Picnic at the Rio Guadiaro
Down by the riverside. Yet another lazy afternoon sitting by the river watching the world go by, how relaxing life can be. Dawn and I spent 6 hours today sitting in our deck chairs on the bank of the Rio Guadiaro at El Colmenar, it was hot and sunny all day with a lovely breeze sweeping up through the valley.
The view from my deck-chair this afternoon
We saw more evidence today of reverse migration as we watched at least three more Spotted Flycatchers, several Chiffchaff’s and lots of Swifts flying high overhead.
Spotted Flycatcher
Other species flitting by were Blackcap and the usual Goldfinch, Greenfinch and local House Sparrows. Butterflies were everywhere, we saw Small White, Scarce Swallowtail, Lang’s Short-tailed Blue, Long-tailed Blue, Wall Brown, Speckled Wood, Common Blue and African Grass Blue.
Lang's Short-tailed Blue
The surface of the water was patrolled by a large number of dragonflies some perched nicely on the rocks in the river, we saw the rare Zygonix torridus (Ringed Cascader) at least three males had territories in the small section of the river where we sat, also Trithemis kirbyi (Orange-winged Dropwing), Onychogomphus forcipatus (Small Pincertail), Anax imperator (Blue Emperor) and dozens of Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis (Copper Demoiselle).
Small Pincertail
Orange-winged Dropwing
Copper Demoiselle
We left around 5:30pm and after dinner we went for a 6km walk - I bet you didn't?