There has been a considerable improvement in the overall weather through out Portugal and Madeira, the rains have subsided although have not yet gone completely and the temperatures are slowly rising which means the spring flowers are out in abundance - hooray! In the Algarve the hillsides are a picture as the large white blooms of the gum cistus sway in the breeze and the purples of the french lavender and rosemary peep through. The new show of flowers does really make you feel good and you realise that once again nature has gone full circle and spring is here at its best but it also makes you realise that it is 12 months since you last saw these flowers - where oh where does the time go?

Since writing about the Iberian lynx I have had several people contact me with sighting and photos of animals that they have seen - not the lynx but the Egyptian mongoose, genets and wild boar have been seen. Do please let me know if you spot something unusual, if you can include a photo that would be great.