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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 11h

Total distance - 28 miles

John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 13h

A glorious autumnal day in Kent so I cycled from Canterbury to Reculver & back via Chambers Wall & Hoath. Few birds about so stopped at the charming & clearly much-loved Hoath church. Perhaps over-restored in the 19thC but we'd have fewer surviving Medieval parish churches without the Victorians!

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 2d

Good to see you too ... we must have that beer sometime!

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 2d

Double jabbed flu/covid AM then several hours PM looking for an elusive juv PALLID HARRIER at Reculver/Shuart (Kent) finally seeing it late afternoon. 🤞🏼it winters. Now reacting to the jabs & feeling a bit ropey ☹️🪶

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 2d

£6,000! Thanks to the generosity of the birding community, my 300pp guide to Birding Cadiz Province has now raised 6x more in donations to the @alzheimerssoc.bsky.social in Liz's memory than I dared hope. PM me with your email address if you'd like a copy. Please share! Heartfelt thanks to all 🪶

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 5d

This is wonderful news and suggests that with the appropriate action Spain's dwindling population (75% decline in recent decades) can be restored.

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 5d

My good friend in Alcala de los Gazules, Bob Lloyd, has just posted this excellent analysis of Ai on his FB page. It's so good that I have to share it here.

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 6d

An extraordinary beast!

John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 7d

I birded this AM then PM cycled out to Patrixbourne to marvel at one of Kent's finest Norman church doorways (2nd only to Barfreston). What must it have looked like when freshly carved? Iron gateway to the lord of the manor's abode, a sad reminder of the demolished (in '45) Georgian Bifrons House.

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 8d

Oceanic sprites dancing on the rolling swell - a short account (with my naff photos) of the Wilson's Storm-petrel bonanza I enjoyed this September off Chipiona - the last of my 4 autumnal updates. 🪶 birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birdin...

Autumn 2025 Update 4 - all at sea (again)

A pelagic trip is now a fixed part of my schedule when in Spain in autumn. Places are relatively few and they are very popular so it's best to book well in advance and even then I have sometimes...

birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 8d

I've just finished revising my free Birding Cadiz Guide (but donations via my Just Giving page to Alzheimer's Society are very welcome). No major changes, just minor updates (corrections are also posted on my blog - birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birdin...)

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 9d

Twitched R-n Phalarope at RSPB Lydden this morning ... by bike! Avoided the busy A257 (Canterbury-Sandwich road) by taking minor roads via Bekesbourne, Staple & Eastry to Worth (c34-mile round trip). Rewarded myself with lunchtime baguette at Chalkpit Farm cafe. Home in time for an afternoon nap 🙂🪶

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 11d

A fabulous birthday w/e, courtesy of daughters Gemma & Anna. 1st a visit to Hawkinge Battle of Britain Museum (so many excavated Merlin engines!) & then a moving visit to the BofB monument (Dad was RAF in WW2). Supper at the superb (& absurdly underpriced) www.nepalikitchen.co.uk in Sandgate.

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 14d

Another blog post updating my Birding Cadiz Guide mainly concerning water levels & access along the Gudalquivir between Trebujena & Algaida. More to follow. Pleased to top-and-tail my spring-autumn season with Rufous Bushchat! 🪶 birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birdin...

Autumn 2025 Updates - Trebujena - Bonanza

Trebujena Having seen one of the first Rufous Bushchats to arrive in April, I was keen to visit the Trebujena area again in September to find one before they left on migration. Knowing that they...

birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 16d

Another date for my insomniac friends to note - I'll be giving a talk entitled "Fabulous February - Birding in SW Andalucia in Winter" at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory this Thursday (25/09) at 19.00 🪶

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 19d

I've started to post blog updates re. Birding Cadiz Province after my recent visit (my guide will be updated anon). First up, a comparison of two lagunas - L de Medina ( wet & brilliant) and L de Jeli (disappointing - now invisible from the hide) 🪶 birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birdin...

Autumn Update 1 2025 - Lagunas de Medina & de Jeli

Laguna de Medina The complexes of lagunas that dot (or used to dot) Cadiz Province (also edging into Seville Province) represent an important ecosystem of wetlands long famed for harbouring some of...

birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 21d

I sympathise but the problem is that they don't know that they don't know! A better approach would be for anyone giving an ID to be obliged to give their reasoning.

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 23d

En route home tomorrow so will sort it out when back in the UK

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 24d

It's easier if you email me - [email protected]

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 25d

Remarkably empty skies above Alcala de los Gazules this morning - a LK, a handful of Griffons and the odd phalanx of Alpine Swifts arcing over - saved by the late appearance of two Black Storks. They decently remained long enough for me to nip downstairs for my camera & get some record shots🪶

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 25d

Return in spring when there's the best chance of the laguna being full. If you haven't got my "Guide to Birding Cadiz" PM me with your email address & I'll send a copy. It's free but donations to Alzheimer's Society via my Just Giving page welcome - £5600+ raised so far!

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 27d

3 hrs birding nr Castillo de Torrestrella (Medina Sidonia) this afternoon. Last 3 visits have produced Spanish Imperial Eagles (up to 4) within minutes. Arranged to show the site to a friend today who wanted to show SIEs to the birding group he's leading. Naturally, they didn't show! Whose law?🪶

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 27d

Now checking for SIE south of Medina Sidonia also very quiet. Last 3 visits I had them within a couple of mins

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 27d

Few raptors (& all very high) over my terrace in Alcala de los Gazules this AM but swarms (hundreds) of Alpine Swifts tracing a path across the sky.

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John Cantelo @johncantelo.bsky.social · 28d

Immediately after posting the above another c45 Alpine Swifts came over & 5 very distant Griffons checked in over the conical "hill of birds" (a translation of it's actual Spanish name) on the ridge opposite!

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