Last night things started to turn a bit weird.  I had bought some wine for dinner and told Raquel that I had.  This seemed to be the trigger for her to dispose of as much of the wine she was providing for dinner as quickly as possible.  So by the time we sat down to eat she was in fine form.  Dominic, the French walker, had also made sure he wasn't dehydrating and so the conversation around the table was quite lively.   After the meal we headed for bed but Dominic and Raquel decided to head out for "a small beer" with Salvidore, the Catalonian cyclist, in tow.

Salvidore had spent a five years traveling around the world as a photojournalist and was quite interesting to talk to.  Amongst others things he had told us that Alfaro was famous for its population of White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) and that we should visit the Colegiata de San Miguel Arcángel in the town where masses of storks nest every year.  So this morning we headed there after checking out of the albergue.  It was quite spectacle with the roof of the church covered in nests, birds flying in and out, the air filled with the sound of beak clacking and lots of mating still taking place despite the fact that most nests held one or more chicks.

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Scott AndersonAn incredible series of photos.
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2 years ago

Jean-Marc StrydomTo Scott AndersonI have hardly taken my camera out on this trip but we had a great time photographing the storks. Interestingly, there is a population of White Storks that have taken up permanent residence in the Western Cape of South Africa and no longer migrate back to Europe for the Austral winter. Currently this is a group of about 10 birds have been known to breed since the 1990s around Bredasdorp in the wheat fields of the Overberg. One of the effects of climate change and agriculture which ensure that they have enough prey during the austral winter.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Jean-Marc StrydomIt’s happening at both ends of the flight pattern, with some storks taking year around residency in Europe too. Caceres is a great stork town, as is Zamora (https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/iberia2019/to-zamora-one-way/#18793_2iw7s5yxjwn8s3vja8b4r0ohi1q). We stayed in Tudela some years ago on our way to the mountains, but had we known about Alfaro at the time I’m sure we’d have swung by it on the way - not that we’d come away with photos like yours though. There’s only so much you can do with a portable point and shoot.
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2 years ago

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We eventually left town at about half past ten and made our way along a boring and busy road to Tudela.  We chose the route because the second half of yesterday's ride alongside the railway line wasn't exciting but I suspect we may revert to that route again tomorrow.

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On our arrival in Tudela we made our way to the municipal albergue.  It was closed so we sat and waited outside while trying to get someone to answer the phone on the number provided.  While this was happening Dominic arrived and then disappeared again only return five minutes later with a few beers.  We eventually got hold of the hostalero but he could only come around to the albergue at three thirty but he gave us the access code so we could get into the albergue and have a shower.  We have a room to ourselves and are quite comfortable but Dominic seems to have always been out when the hostalero has been in so he hadn't got himself sorted out before we all headed for bed after having supper together.