And, at the right time of year, you can actually put down your binoculars and revel at the sight of Cory's, Balearic and Yelkouan Shearwaters all floating on a cushion of air just a few metres below you.

That same wind of course carries through migrating Kites, Eagles and Honey Buzzard, all of which also depend on its power, like the resident Bonelli's Eagle, for hunting. Migrant passerines too, have reason to be grateful for its assistance but, if it turns to tramuntana, they seek shelter from its cold bite in the patches of cork oak, a tree surviving on the Cap in part due to its resistence to fire.

Higher still, and after lunch, we may see Rock Thrush and, as we reach the Cap itself, hopefully having also seen scrub Warblers, Shrikes, Short-toed Eagle and may be even Honey Buzzard, we should add Crag Martin, Shag and Red-rumped Swallow.

We'll arrive at the lighthouse just in time to catch the local fishermen returning home when, weaving between the wake of Gulls behind their boats, we can pick out the majestic gliding Shearwaters. Cory's, Balearic and Yelkouan are all possible, along with Gannet, but recent times have also brought in the odd rarer pelagic wanderer.

An Aigüamolls de L'Empordá - Cap de Creus tour is also available.

Warblers too capitalise on the regeneration process with Spectacled Warbler taking residence during the 'grassy with scattered bushes' phase, Dartford and Subalpine Warbler moving in when it turns to scrub and the Sardinian Warbler much later.

But perhaps for the final word we should return to water who's intricate rock carvings in ages past and present have provided homes for Wallcreeper, Alpine Accentor, Pallid and Alpine Swift and both the Rock and Blue Rock Thrush (title photo).