We wrote some time ago about the numerous birds that come down to the pond in the summer and promised photos. We haven’t managed that yet but here are a few spotted outside the living room window this afternoon. We hadn’t taken many of the olives off the nearest tree to the house and as a result many of the ripe fruits have fallen to the ground, much to the delight of the birds. There are often tens of birds and many different varieties. The ones I didn’t photograph today include blackcaps, long tailed tits, a sardinian warbler and black redstarts.

goldfinch and greenfinch:

chaffinch and blue tit:

serin and robin:

wagtail and siskin:

We’ve had a great Christmas here at Casa Azul. Christmas Day lunch was shared with old friends (Jo and Nigel up from Lisbon) and new ones (Helen and Peter down from Pera), and it was particularly great (well, for me!) that three of the four veg on our plates (namely the sprouts, carrots and swede) were from the veg patch. And I’m not sure if anything was bought ready made – the mince pies including the pastry (thanks Jo) and mincemeat, the stuffing (thanks H and P for the chestnuts), the cakes (thanks Jo again), the pudding (thanks sis), the custard, the decorations (thanks Peter) were all home made! Even the Buck’s Fizz Richard made came from our oranges! Perhaps next year he’ll be ringing the neck of our own goose… Feliz Natal!