Field diary

September 2005

13th August - 23rd September

We were away from Extremadura for a good deal of this period.

Normally the autumn rain starts in the second half of the month but this year there is no sign of clouds. Bird movement is limited and this is hardly surprising given the abnormal conditions.

24th - 30th September

Normally the autumn rain starts in the second half of the month but this year there is no sign of clouds. The temperature remains very hot and the earth looks scorched. The national water authority year runs from October to September and they have announced that this is officially the driest year from the last 130 years. Many parts of Spain are critically affected by the drought and there is still no sign of rain.

There is nevertheless more activity bird-wise. We saw an Osprey passing through this week. Numbers of birds in White Stork roosts are building, and the first migratory Black Redstart and Pied Flycatcher of the winter were seen.

The most memorable event of the week was the very close sighting of an Eagle Owl which flew over us no more than a metre away. You could almost hear it breathe!