11 Nov 2026, 12:00 PM

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Forget the hoopoes and the ring-necked parakeets, the highlight of our trip was a sound I hadn’t heard for 50 yearsAs dusk falls on a warm October evening, I gradually become aware of a strange, high-pitched sizzling noise. From our table outside a busy bar, with Spaniards celebrating their national holiday, it reminds me of water carelessly tossed into a scorching frying pan.I approach a bougainvillea bush decked with rich purple flowers, and the collective clamour separates into distinct notes. I realise I am listening to hundreds – perhaps thousands – of house sparrows, each bird calling frantically to their companions as they gather to roost for the night. It’s a sound I haven’t heard for more than 50 years. Continue reading...

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