ONE FLEW OVER THE CAR BONNET!
The most romantic animal, for me here, are the wild boar or jabali in Spanish,
(sus scrota) oh those latin names again!
They are a thrill to see, having been hunted to extinction in our home land.
We have only read about them in history books and comics. (One cannot say that one
has lived in the outback of Spain untill one has encountered a WILD JABALI )
There used to be a pair of them, kept in a park in Huercal-Overa.They were very hairy
and grey, rather short in the body but huge in the head and sporting magnificent tusks.
These tusks are actually adapted canine teeth,
curving upwards from the lower jaw and downwards from the upper, passing each other
with razor sharp precision.
l have often seen there footprints in the orange groves, also where they have torn up
the ground, in their search for roots ect:. They often, in dry weather, break the irrigation
systems in their thirst for water. For this they pay a mortal price. Many a fat farmer has
rubbed his belly and rolled his eyes at the thought of roast jabali.
All my friends and neighbours have told me of sightings, up mountains, in the orange
groves, down by the dry river, trampling cabbage patches, tearing up potatoes, mashed
up on motorways and even cooling off in swimming pools. Sometimes single and sometimes in family groups, a mum and half a dozen or more stripy babies.
l was beginning to feel left out untill one evening, just as the sun was setting. l was
driving out of our local village when, one flew over the car bonnet! l was thrilled and
screamed with joy. My daughter and granddaughter, who had not seen it, wondered
what ever was wrong! It was a timeless moment, l still see the image now as it took a
flying leap right over the car.
What struck me most was its deep earthy ginger colour. It wasn't untill sometime later
that l found out why. l was out exploring one day and came across a muddy wallow. lt was
a deep terracotta colour and was full of jabali hair and footprints
Friday 12 February 2016
Wednesday 10 February 2016
OF BIRDS AND FLIES.
It's getting close to that time of year, when the summer migration
of birds will soon begin. The first to normally appear are the swallows.
I thought l could see some flying high in the sky but they turned out to
be martins. The swallows have over the last 20 years made their
appearance on or close to feb: 18th.
A couple of years ago my nephew and his girlfriend arrrived at my house
with a very young swallow chick. It had fallen from its nest onto the street,
up in Albanchez. Would l look after it ? "No" says l, "it will only die".
Disappointed by my pronouncement they asked, "what shall we feed it?",
"Flies" l said.
At first it was difficult because it wouldn't open its beak. We had to gently
prize it open, pop a freshly swatted fly in and then a drop of water,using an
old syringe. "How often do we feed it?", they asked. "All the time", l replied.
"Will you do it?", "No", says l.
They wanted to travel down to Cadiz. They took the fledgling with them.
It was wrapped in cotton wool, and they were armed with a fly swat. On the
first night it managed to get in bed with them, snuggling up to their warm
necks.
They did make it to Cadiz and arrived back a couple of days later. The little
bird was feeding fast and furiously on a diet of flies, beetles, bugs and ants,
followed by a few drops of water. It was snatching the offered insects from
their fingers as quickly as they could catch them. I had to swallow my words.
We all went back up to Albanchez and as we stopped the car, the youngster
started calling to the swallows, who were sweeping around the buildings.
Within 3 more days it learnt how to fly, by launching itself off the upstairs patio.
Soon it took to the wing, returning every half hour or so to visit. Then, within
days it was off.
Our summer visiters arrive mid feb: and leave about October after
hopefully bringing up a few broods of young. These swallows (Hirando
rustica) have a blue sheen on the back and wings, with a forked tail. The
throat is dull chestnut with a dark blue band beneath. The forehead is also
dark chestnut. They have a high metallic tweet tweet twittering song. They
construct an open saucer-shaped nest, on beams in buildings. These nests
are made of mud.
It is said that these birds bring much luck to the houses they choose to nest
in. I know of one person who was knocking the nests down because as she
said, " these filthy black birds are making a mess!
It's getting close to that time of year, when the summer migration
of birds will soon begin. The first to normally appear are the swallows.
I thought l could see some flying high in the sky but they turned out to
be martins. The swallows have over the last 20 years made their
appearance on or close to feb: 18th.
A couple of years ago my nephew and his girlfriend arrrived at my house
with a very young swallow chick. It had fallen from its nest onto the street,
up in Albanchez. Would l look after it ? "No" says l, "it will only die".
Disappointed by my pronouncement they asked, "what shall we feed it?",
"Flies" l said.
At first it was difficult because it wouldn't open its beak. We had to gently
prize it open, pop a freshly swatted fly in and then a drop of water,using an
old syringe. "How often do we feed it?", they asked. "All the time", l replied.
"Will you do it?", "No", says l.
They wanted to travel down to Cadiz. They took the fledgling with them.
It was wrapped in cotton wool, and they were armed with a fly swat. On the
first night it managed to get in bed with them, snuggling up to their warm
necks.
They did make it to Cadiz and arrived back a couple of days later. The little
bird was feeding fast and furiously on a diet of flies, beetles, bugs and ants,
followed by a few drops of water. It was snatching the offered insects from
their fingers as quickly as they could catch them. I had to swallow my words.
We all went back up to Albanchez and as we stopped the car, the youngster
started calling to the swallows, who were sweeping around the buildings.
Within 3 more days it learnt how to fly, by launching itself off the upstairs patio.
Soon it took to the wing, returning every half hour or so to visit. Then, within
days it was off.
Our summer visiters arrive mid feb: and leave about October after
hopefully bringing up a few broods of young. These swallows (Hirando
rustica) have a blue sheen on the back and wings, with a forked tail. The
throat is dull chestnut with a dark blue band beneath. The forehead is also
dark chestnut. They have a high metallic tweet tweet twittering song. They
construct an open saucer-shaped nest, on beams in buildings. These nests
are made of mud.
It is said that these birds bring much luck to the houses they choose to nest
in. I know of one person who was knocking the nests down because as she
said, " these filthy black birds are making a mess!
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