Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A local MEGA and bird of the day, a 1st winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

Ebird List for Huétor Fiesta Ground.

Ebird List for Town Fields.

Ebird List for Lucerne Fields.

 

A very frozen car which didn't like starting this morning, reason 1 for the Mechanic's visit.

After checking the Moth Trap which was empty, which was no surprise really as it had dropped to -3 and it was covered in frost, as was the car.

1st winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

I headed down to what feels like my second home to book the car in for some more jobs, then went to Mercodona, the Builders Merchants and as I was heading up to the Town Fields I found the bird of the day, a 1st winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) which was having a bath in the large puddles on the Fiesta Grounds car park, I think this is the first record for me in the Huétor area.

The Town Fields.

European Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia).

After watching this bird for a while I went and parked just out of town where I scanned the fields finding my first 3 European Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) of the year, several Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), good numbers of Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and the Black-headed Gull which had followed me here.

The Dog Shit Track.

♂ European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

♂ Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

Different ♂ Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

I walked around the edge of town and checked out the Dog Shit Track finding Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), 2 ♂ Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) and 5 more European Golden Plovers which dropped in with the others and the all the birds got up and did a loop before dropping back onto the fields.

European Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) and Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

European Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) and Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

European Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia).

European Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia).

European Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia).

I returned to the car and went up onto the top Lucerne fields where I parked by the Walnut Trees and walked out as far as the gate and then back again, during the walk I picked up Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), the resident pair of Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), 2 Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) both warming up on different parts of the Cortijo roof, Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) which were all new for the day.

The Lucerne Fields.

Sierra Nevada off in the distance.

A couple of the massively depleted wintering flock of Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), this year's best count is just 11, hard to believe it used to be in the 100s, very sad what Agriculture has achieved.

The afternoon was moving on so I headed back to get the Log Burner going as it was going to be another damn cold night. 

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 6th January 26.

15W Actinic on the terrace, -2.

0 Moth of 0 Species.

Any corrections, PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks. 

Licence from Junta de Andalucia.

 

A forst covered Trap.

Well, the temperature went down to -2 overnight, so I was not surprised to find the trap was completely empty.

Golf Medina Elvira, Embalse del Cubillas and Balsa del Regidor, Granada Province, Spain.

Out for a morning's Birding with Beatriz, Juan and Chika.

Ebird List for Golf Medina Elvira.

Ebird List for Embalse del Cubillas.

 

Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).

I drove up towards Granada and then North to the abandoned Golf Medina Elvira area where I was meeting Juan for a walk, I arrived early and as it was Piggin freezing I decided to put all the layers I had on and go to stand down by one of the man-made pools which was just about in the sun, whilst here I had a couple of Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca) do a flyover, a female (by the size of it) Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) which scattered the flock of Feral Pigeons (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) off the abandoned blocks of apartments, Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), 2x drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).

Juan arrived and to my surprise Beatriz and Chika came as well, I really didn't expect Beatriz to come as I know she doesn't like the cold, and it was freezing with a damn nasty wind, it was great to see her and Chika as well who really enjoyed her walk.

Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).

As we walked near the pool we saw Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and a rather unexpected Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) which showed well on the grass.

We walked past the pool to the woods and then turned to the North and walked up as far as the GR-3412 following the Rio Colomera adding Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

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

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

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

We turned around and followed the Rio again all the way to the other end of the complex, as we walked we found a couple of pools, the larger of the pools had a few Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), 3x immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) which we had not expected, Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and a couple of Hawfinch (Picogordo Común / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes).

By the time we got back to the cars it was time for Beatriz, Juan and Chika to head off home and for me to go up to the Embalse where I wanted to find a ♀ Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Mareca penelope), as I scanned the margins I found Mallard, Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Coot, Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Great Cormorant, Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and after a while I tracked down the Wigeon in a channel with feeding Herons and Egrets.

The Margins of Embalse del Cubillas.

