Sketches of Spain

By Martin Eccles (martin.eccles AT doctors.org.uk)

The Plains of Belin in November look barren and empty. The autumn had been particularly wet so the track we were walking along was flooded and in places the puddles completely blocked the way. As we picked our way along the edges of the path three Great Bustards flew in from the right and landed in a cut cereal field. Two of them walked over the rise and out of sight whilst the third moved over to a rough grass field where it sat for a while, then got up and it too walked away from us over a rise and out of sight.
The small birds had all formed flocks. We passed two large flocks of Spanish Sparrows and eventually found a feeding flock of larks. In amongst the flock the Calandra Larks were much easier to pick out when the flock flew; on the ground they often sank out of sight in the furrows.