Another superb summer's day, clear blue sky nice breeze and a lovely walk followed by a delicious paella lunch............
Dawn and I met John and Mary on the edge of the village at 9:30am we then took both cars down to Jimena where we left John and Mary's car and all four of us continued in our car to Marchenilla where we began the walk back.
The track follows the railway line and the Hozgargante River back to Jimena which is some 7km long. It was a lovely walk through some scenic countryside where wild flowers, butterflies and birds were in abubdance.
We saw several family parties of Robins, Corn Buntings, Cirl Buntings and Common Nightingales. Turtle Doves 'turred' from the eucalyptus from where Golden Orioles also delivered their flutey, melodic notes. Blackcaps also sang, but Common Nightingales have finally ceased daytime singing, you can hear their frog-like croaking and single note contact calls but no song.
DAWN, MARY & JOHN - ON THE YELLOW-BRICK ROAD INTO JIMENA DE LA FRONTERA
We saw many Stonechats also Zitting Cisticola, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Spotted Flycatcher, Melodious Warbler, Sardinian Warbler and lots of finches - Green, Gold and Chaffinches.
In the sky there were often small groups of borh Griffon Vultures and Lesser Kestrels, also the odd Booted Eagle and Common Buzzard.
Butterflies included: Speckled Wood, Spanish Gatekeeper, Cleopatra, Small White, Holly Blue, Meadow Brown and once we got into the village we saw Geranium Bronze.
HOLLY BLUE
We sat outside on the tereaced pagement to eat what was a most fantastic lunch, fish based paella, a fried fish platter, scrambled egg and spinach and a tuna salad, a nice cold beer to!
GERANIUM BRONZE
We drove back to collect our car and went home to Gaucin, arriving at 4pm, another lovely day spent in beautiful Andalucia with some very nice friends.