The weather was getting noticeably warmer and that meant earlier starts in the morning and later starts in the afternoon. This morning we went to Villayandra, just a short drive from Cremenes - a wooded area with the hides and perches in shade. The problem is that, in such conditions, the shade is much deeper and the sunlight much harsher so this morning was not a productive one for photography due to the hight ISO's required to get any reasonable shutter speed.

First to show was a Robin that entertained us with a song (camera settings f6.5 - 200thsec - ISO12800)

Not surprisingly, not the best quality image that I have ever taken.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker made a few visits.

and much more interesting, a female Black Redstart but no sign of a male.

Surprisingly, as the sunlight appeared on the left side of the glade, a Red Squirrel briefly appeared.

but the star of the show, for me, was an Iberian Green Woodpecker that stubbornly stayed in the heavy shade. A first for me but some heavy editing required.

And that is the sum total of the shots worth keeping from 3 hours in a hide. Two or three species promised did not appear at all so very much a mixed morning.