Fuente de Piedra and Laguna de Hurrada, Malaga Province, Spain.

Out to Malaga Province with Paqui.

 

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

Paqui and I headed out to Fuente de Piedra for a walk and to see the amazing number of Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), as we arrived we saw several birds on the roadside pool so after parking we walked back along the road and checked the pool.

Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei).

Here we had views of adult and immature Greater Flamingo's, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Slender-billed (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

We reached the far end of the pool and then took the back track along the field edge to the far end of the boardwalk, as we walked this track we saw Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Small White (Pieris rapae), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), Yellow flag-iris (Iris pseudacorus), Pitch Trefoil (Bituminaria bituminosa) and Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas).  

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Dark Spreadwing (Lestes macrostigma) ♀.

Dark Spreadwing (Lestes macrostigma)  ♂♀.

Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

From the boardwalk we checked the vegetation and pools find a very good number of Dark Spreadwing (Lestes macrostigma) as well as some very smart adult Marbled Ducks (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris) and some very cute ducklings.

Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

We walked the Tamarisks around to the track to the Mirador seeing Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).

The main Laguna with lots of Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Looking west.

Up at the Mirador we had nice but distant views of the main lagoon where there were a very large number of Greater Flamingo's, we also saw and heard Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra),  Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian Warbler, Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

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

A soggy Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

We returned to the car but had a quick look at the roadside pool again before we went up into town for some coffee and some breakfast before going towards Antequera and taking the road to the North where we turned off to the left for a look at the Laguna de Herrera area.

Laguna de Herrera.

Laguna de Herrera.

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

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

Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

I used to visit this area many years ago as it was an excellent birding area with breeding White-headed Ducks (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) but for some reason the farmer was allowed to put a drain across the site and it was lost for some years, however the drain appears to have been blocked and now after this last winters rains the lagoon has life again with lots of insects, amphibians and birds on site again which was absolutely brilliant to see.

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) ♂.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) ♂.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) ♀.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) ♀.

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) ♀.

As Paqui and I walked along the track that runs along the side of the laguna we saw good numbers of Black-winged Stilts some of which were sat on nests, Pied Avocet, Gull-billed Terns some of which were carrying food to an area which I could not get views of, Little Ringed Plover, Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Zitting Cisticola, European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) and Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina).

Natterjack Toad (Bufo calamita).

Other species included an Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), Natterjack Toad (Bufo calamita), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Red-striped Oil Beetle (Berberomeloe majalis), Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum), Corn Poppies and Milk Thistle. 

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum).

Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris).

Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas).

Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum).

We returned to the tarmac and then went into the nearby Garden Centre where I bought a couple of plants before we headed off back to Huétor as it was getting quite warm.

Presa y Meandros del Genil, Granada Province, Spain.

An evening stroll with Paqui.

Ebird List for the Presa.

 

Paqui watching the Iberian Barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) trying to get up the weir. 

I met Paqui down in Huétor and we headed out through Villanueva Mesía to the Presa y Meandros del Genil where we spent some time sat by the Rio before going for a walk.

During the walk we saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), lots of European Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x4, Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) ♀, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), a European Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) which did a flyby, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), 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 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), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) bird wise.  
Other species included Iberian Barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Bartsia trixago, Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Blue Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum creticum), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum), Tassel Hyacinth (Muscari comosum), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Wild Caper (Capparis spinosa) and Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis).

We returned to the car and went back to Paqui's where we had some very nice food. 

El Temple and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province, Spain.

Out birding with friends Kiersten and Anne and Anne's friend from the US Kim.

 

I was up early getting ready for a day out birding with friends Kiersten, Anne and Anne's friend Kim, whilst I was loading the car I could hear Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus) before I left for Padul.

I got to the bar early and had some breakfast, I spent a short while sat out of the parking area before the others arrived picking up Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

The others arrived and we headed off towards El Temple, on the way we called in at a semi disused Cortiljo where we had good views of several Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), 3x Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) which flew through calling, Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula) both Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta).

Up the road we made another stop on the edge of La Malaha, we had really nice views of a singing Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Corn Poppies (Papaver rhoeas).

Corn Poppies (Papaver rhoeas) and a few Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus).

We moved on out onto the main fields and took to the tracks again, we scanned an area of fields with several of them being full of Corn Poppies (Papaver rhoeas) and a few Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) ♂.

Out on the El Temple area.

In this area we also added Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) ♀, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Booted (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Calandra (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and out by the first solar panel area we picked up a couple of Lesser Kestrels, a surprising European Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) which actually rolled for us and as we moved out to another area we had good views of a pair of Little Owls.

European Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

European Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

On this other area we boosted the species list with a distant Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) up on a Pylon, Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus).

Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata).

We left the site and drove out to Ventas de Huélma and then stopped on the roadside just out of the village where we saw and heard Common Buzzard, Common Nightingale, European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Barn Swallow, Western Jackdaw, Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris).

Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

We moved on and made another stop at the Cortijo Ochíchar and scanned the ridges, whilst there we picked up Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus).

We dropped into the Cacín Valley and checked out the Rio Cacín from the bridge where we recorded Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Spotless Starling, Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), European Greenfinch and European Goldfinch.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

Further up the Valley we stopped at the Contraembalse de Bermejalis where we saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Marsh Harrier x3, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Swift, European Bee-eater, Zitting Cisticola, Melodious (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Corn Bunting, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).

Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) ♂.

Just up the road where we stopped by the bridge over the Cacín where we checked the nearby crags and walked down to the fence line near the dam, species seen included Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Eurasian Blue and Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Our last stop of the day was at the crags below Moraleda where we finished the day list off with a ♂ Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).