As dusk fell on an October evening in Spain, a traveller heard a strange, high-pitched sizzling noise resembling water tossed into a scorching frying pan. Investigating a bougainvillea bush with purple flowers, the author realised the sound came from hundreds, perhaps thousands, of house sparrows calling frantically as they gathered to roost for the night.
A Journey Through Andalucía
The encounter took place while celebrating a silver wedding anniversary in the town square of Sanlúcar de Barrameda in south-west Spain. This historic town is where Ferdinand Magellan and his fleet departed in the autumn of 1519 for the first circumnavigation of the globe.
During the travels through Andalucía, the couple observed various exotic bird species, including lesser kestrels on the Giralda bell tower of Seville Cathedral, hoopoes probing the turf in a local park, and noisy flocks of ring-necked parakeets flying across the sky.
Childhood Recollections
Despite encountering more exotic wildlife, the evening chorus of house sparrows proved to be the birding highlight of the trip. The sound had not been heard for more than 50 years, instantly transporting the traveller back to a suburban childhood when house sparrows were last seen and heard in such vast numbers.
