THE URBAN BIRDER IS SELF-ISOLATING IN THREE-STOREY SPANISH APARTMENT BLOCK

Watching out for raptors from the sun terrace - David Lindo

BROADCASTER, writer and holiday guide  leader David Lindo - "The Urban Birder" - is self-isolating  in an apartment in Spain.

It is understood he has spent most of  this month in a three-storey block in the city of Merida where he has been on an assignment.

Because he is alone, the hours must be going slowly for Lindo who is only permitted to venture outside to shop for food and to empty his bins.

However,  at least he has a sun terrace where he can watch out for black redstarts and other birds on the nearby rooftops.

Also, this part of Spain is a good location for observing raptors, and his checklist includes the likes of black kite, griffon vulture and marsh harrier - species he would be unlikely to see at his home in London (though he did once glimpse a red kite over Notting Hill).

Also providing inspiration have been plentiful migrating hirundines, such as swallows, and swifts, some of them probably heading to countries in northern Europe.

And at least his prolonged 'detention' is providing him with plenty of  material and writing time for ongoing and future projects.

* Merida is in one of Spain's most notable birding areas - Extremadura in the western central part of the country.