This week a group of eight friends from Gran Alacant went to see Colin and Jane at Finca Bonelli’s Eagle, where we enjoyed a lovely meal and some great company. A few good birds were seen around the Finca, including 4 or 5 Black Wheatears moving about in the trees in a neighbouring garden. I thought it quite unusual to see a few of these birds at the same time, as we usually see only one. We had good views of a Blue Rock Thrush sitting on top of a telegraph pole and then moving about in the trees below the Finca, always a nice bird to see. Some of our number (although not me) saw one of the three Bonelli’s Eagle which Jane told us were in the area. On the way back down the canyon we spotted 2 Kestrels, a Stonechat and a Hoopoe, and Bryan saw a group of Red legged Partridge, at the side of the road. As we came past Crevillente Station, Bryan pointed out a really unusual bird so we had to go round the roundabout again so we could all have a look at it; amazingly it was an Ostrich! Not only that there were 2 Emus with it!! To be fair, they were in a fenced off area and may not have been ‘truly wild’! A pretty surprising sight though! We also saw a nice Booted Eagle near the Elche tip and a Buzzard above the road which runs alongside El Hondo. The remainder of our birds were seen as a result of some ‘drive by birding’ across the Salinas on the way back. Not the best species list but for me it was just good to get out again and ‘see some birds’