Tuesday 12 November 2013, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light SE wind, 24C

Excitement here on Saturday night/Sunday morning as we were woken by a 3.5 magnitude earthquake; centred on Casares, some 20km to the south, it was enough to shake the house but didn't appear to cause any damage.

Sightings from the past couple of days....Plenty of Griffon Vulture around; a Common Raven over the Manilva road below Sierra Crestellina; Crested Tit, Firecrest, Song Thrush and Black Redstart along La Umbria; two very showy Firecrest and a couple of Iberian Chiffchaff along Camino de Avedin, also tawny Owl calling here again in the early hours of Monday. Lots of butterflies on the wing, particularly the migrant Painted Lady whose numbers have surged in the last few days and that seem to be attracted to Rosemary plants.

Painted Lady

Poor photos but they wouldn't keep still!

Yesterday on the coast at Sabinillas there were 10 Sanderling on the beach along with 20 or so Yellow-legged Gull, a single Black-headed Gull and two Black Redstart; out to sea, amidst plenty more Yellow-legged Gull, were a couple of Great Cormorant and two or three Northern Gannet.