With a rucksack filled with various bits of optical kit, we headed back over to catch up with the Peregrines on the crag. No rain this morning for a change but my boots are still a bit humid from yesterday’s dog walk. The arroyo still has a generous flow of muddy water and we head up to the bridge before the climb up to the base of the crag. We met an amateur botanist, Miguel Ángel, a big fan of orchids as it turned out. He pointed out this vibrant Pink Butterfly Orchid by the track.

Miguel Ángel, it transpires, has lived in the area all his life, and for his 80th birthday, his family compiled his field notes and had them published. I plan to get hold of a copy. It certainly got me more interested in the flora. I am normally mainly occupied by looking skywards, and it just goes to show what you can miss when out on a stroll. These hills are covered in low scrub, with French Lavender, Thyme, Rosemary and Fennel, all providing a delicious whiff! The Rock Roses are in flower, but their sweet aroma will come when it warms up. Broom and Asparagus are excellent cover for the warblers, and decent perches for the Stonechats.

Leaving my new friend to search for more Orchids, Billy and I headed to a flat spot with good views of the crag. A quick scout with the binoculars confirmed my fears, no birds but plenty of climbers just around the other side of the nesting site. I know that rock climbing is hugely popular, but it does require some understanding of the environmental impact. Surely you can just leave your climbing for when birds like Peregrine falcons, which happen to prefer vertical rock faces for bringing up their families, have left their nest sites? Needless to say, I didn’t see either bird after an extensive search with the telescope.

We trudged home disappointed, but spirits were lifted by a dozen strong flock of Sanderlings busy working the shoreline.