Spring lovers and squatters
Uninvited garden guests, a rewilding plus and a visit to the Ebro Delta
Hello and welcome. Thank you for passing by. I write Vineyard Tales, stories from Spain that come to life on vineyard walks. 🌿
‘You are asking me to prove winter is ending?’ Asked spring.
‘Yes, prove it. Give me a sign. These heavy clouds are spoiling my fun’
‘Alright’ says spring. ‘I’ll see what I can do. But stay alert, the signs might be subtle.’
My family came to stay for a week the day I spoke to spring. The table extended to two meters was full and there was much chatter over dinner. I was asked what are the signs here that spring is coming, which really made me think. The next afternoon, I realised the sun could jump high enough over the roof to shine down on both sides of the house simultaneously for a while. That was a good sign.
Then in the garden we have a huge Strelitzia. We never water it and it thrives. It’s way taller than me and when it rains these huge flowers collect tiny pockets of water. Sometimes a bird will come to drink with its tiny beak sipping the smallest droplets but this week a couple with distinctive black velvet heads, came together, to drink from the petal necks. Love is in the air. Yes, signs of romance in the trees say spring is near. They are Sardinian Warblers. I often wonder if they sing in Italian.
In our garden there is a bird nesting box. I bought it from a bird NGO. It’s supposed to be perfect for birds, with a slanting roof to keep the cats or squirrels out. Perhaps too perfect, because not a single bird has nested in five years. I also bought a seed holder and not one bird has eaten the seed either. It seems I don’t do bed and breakfast very well. Although the birds were too slow to take up the tenancy, it appears we have squatters. A lizard seems to have made itself very much at home. I’d forgotten all about it, but this time last year I saw the same brown, scaly lump, slunk over the circular entrance in warm sunlight. It did the same. It didn’t move. It stayed so still I thought I was imagining it. Maybe it was a darker piece of wood or a shadow.
‘What do you think? Is that a lizard?’
My family get binoculars out to check from the kitchen window. They’re the experts.
They agree. It was definitely a creature. Sure enough, after an hour it moved. The lizard was done with hibernating and had warmed up enough in the sun to slink out. It’s a chunky lizard. I welcome its presence, knowing its favourite food is mosquitos and to be that size, it must eat a fair few. Any mosquito-eating-guest is welcome in my house, rent-free. I’ve since read that providing a lizard nesting box has a high Rewild Value, so that made me feel good. Apparently, they will move into boxes quickly. They obviously are less fussy than birds. I feel a bit guilty that I would prefer some pretty birds to fly in and out instead.
Another afternoon with Dad I saw a redstart fly up in low golden sunlight. I had never appreciated the red fan of feathers on its tail as it flew up before. Now I know why this seemingly brown dull looking bird is called a Redstart. Just when I reach a new level of bird knowledge and increase my confidence, I hear about a Black Redstart. I haven’t worked that one out yet.
Last week we visited the Ebro Delta. It’s a UNESCO protected site near Tarragona. It was a treat especially for Dad who loves his birds. He loved it. We got into the car in the dark, five pairs of binoculars and a packed lunch in cold boxes, in case nothing was open, it isn’t exactly high season there. We needn’t have worried. We found a menu in one of the few villages in no time at all: four courses with a glass of wine and bread, for 13€ each. We couldn’t even eat it all! In the evening, we ate the packed lunch for dinner which was just perfect, rounding up a long day without having to spend time in the kitchen.
It was a great day. Once we had parked we found a café. My idea. Caffeine was necessary. Written in chalk on a board behind our heads it read, the Association of Hunters headquarters. I only saw it after we had eaten the croissants. There was a short list of dates and something about ducks. I preferred not to think too much about what the dates signified.
Dad got out a tiny spiral notebook and a pencil. I thought he was about to write a poem for a moment, but no, he was starting a list of birds. Birds that they’d seen all over the fields as we arrived amid shrieks of disbelief. By 7pm they counted 47 species! That was without a telescope. There were others they couldn’t identify.
Even I saw a Kingfisher fly a long stretch of canal flying parallel with the reeds. It’s years since I have seen one. That flash of sapphire lights up a current of electricity through your heart and makes you smile. I also saw my first ever blue throat, not dissimilar to a Robin but blue. I thought that was cool. There were also these large black birds all over the fields that I named black egrets the last time I came, but apparently they are Glossy Ibis. They had seen one in a wetland in the UK but never fields of them. The same for the herons, most of the heron family seemed to be present too. Fields of herons of all sizes. Apparently there are nine different heron species in this delta. They couldn’t quite believe it.
Another delight was watching the flamingos walking. I’ve seen them standing still, asleep on one leg, but we saw them walking along the sand. Their long twig-like, pink legs moved like tent supports (the type with a chord running through that fold into a bag quickly). It was a tent-support-ballet! They paraded along the water’s edge in the distance, sashaying on the wetland stretched out before us. There was so much sky and sparkling sea. The mountains in the distance were another shade of smoky blue with just the pink flamingo dancing legs zigzagging, along the fold between the two. It was beautiful.
I love nature. I love birds but birdwatching has never suited me. For some reason I struggle to find the feathers through the lenses. Being with my excited family who knew them all was fun. I felt that I had had an entire day devoted to an advertisement for spring.
Lots of love,
If you would like to hit the heart button that would be brilliant- it helps keep us writers afloat! Thank you. Apologies this week again for sending an email header that duplicated itself. One day I will work out how it works and get it right!!
..and to spread the love this week:
If you have just one more minute spare, this is one of the best one minute reads I’ve read in a long time from
!
Some beautiful sea photography from
who doesn’t stop taking pictures even if she has sciatica,
Another writer, Julia finds the signs of spring in the birds too, written with much love,
promotes a year-long community artwork project and inspired by the Gods,
and
writes sumptuously about her love of silence,
Have a good week!
Like you I can’t put names to all the birds but love them anyway. What a treat to see a kingfisher fisher and watch flamingos 🦩 walking . An unforgettable day out with family. A lovely introduction to your spring Pipp . So enjoyable to read .
I envy you your delta. Water attracts so many bird species.
Thank you for the mention xx