Today was the first day our season pass was valid again after the Christmas holidays and we were itching to go. However, once we checked the forecast and the snow report again, our enthusiasm shrank to nothing. Here the forecast was 18°C and in the mountains 8° to 13°C. Masella was saying that the snow was ‘humid’ and they usually talk the conditions up. In the end, we decided not to go, as there were also strong winds forecast, which would probably close the higher runs, leaving us stuggling in the slush at the bottom.

Since flying was also out of the question, we decided to head to the coast and have a walk round Aiguamolls. It’s a marsh land nature reserve home to some 327 species of animals. It’s especially good for birds. During the migration season, thousands of birds stop off, but there are also a lot that stay for the winter. I have something of a checkered history as far as birdwatching is concerned. As a child, my parents used to drag me (often kicking and screaming) on ‘walks’, which were actually a few steps and then ages standing around while they did some twitching, then a few more steps before the process was repeated. My sister showed some interest and was rewarded with her own set of binoculars, so I had to endure all three of them gawking while I sulked. Any attempts to get me interested, like asking me to identify an easy bird like a pigeon or a sparrow would elicit the same answer: “It’s an American eagle!”. I’m sure there were times my parents considered giving me up for adoption.

We last went to Aiguamolls about 11 years ago with my parents and they were amazed when a whole load of flamingos came and paraded right outside the hide for us. They were convinced that my life-long resentment of our feathered friends had the same effect that I have on cats. I’m allergic, so obviously every cat comes and sits on me, regardless of how much I try to fight the damn things off. Anyway, being a pilot, I have developed far more of an interest in birds and am now quite good at identiflying at least the ones we fly with. And the information office finally found a way to really interest me in bird-watching… they gave me a picture card and I could tick them off!

So we went to Aiguamolls in the hope of seeing some flamingos and to have a nice walk too. We had chosen the circluar walk right round, but it was closed part way due to flooding. We went to the first hide, but saw only storks and a variety of ducks – no flamingos. We walked for 4km to the beach, looking in all the hides on the way, and saw all sorts, but it was only on the way back in the last hide we decided to look in that we saw a flock of 29 flamingos, some still with a little pink colouring. They were mostly standing around on one leg, with their necks curled back and their head stuck under a wing snoozing. Still, it was amazing to see them.

After, we went to Castelló de Empúries for a snoop around and a sandwich.

See photos of today.

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