Report from the Rooftop

My dear old friend JAdR visited us this weekend!  What a sport to come all the way from Holland!  (I have yet to figure out if the country is called Holland or if it is called The Netherlands?)  I haven't seen him in 10 years when he visited us in Arlington!

JAdR seemed to like the rooftop terrace as much as we do!  He is an avid birder and brought his super-duper Leica binoculars with him.  (on the right, below)

From the rooftop, he was able to identify the birds that have fascinated us since we came here.  There are swifts that circle and do aerobatics at lunch hour and early evening, until sunset.  JAdR told us that they winter in Africa, mate "on the wing", and are aloft 80% of their lives.  Phew!

He also identified white something'ed swallows (a.k.a. Martins).  We spotted one nesting spot today- mud pockets up under the eaves of the terra cotta tiles of the house near the bakery.

JAd R also identified the nightingale singing in the brush that boarders the stream that runs through the valley.   And domesticated pigeons.  And some sort of dove that sounds almost exactly like a mourning dove.  And titmouse.

JAdR also was the one to spot the wild boars running along a path that borders the vineyards in the valley.  He thinks they were a mother, 4 babies (what do you call a baby boar?), with the father.  Seems as though something startled them since they are not usually on the run during the day.  Remember the man I told you about who put corn up near the hiking trail for the boars so they wouldn't come down to his fields?  Well guess whose fields they were running along?  We need to warn GT that they are ignoring his corn.  The horse in the next field was very alert as the boars made their way away from some danger.  It just stood there with its ears perked up and the tail up high.

Just after dusk last night, JAdR and I were watching the swifts do their tricks when we realized that bats were streaming out from under the roof tiles of the house behind ours.  Like planes taking off from an aircraft carrier, one by one they emerged from each "chute" of tiles and flew off into the deepening night.  Wow!  Between the swifts and the bats, bugs do not have a chance in this area!

Now if you thought it was dangerous in the air, you-know-who also identified the bullfrogs in the local chateau's gardens.  What a ruckus they were making!!  (not clear who I am referring to, is it??)  At this point in the year, there can't be many bugs left!

So while it may seem from my posts that all we are doing is sitting on the terrace, eating local olives and drinking pastis, we are also learning about the local animals that happen to cross our paths...Jeff is up there now, trying to get some pics and videos.  Be sure to watch his site for his successes!

as reported from the rooftop, under Blue Skies! 

Thanks, JAdR.  We loved having you visit!!