Thursday 16 January 2014, Gaucin, light rain am, cloudy pm, light W-NW wind, 10C

The last four days have been mostly cloudy and showery with 15L/m2 rain falling fairly evenly during the period. This afternoon I sneaked out during a dry hour and had a short walk along the top section of the Camino de Gibraltar during which I saw 25+ Griffon Vulture (over Sierra Crestellina), Spotless Starling, 3x Song Thrush, Black Redstart, Chiffchaff sp., Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper, Cirl Bunting, 2x Hawfinch (a good record for the village) and a mixed finch flock consisting of 90+ Goldfinch and two or three Greenfinch and Chaffinch.

Despite the cool, rainy weather, the first summer migrants will be arriving soon with Barn Swallow and House Martin, maybe even Black Kite, possible over the next week or so; it hardly seems possible that they can be back already.

Yesterday's view from Gaucin down to the coast