Birds

I have always had an interest in birds, I thought I might introduce some we have come to know lately, I have previously mentioned the charming small bird that frequents our local coffee shop Arqupé.

However we met another recently at the altogether posher Grande Hotel at Portugalete.

There are a few small birds who are on a constant search for crumbs along the riverside terrace however this fellow is a particularly cheeky one.

All it needs is a couple of tasty Pintxos.

In Burger King in the Railway Station at Bilbao there is a pidgeon that does much the same job, no photo I'm afraid I don't want him to get in trouble with the health and safety people, or public health come to that. So I substitute a picture of the rather nice stained glass window there.

Of course we also have a bird at the marina, we see him everyday as a flash of electric blue flying along the pontoon. It's a Kingfisher and so far I have been totally unable to take a photo of him either, however a street artist in Portugalete helped me out by painting a junction box with this delightful portrait.

Today we were walking along the cliffs near the lighthouse at Gorlitz. As we approached the frankly alarming road that has at points decided to slide down the steep cliff face we were watching a pair of raptors hanging in the thermal updraft, too far away to identify positively until one began to call and we realised it was a pair of Perigrine Falcons.....

So there you have it, just a few of our new feathered friends. So if anyone asks in the UK, where are all the sparrows? You know, they are all in Spain enjoying the Café culture.........