Honey Buzzard, Gecko, Spotted Flycatchers and cornetti

It’s early morning when I look out of our hotel window in Capri and see a raptor above the trees. I grab my camera and see it’s a female Honey Buzzard:

I’ve never seen one before. Result.

Breakfast on the terrace in Capri. There’s also a Spotted Flycatcher dining here and it’s just been on one of the breakfast tables.

After coffee and a cornetto (it’s a croissant not an ice cream cone) I decide to go in search of the Spotted Flycatcher.

Walking down the steps I see there’s a Common Wall Gecko, Tarentola mauritanica, on this Prickly Pear plant, known here as Fico d’India. They’re usually nocturnal, so I’m thrilled to see it in the morning light.

I particularly love the long shadows of the spines on the Gecko’s back. I also adore that the spines are referred to as conical tubercles. ‘Shadows of Conical Tubercles’ sounds like the title of an obscure prog rock album from the early 1970s.

There seem to be so many Spotted Flycatchers here, I can see I’m going to have great fun with them. Aren’t they lovely characters?

Perfect. What a start to the day. I can’t wait to spend more time with all the wildlife here.

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