Its a Wild World

Before we moved to Spain we spent most of the previous 30 years living in the countryside. We loved to be able to see the changing seasons bring different flora and fauna to our doorstep. Moving to Blanca has been like coming home for us. As a family we are keen bird watchers, our daughter and family over from Australia were thrilled to see the Beeeaters which come here for the summer to breed, they have been a joy to see and hear all through that season. We know know there are wild boar in the area and would like to see them, from a distance! We did have a lovely welcome visitor the other day. I was busy in the kitchen preparing an evening meal,the layout of the kitchen means I can work away with a faboulous view through the sitting room window to the front patio garden and the surrounding hills. Imagine my surprise when a red squirrel leapt through the rejas onto the window ledge. I think it was just as surprised to see me. It looked for a moment and leapt down, hurrying to the window I saw it standing on the patio look around and then run up the cypress tree we have. Later that day whilst swimming in the pool Mr.(or mrs.) Tufty came over the roof and down on to the garden wall. What a treat we was able watch this beautiful creature make a dash for the carob tree that borders our back garden, no doubt intent on finding a hearty supper.

The Red Squirrels of Guardamar

Is there any more lovely small wild animal than the Red Squirrel or to give it its Spanish name the La Ardilla roja. Red squirrels are the only type you will see in spain.You may have seen them and not realised they are the red variety as in the winter they can lose the bright colouration that gives them their name. During the cooler weather they become browner and darker and develop prominent ear tufts. There is also a lot of variation in their general colour right across their range in Europe, from quite pale to reddish to almost black. The ones we see in Guardarmar are looking very very red at present though and have lovely almost white faces and fronts. We have read that you do not get them in southern Spain but I have seen postings on the WWW about the squirrels in Granada. Maybe they where on a cultural visit! If you want to see theses lovely creatures take yourself off for a coffee at the cafe in the Parque Reina Sofia. On a week day when its little quieter you have a good chance of spotting a few playing in the trees, If you are as fortunate as we were the other day you may get to see one taking a drink by the pools in the middle of the park