Great time in my mountains as we welcome the long awaited return of summer visiting birds. Among a favourite is the Melodious Warbler and always a thrill to find my first singing male.

I am deeply ashamed of the UK government's lack of a strong condemnation and action against an Israel that is committing genocide in Gaza and Lebanon. We all see it in plain sight, lack of any action against Israel will only encourage people to resort to direct action against Israel.

I think any normal person in the UK, able to think for themselves, would believe they should align themselves with Europe. And it looks like the UK is headed that way, at last sense returns after a long absence.

Never in my life have I witnessed such evil and escalating crimes against humanity, all whilst being led by leaders who are complicit in their silence. Were it not for my concerns for my children and grandchildren, I would celebrate my last years in the knowledge I can leave this evil world behind.

My April article for the Costa Connection magazine and very much hope you might enjoy reading it.

The USA, alongside Israel, is becoming the most disliked nation on earth. A President and administration rotten to its very core, evil, callous, corrupt in plain sight. Only Americans can change it as world democracies turn their backs on a once respected nation.

As a judge at the Bird Festival in Andalucia photographic competition this year, I have spent so many hours going through 2020 photographs submitted, doing my best to select just 15 and grade them 1 to 15. I also selected 10 reserves. So difficult as level of entries has been very high.

I wonder if this 'post' has been verified and is genuine? If it is, then hats off to Starmer.

That would be a welcome break Neil...

Like him or loathe him, Starmer's stance is supported by the vast majority of people in the UK. The MSM simply are at odds with the UK population and increasingly out of touch with reality both in the UK and Europe.

ABS has raised over €50,000 to help fund local volunteer conservation and preservation projects, a valuable contribution to nature in Andalucía and I am so very proud of our membership. We are quite possibly the largest single donor association in regional conservation here.

My March article for Costa Connection Magazine and also made the front cover of the March edition. Anyhow, hope you might take time to read and enjoy this article.

I never ever thought I would live to see the day when leaders of the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland and Denmark became a united force and declare their willingness to protect Greenland from a former ally that is now Trump’s USA. Do the people of America realise just how this plays out?

After such a prolonged summer and autumn, winter rains have arrived and despite the cold and wet this crazy person still ventured into the wilds for some great birding and general idiocy. A brief account in my latest article for Costa Connection Magazine and hope you take a moment to read it.

Making sure I will not be going to the US anytime soon. Best description I've read in a long while.

Andalusian favourites | Sur in English Does absence make the heart grow fonder? Peter Jones from the Andalucía Bird Society talks about those birds he misses most at this time of the year

My December article for SUR in English and here I briefly discuss my favourite birds. www.surinenglish.com/lifestyle/pe...

So far, ABS has published 54 editions of its quarterly 'Birds of Andalucía' and I have been involved in all of them, the last 30 as main Editor. The magazine has consistently punched above its weight and I am so very proud to be associated with this amazing magazine.

Exhausted at the moment and time to focus on important things. Winter cheer is getting out into nature and the mutation of thrushes does the trick in lightening the load and providing respite.

Siskin have arrived in large numbers. Here one perches on a pre-glacial tree species the Abies pinsapo (Spanish fir) it is a species of fir native to southern Spain (limited to my mountains) and northern Morocco. And yes, it does look like a Christmas tree before it reaches maturity!

Trying my best to work on the book. Progress has been good the last couple of weeks, so hopefully I might get there by the end of the year for proofreading and editing. I hope the end result will have been worth the effort.

My article for the November edition of the Costa Connection magazine. Bad news with some hope. A short read and a different focus from my normal articles for CC.

Beginning to think I've lost my mind writing a book about La Serranía de Ronda as a paradise for wildlife. It is not some vanity project, more a promotion of the area and a reference for future studies and comparisons. Photo by friend Stephen Powles - Ancient Pinsapo forest Sierra de las Nieves.

Many of our wintering birds are now returning to the Serranía de Ronda, what a spectacle they provide.

Fewer Short-toed Snake Eagles passing through my patch, which might suggest peak autumn migration has passed.

Common Redstart are joining the rush to Africa alongside Pied and Spotted Flycatcher.

Our local resident Blue Rock Thrush are almost complete with their autumn moult. They are handsome birds at all times of the year.

Post breeding White Stork in search of a baby to carry...

Referring to Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Christopher Hitchens said “If you gave him an enema, he could be buried in a matchbox”.

Pied Flycatcher are passing through in large numbers and over a wide front, soon most will have passed through the region and have made the crossing to Africa to continue their journey across the Sahara Desert towards their wintering grounds. Here a male takes a break from it's long journey.