Kiersten Rowland

Adventures, wildlife, and life in the Alpujarras

Notes – 2025

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There is nothing better than home grown. Some of the veggies for tonight's meal. Peas, curly kale, sprouting broccoli, asparagus and the last of the normal broccoli. We are going green 💚

A picture showing freshly picked peas, asparagus, two types of broccoli and curly kale. All are green, in a white bowl on a white worktop. A picture showing freshly picked peas, asparagus, two types of broccoli and curly kale. All are green, in a white bowl on a white worktop.

I've spent years trying to get a decent photograph of a Eurasian Golden Oriole. This morning I think I have achieved it. These shy birds come back every year to our place and torment me. Anyone who has tried to photograph this bird knows what I mean 😂 She was distracted, chatting to the male, allowing me to sneak a picture. A nice start to the day.

A picture showing a female Golden Oriole. It's thrush size bird. She is mostly a dull yellow colour, with light black wings. She has a red beak. She is perched on the branch of a tree side on to the photographer. The scene behind the bird is blurred out A picture showing a female Golden Oriole. It's thrush size bird. She is mostly a dull yellow colour, with light black wings. She has a red beak. She is perched on the branch of a tree side on to the photographer. The scene behind the bird is blurred out

Don't you hate it when you spot the one and only large grass blowing in the breeze after you took the shot and after the dogs said on we go with our walk please 😂 Sorry Rita for the addition to your coat!

Two dogs stood end to end. Foreground daisy type flowers. Centre left black and white husky. Centre right white shepherd husky looking dog. Either side of the dog are green mountains and behind a blue sky. Two dogs stood end to end. Foreground daisy type flowers. Centre left black and white husky. Centre right white shepherd husky looking dog. Either side of the dog are green mountains and behind a blue sky.

Bumped into a Short-toed Snake Eagle yesterday. It was resting up in a tree. I don't often get to see eagles in trees, usually they are flying, so it was a nice surprise.

A side view of a Short-toed Snake eagle standing on a dead tree branch. The top of half of the eagle is brown, the lower part is white with brown stripes. The eye is orange. Behind the eagle is mostly out of focus sky and trees below. A side view of a Short-toed Snake eagle standing on a dead tree branch. The top of half of the eagle is brown, the lower part is white with brown stripes. The eye is orange. Behind the eagle is mostly out of focus sky and trees below.

Haha this time I caught Sooty having a yawn, no stretch this time!

Photo of a black cat having a yawn showing her teeth and tongue. She is facing the camera, eyes closed, laying on a black cushion. Behind her are olive trees with the setting sun. Photo of a black cat having a yawn showing her teeth and tongue. She is facing the camera, eyes closed, laying on a black cushion. Behind her are olive trees with the setting sun.

Haha I caught Sweep having a yawn and stretch 😂

A tri coloured cat yawning with front paws reaching towards the camera. The mouth is wide open showing her tongue and canine teeth. She is laying in a beige coloured fluffy bed. A tri coloured cat yawning with front paws reaching towards the camera. The mouth is wide open showing her tongue and canine teeth. She is laying in a beige coloured fluffy bed.

We often get a good view of the incoming weather. It's been a morning full of showers so far. Grabbed the photo with the mobile.

A shot looking out over the tops of trees, village on the right, towards hills in the distance. The incoming weather is coming from behind the hills. The clouds are heading towards the photographer. A shot looking out over the tops of trees, village on the right, towards hills in the distance. The incoming weather is coming from behind the hills. The clouds are heading towards the photographer.

A continuation from yesterdays video. This is what it looks like after it rains during a thick Saharan dust storm! Mud, the slippiest kind, it was like potters clay. Anything that was outside was covered in it, white houses were now mud colour. The traditional white villages you see here in Andalucia still have not returned to their full whiteness. It was a crazy thing to experience. Mud rain!

Showing a blue dog pool with muddy brown water in it. The floor around the pool is also covered in mud. Showing a blue dog pool with muddy brown water in it. The floor around the pool is also covered in mud.

Showing part of a terrace, the white walls and seating area, table and floor are covered in mud. Showing part of a terrace, the white walls and seating area, table and floor are covered in mud.

Showing a roof terrace, the once white walls are now mud colour and the red roof is covered in mud Showing a roof terrace, the once white walls are now mud colour and the red roof is covered in mud

Another pool covered by a blue cover which has picked up the terracotta colour of the mud. Another pool covered by a blue cover which has picked up the terracotta colour of the mud.

3 years ago today we experienced what it was like to live on Mars 👽 We had a rather thick Sahara dust storm episode 😷 Then it rained and turned it all the slippiest mud you can imagine. Cleaned up, then one week later the same thing happened again, but worse! Spain sold out of power washers!

A short video showing an orange sky this is what happened to the sky because of the thick Saharan dust storm that we experienced. Usually you can see the village of Lanjaron and beyond from this view.

A picture showing rain falling from the sky in the distance, it looks to be falling over the Mediterranean sea or is it on the land? The sky is various shades of grey. There is an almond tree in flower in the bottom right of the picture. Various heights of hills around and a reservoir in the middle. A picture showing rain falling from the sky in the distance, it looks to be falling over the Mediterranean sea or is it on the land? The sky is various shades of grey. There is an almond tree in flower in the bottom right of the picture. Various heights of hills around and a reservoir in the middle.

