A fine hour or so...

Well I had to remove a virus from my wifes school computer and anyway, it´s far too hot here at the moment to be out mid-afternoon. So I went out to Peralvillo for an hour or so late in the evening. I had a grand chat with the local cow-herd and then crawled out the dry grass, long trousers this time, to where the pratincoles were last time I was here. Lo and behold there was a whole colony of them on a wee island. They all seemed quite happy to allow me to approach the waters edge and hide in a tussock of rushes.

Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola), a photo by Mike at Sea on Flickr.

It seems that I took my week in Ireland when the young are all leaving the nests judging by the number of juvenile pratincoles and Black-crowned Night Herons about the area. The juvenile above seemed quite unconcerned by my presence and approached quite close in his quest for a thirst quenching drink.

Collared Pratincole - juvenile (Glareola pratincola), a photo by Mike at Sea on Flickr.

I also had the surprise of a number of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse flying over. This was the first time I had seen these in the flesh and I must say, they are a stunning looking bird.

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata), a photo by Mike at Sea on Flickr.

Another first for the day was this Black Tern. I had read in other blogs about their presence in other parts of la Mancha but had yet to see one.

Black Tern (Chlidonias niger), a photo by Mike at Sea on Flickr.

Despite the heat, it´s certainly hotting up somewhat out there with a profusion of life at the moment. I can´t wait to get back, but maybe not when it´s 30C in the morning or 35C in the afternoon. Shade out there at the good spots is scarce.