As it was even colder here than it had been at the Golf Complex I decided to head off back towards home, on the way I called in at Balsa del Regidor but the light was all wrong and the sun was reflecting straight off the water making Identification of the Wildfowl difficult, however I did see but not count Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Mallard, Common Pochard, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Egret, Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Crag Martin, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap and White Wagtail.

I was now starting to get quite cold, so I headed back home to get the Log Burner going and chill.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A new Mammal caught on Camera.  

Link to Video 

 

I was sat in the lounge watching some TV when I heard a couple of bangs from on the terrace, suspecting it was going to be a ******* Cat I put the Camera on and checked.

I was very pleased I did as I soon realised it wasn't a Cat, so I followed the Marten type animal as it searched for food on the terrace and as I came down the steps to the back Kitchen door I was able to watch it with my own eyes before it dropped down into the Garden.

After a bit of checking I am now fairly sure it was a Beech / Rock Marten (Martes foina) the first one I have seen alive and not as road kill, very happy. 

Rio Genil near Moraleda and Balsa del Regidor, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk along another stretch of the Genil with an unexpected catch-up with Friend Juan Perez.

Ebird List for the Genil.

Ebird List for Balsa de Regidor.

 

I started the day by getting a few jobs done around the house while the fog cleared, later I went along the A92 to the Moraleda area and then down to the Rio Genil near there, as I was parking I notice a vehicle that looked like my friend Juan's so I sent him a message and found that he was at this site but a bit further along the track.

Whilst I was getting my kit sorted I saw a large raptor drop from a pylon on the hillside which when it banked proved to be an immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) my first of the year. 

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

As I started to walk along the Rio I picked up Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and then a stunning Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) came over the ridge being pursued by a group of Western Jackdaws and circled above the valley for the next few minutes. 

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

I continued on and soon bumped into Juan who told me about a few bits he had seen including Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) and Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo), both of which I dipped.

As I walked on I did find Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Curruca undata), 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), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).

I returned to the car and went just up the road to Balsa del Regidor where after parking I walked out on to the Concrete Pier and scanned the pool, the first species of note were a couple of Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca) which was followed by the winter plumage Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).

Other species seen included Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Jackdaw, Eurasian Crag Martin, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata) and Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina).

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina).

I headed back to Huétor and to Mercodona, I had planned to go and check the Fields but by the time I got out of the supermarket it was throwing it down so I just headed back home and got the fire going.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 4th January 26.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +8 - raining until 01:30.

10 Moth of 7 Species.

Any corrections, PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks. 

Licence from Junta de Andalucia.

 

7691 Chemerina caliginearia (Elegant Smoky Moth).

6184 Eudonia angustea (Narrow-winged Grey) x2, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x2, 7691 Chemerina caliginearia (Elegant Smoky Moth) x1, 8376 Colostygia multistrigaria olbiaria (Mottled Grey) x1, 9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark) x2, 9651 Aporophyla nigra (Black Rustic) x1 and 9676 Xylocampa areola (Early Grey) x1.

9651 Aporophyla nigra (Black Rustic).

Rio Genil East and the Rio Cacín, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around Huétor and then a while along the Genil and Cacín.

Ebird List for Rio Genil East.

Ebird List for Rio Cacín Poplar woods.

 

After checking the Moth Light I headed down to Huétor parking on the ring road and then did a walk, during this walk I saw Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), 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).

Once I had walked enough I returned to the car, then I move to the Eastern side of the bridge and parked near to the Rio Genil where I found Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch and European Serin. 

Next I drove some of the tracks which took me out further to the east and to the crossing point on the Rio Cacín near to Villanueva Mesía, on the way I stopped in the Poplars and checked what was about adding several new species including Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and European Greenfinch. 

I went down to the crossing as I was going to go around to the fields that way but I looked at it and the track the other side and decided to retrace my way back the way I had come, it then started to rain so instead of going up to the fields I went home and put the fire in.