I wonder if we will get enough snow this season to get the dogs easily to it? The dogs are getting older and need easier access to snow than in years gone by. At the moment the snowline is quite high up. This photo was from a wonderful day we had snowshoeing back in 2021. All the rain in Spain seems to be mostly missing us here 🙄

A black and white husky with pale blue eyes mid step through snow. There is a large rock just to the side of him which is snow covered and few icicles hanging from it. Behind him you see the sun reflecting off the Mediterranean Sea and a blue sky. A black and white husky with pale blue eyes mid step through snow. There is a large rock just to the side of him which is snow covered and few icicles hanging from it. Behind him you see the sun reflecting off the Mediterranean Sea and a blue sky.

A Scarce Swallowtail butterfly resting on a twig. The butterfly is being viewed from above looking down onto it. It is pale yellow and black striped with blue semi circles towards the back ending in two points on the bottom wings. In the centre at the bottom of the wings are two orange semi circles around two blue dots. The body is hairy, you can see one eye and the antenna of the butterfly. A Scarce Swallowtail butterfly resting on a twig. The butterfly is being viewed from above looking down onto it. It is pale yellow and black striped with blue semi circles towards the back ending in two points on the bottom wings. In the centre at the bottom of the wings are two orange semi circles around two blue dots. The body is hairy, you can see one eye and the antenna of the butterfly.

Face to face with a wasp. Not sure what the wasp was upto other than hanging out. It was happy to have a camera lens pointed at it but I can't say it smiled 🤔

Face on picture of a wasp. Black and yellow mean looking insect resting on a grey rock. Blurred out background the orange colour is actually an orange! Face on picture of a wasp. Black and yellow mean looking insect resting on a grey rock. Blurred out background the orange colour is actually an orange!

The beautifully ugly endangered Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita). This bird, K61, is one of the few birds nesting in Europe. We visited the nest site a couple of years ago and found only K61 at home. We are lucky to have them nesting here in Andalucia.

Picture of a northern bald ibis leaning forward on a rock face. Black plumage with green purple iridescent sheen. A black ruff collar. The head is bald and pink with some black on the top of the head. The eye is red. It's bill is long and pink as are it's legs. This bird has a yellow tag on one leg. Picture of a northern bald ibis leaning forward on a rock face. Black plumage with green purple iridescent sheen. A black ruff collar. The head is bald and pink with some black on the top of the head. The eye is red. It's bill is long and pink as are it's legs. This bird has a yellow tag on one leg.

The same bird as in the first photo but it's preening it's beautiful feathers. You can see the ruff around the back of the head and the feathers on the neck are fluffed up too. You can also see the black markings on the top of the bald pink head more clearly. The same bird as in the first photo but it's preening it's beautiful feathers. You can see the ruff around the back of the head and the feathers on the neck are fluffed up too. You can also see the black markings on the top of the bald pink head more clearly.

Visiting the UK again this past week, we didn't see the sun or blue sky for 8 days. It's amazing when it's the norm how much you miss it. When we took off on our way home we popped out the cloud pretty quickly and found where the sun had been hiding all that time 😎

A picture from the window of a plane looking out at a sea of cloud below and the late afternoon sun on the horizon. A picture from the window of a plane looking out at a sea of cloud below and the late afternoon sun on the horizon.

We visited the little ermita Tajos de la Cruz this morning on the dog walk. Rita has always jumped upon the wall since she was a pup, she's now 11. I don't think she does it to admire the view like us, I'm pretty sure she does it to get a good view point of any Ibex that might be below 😅

A white dog stood sideways on to the camera stood on a small wall, next to her is wooden cross with some red flowers at the base. The sky is a light blue with white clouds. To the lower right of the picture there is a Spanish village and lower left and centre behind the dog are mountains. A white dog stood sideways on to the camera stood on a small wall, next to her is wooden cross with some red flowers at the base. The sky is a light blue with white clouds. To the lower right of the picture there is a Spanish village and lower left and centre behind the dog are mountains.

The choice of clean river water or swamp mud ..... The decision was easy for Arko, he went for the facial 😂

A black and white husky with blue eyes. He has dark mud all over his muzzle making his blue eyes stand out even more. His snow nose is prominent as is his pink tongue. He has quite a pleased look on his face! A black and white husky with blue eyes. He has dark mud all over his muzzle making his blue eyes stand out even more. His snow nose is prominent as is his pink tongue. He has quite a pleased look on his face!

It's the time of year again for the cats to snuggle. They are sisters and have always been very close. Completely different personalities. What amuses us, a lot, they can be snuggling, seemingly asleep, when all of a sudden there's an explosion of cats and they've shot off in different directions 😅

Two cats snuggling in a cream fluffy bed. Two cats snuggling in a cream fluffy bed.

Khumbu was never happier than when he was in the snow. Here he is sporting his snow beard ❤️ He maybe gone but I have many great memories of our years together.

Black and white picture of a black and white Siberian husky. Side view of his head, sporting a snow beard. Black and white picture of a black and white Siberian husky. Side view of his head, sporting a snow beard.