BIRDING IN SPAIN'S WILD WEST: The Corona Blog

We’re now entering the fourth week of lockdown, and it’s really hard to keep track of the days of the week, with absolutely everything that forms a daily routine completely turned upside down. Nevertheless it remains a privilege to have a roof over our heads, food available after a weekly shop and a great view of sky, birds, trees and green fields from the balcony.

There’s something strangely surreal, reminiscent of the post-apocalyptic books or films I’ve read or watched across the years, about feeling healthy, seeing the beautiful cycles of nature unfurling with the season and the migrating birds arriving, and yet seeing hardly any humans about not being able to go out and about. I don’t mind the isolation, but I’m gnawing at the bit to go and see how the Golden eagles are faring, check out our Griffon vulture colony and look for wild orchids…

I was taking David Lindo on a press trip around the province when the State of Alarm and subsequent lockdown was declared. We had to turn back and let him get safely back to base. Two days later it snowed, which was some consolation and a psychologically had a ‘stay-warm-and-cosy-indoors’ effect.

So we’ve been adapting to circumstances, doing bits of yoga to keep fit, making food last, conscious that certain things may not be available in the shops, and using the time to catch up on so many abandoned projects, (like this blog). I’ve been birding from the balcony and have seen some great birds, which just goes to show how right David is when he talks about urban birding. Okay, so we live in the countryside, but actually a lot of these birds show up in towns too, so don’t be beaten, get your bins out and get birding in your garden, from your balcony or just hanging out the window.

Above all, stay home and keep safe!