guide at Valencia Birding.