JULY 24TH - WHITE RUMPED SWIFT

Another glorious sunny day and yet another picnic down at the river near Cortes.

I took the scope and bins and during our 4 hour picnic ( 2 - 6pm ) I logged all the common species but I kept an eye out for the elusive WHITE RUMPED SWIFT.

All afternoon I watched Barn Swallows, House Martins, Pallid & Common Swifts coming down to drink. The ocassional Alpine Swift graced me with their presence but at last I had sightings of at least two WHITE RUMPED SWIFTS. They did not come down to drink but dashed around in the sky above me for a while.

I also saw Bee-eaters, Booted Eagles, Griffon Vultures, Little Ringed Plover, White Wagtails, Serins, Bonelli's Warbler and lots of finches.