Presa y Meandros del Genil, Granada Province, Spain.

Another morning visit to the Rio Genil.

Ebird List.

 

Paqui and I headed out to the Presa before it got too hot and checked the area for birds finding Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x2, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Fuente de Piedra, Laguna Dulce and Campillos, Malaga Province, Spain.

Birding with Paqui, Derek and Barbara over in Malaga Province.

Ebird List for Fuente de Piedra.

Ebird List for Laguna Dulce.

Ebird List for Campillos.

 

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Paqui and I were off at 06:30 to meet Barbara and Derek Etherton in the Car park at Fuente by 07:30 as it was going to be too hot to be out for too long. 

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

After we all met up we walked back out of the car park to check what remained of the roadside pool which wasn't a lot however we still found European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

At the far end of the pool we went along the back track to the gate and then came back a short way and crossed the boardwalk, during this time we added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), heard Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Small Fleabane (Pulicaria vulgaris), Wild Carrot (Daucus carota), Common Chicory (Cichorium intybus), Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) x1♂, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x2♂1♀, Small White (Pieris rapae) x3, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

Once we had crossed the Boardwalk we followed the tamarisks around the ditch before going up to the Mirador, species seen included Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Western Olivaceous Warblers (Zarcero bereber / Iduna opaca) with 4 adults and 2 juv's being seen.

Western Olivaceous Warbler (Zarcero bereber / Iduna opaca).

From the Mirador we added Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Around at the two back hides Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) were all added before we made our way back to the cars and around to Laguna Dulce.

At the Laguna there were clouds of Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x200+, Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) which were new for the day as well as many of the species seen earlier at Fuente.

Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus).

Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus).

By now it was getting hot so we made our final stop near to Campillos were we went to look for and found a stunning Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus) which is a regular bird in the site and a species Paqui had never seen so she was very pleased.

We did go for a quick check on the Vulture feeding station, it was quiet so as it was by now very warm so we all headed off home. 

Presa y Meandros del Genil, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning visit to the Presa whilst it was still cool.

Ebird List.

I met Paqui down in Huétor, we then headed over to the Presa, on the way in we had a very nice Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) flying over us, not a common species at this time of the year locally.

After parking we sat by the river Genil for a while and then did a walk back along the track, whilst there we saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Malaga, Malaga Province, Spain.

Saying goodbye to Lynn and Steve and a walk on the Prom.

Lynn and Steve, Day Ten.

 

Lynn, Steve, Paqui and I were up early and on our way down to Malaga before 06:00, on the way down to Huétor to pick up Paqui we had a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) on the road.

The drive to the Airport was uneventful so we were soon say goodbye to Lynn and Steve after a very nice 10 day visit which I hope they enjoyed as much as we did.

Paqui and I then went down to the Eastern end of Torremolinos where we had a nice walk and watched the sunrise on the beach.

Later we had some breakfast at Cafe Bar Las Niñas on Guadalmar, we then went to Ikea where we got a few bits before meeting up with good friend Andy Patterson for a coffee and a chat before heading back to Huétor.

El Chorro Area, Arroyo del Humo, Laguna de Toro and Laguna Redonda, Malaga Province, Spain.

Back out trying to track down a target Dragon with no luck.

Lynn and Steve, Day Nine.

 

Today was pretty much a repeat of day one as we were going to visit the same area near El Chorro looking for the Cazuma Pincertail (Onychogomphus cazuma) but unfortunately, even though the day was far more successful we didn't find the main Dragon.

On the way we saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata).

Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) ♂♀.

We arrived on site and were soon checking the roadside water and surroundings for Dragons, last time we were there we saw nothing so we did much better on this visit seeing Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) x1♂, Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) x2, Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) x1♂, Epaulet (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x2♂1♀ and Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) x2♂1♀ and at least 2♂ Ringed Cascaders (Zygonyx torridus).

Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia).

Southern Marbled Skipper (Muschampia baeticus).

Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus).

Other species included Southern Marbled Skipper (Muschampia baeticus) x1, Small White (Pieris rapae) x5, Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) x2, Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia) x2, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) x2, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x8, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) x3, Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula cabrerae), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) ♂.

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) ♂.

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) ♂.

Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) ♂.

We eventually gave up and started to headed up to Laguna Redonda nearer to Campillos, on the way Steve spotted a small Arroyo with some water in it so we checked it out and found Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) x2♂, Epaulet x1♂ and Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) x2♂, Griffon Vulture, Crested Lark and Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) ♂.

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) ♂.

Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Some nearby Sunflowers.

As we drove past Laguna de Toro we saw Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Gull-billed Tern and a Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Laguna Redonda.

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) immature.

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

At Laguna Redonda which was to be our last stop of the day we picked up Dark Spreadwing (Lestes macrostigma) x3, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1♂ and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) x1♂, Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) x1♂, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x2♂, Small White x5, Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Black-necked (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Greater Flamingo's, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Gull-billed Tern, Common Swift, Barn Swallow, Western House Martin, Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Western Olivaceous Warbler (Zarcero bereber / Iduna opaca), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Later in the evening we picked Paqui up and we all went out for a nice meal and a couple of drinks at Entrevinos Restaurante / Brasería, thanks Lynn and Steve.