Crossbills and Northern Wheatear above Capileira 11th April 2009

Saturday morning and it's a day off to go walking above the white village of Capileira. Warned in advance about the cold... a very windy day and I suspected I'd be glad of all the extra clothing I was advised to bring along. Passed through the village and drove on up towards Hoya de Portillo in the Sierra Nevadas National Park.

At over 2000m the mountainside was windswept and freezing...birds were few and far between but I did manage a good view of a Northern Wheatear close to the track as we journeyed up. A favourite summer migrant back home and my first of the year here. Interesting that I have yet to encounter them at lower altitudes, where we are now finding Black-eared and Black Wheatear without too much difficulty. Left the car near the information centre and walked on up through the snow and the conifers with Chaffinches and the occasional Coal, Blue or Great Tit for company...great habitat for Crested Tits but they remain elusive for now.

With the wind gusting at over 90kmph just keeping my feet was challenging enough beyond the treeline but the walk back down through the pines finally brought what I had hoped for...Crossbills. Had really good views as they worked their way in twos and threes between the treetops. Great to see, my first ever outside the highlands of Scotland. A great day out, and worth the battle with the bitter weather...