No news is......................................................................no news.

It’s a sign of a good holiday when you keep reminiscing about the happenings of your vacation, and that is exactly where you find us.

Staying for 2 weeks in the mini-nature reserve of the hotel grounds, was very relaxing. Lying on a sunbed and watching the Flycatcher constantly catching food and going to a perching viewpoint for the next meal. So relaxing, and all without any bins.

Mary had a greater success rate than me with the Hoopoes. Mainly due to her standing on our bedroom balcony in her (nearly-) all together at 6.30, waiting for the kettle to boil and wake me with daily cuppa Tetley’s, she was constantly gobsmacked at how early some Brits (the hotel was all Brits) put down their beach towel for the day. Groups of 4 obviously appointed someone to seek out the best spot to do the reserving, then neighbouring beds were re-positioned further away, so that the reserver had secured an exclusive and isolated area.    Friendly, eh?

But at such a stupid early time, it did afford Mary many chances to see the Hoopoe ferreting in the grass.

One reason for having to think back to Majorca, is that I have had the most bereft bird watching experiences this week, and the only salvation was watching a Dunnock scour the lawn, then fly into one of our 2 bay trees. Then emerge and continue prospecting. Trouble is, I wanted to trim the Bay, but that can wait.

I know that some birders want benchmarks to see if they are online for The 200, or are they doing better or worse than last year.

Here we are at June 30^th and I’m on 170. This time last year it was 172 so I’m more or less on course OK, although on 30^th June 2017, I was on 190.

Another progress monitoring method is to see how far you can get through the year, before the number of species seen is eclipsed by the calendar dates to date. Comprendi??

30^th June 2019  is 181 days through the year.  20^th June is day 171, so 20^th June was the date that my species to date(170) was overtaken by the days to date(171). 2018 was much the same but in 2017 I got to July 13th before I was overhauled.

And the prospect for keeping ahead for the WHOLE year?    365 species?   I think not.

Managed to obtain a Doctor appointment in 72 hours from my telephone call (now THAT is surprising), to discuss a pain at the base of my spine that started 2 days before we came home from Majorca. In the end I attributed it to a bang from jarring my pelvis and coccyx whilst stepping down a  high step too quickly.

It is clearing rapidly, but you know what is coming when the Doctor says, “ you have to consider………..” I know -  that’s only marginally more tactful than “at your age”.  

QI?     114 days ago, yesterday (1905), the AA was formed. (I know, I worked for them… but not then!)

…. And a nice quiz question… What year was 999 introduced for emergency services?  30^th June 1937… blimey, only 2 years before I was borne!

Right campers, as we had such a good holiday, and I’ve got a £100 discount voucher, this week we will be booking our 2020 holiday in Majorca. Something to look forward to, although we do have 2 weeks in Cyprus yet to come.

Happy Birding