The Rio Guadalhorce North of Álora, Malaga Province, Spain.

A few hours at a favourite spot on the Rio Guadalhorce looking for Dragonflies.

We headed out to a spot along the Rio Guadalhorce in Malaga Province, on the way we crossed a small stream so we checked it out and found Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) x1♂, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x2, Small White (Pieris rapae) x2, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) x1, a Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) which Steve got some shots of eating a Grasshopper, Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula cabrerae), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

The Rio Guadalhorce.

We reached the Rio Guadalhorce and parked, we walked down to the main spot which had change quite a bit since we were there last after some storms during the winter.

Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus) ♂.

Things were quiet to start with Dragonfly wise but we did see a nice ♂ Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Barn Swallow, Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and the first of many Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

As things started to warm up the first Dragons started to fly, these included Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii), Copper Demoiselle, Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus), Orange-winged (Trithemis kirbyi) and Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) and Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma).

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae) ♂.

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae) ♂.

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae) ♂.

Steve up close and personal with the Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

and me cooling down.

After a while Steve picked up the first of the stunning Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae) and then we spent a good while getting some nice shots of what is probably my favourite Dragon Species.

Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus) Exuvia.

Steve checking the rocks for Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus) Exuvia.

Whilst there we also found a few Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus) Exuviae on the rocks and vegetation on the far bank so Steve, the slightly more stable of us two old codgers crossed and collected them.

Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) ♂.

Other species were Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii), Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis), Lake Pondskater Aquarius paludum, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Nightingale and Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis).

Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis).

Lake Pondskater (Aquarius paludum) ?????

After a while Lynn and Steve started to walk up a side channel and I continued to get shots of the Faded Pincertail, a little later I followed them and soon found Steve sat on a rock in the shade of some reeds, so I sat with him, Lynn had gone back to the car to fetch their lunch and when she returned she had also bought mine as well.

Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura).

Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura).

Whilst we sat there I was suddenly aware of a Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura) periscoping in the blanket weed in the stream, Steve later found out this is a common hunting method but was something none of us had seen before.

Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura).

Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura).

After the lunch break Lynn and Steve went for a walk upstream but my leg was by now giving me some stick so I headed back to the car where I started to look through my photos, however I didn't get very far as Lynn and Steve soon returned as it was getting very warm, so we headed back to the house to chill.

Rio Turrón near Ardales (3 sites), Malaga Province, Spain.

Out west again looking along the Rio Turrón.

Lynn and Steve, Day Three.

We drove out to the Rio Turrón, on the way we saw Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and as we drove past Laguna Dulce Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and Gull-billed Terns (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus).

We were visiting a new spot a bit further up stream from our usual areas along the Rio and after parking dropped through some Olives down to the water, on the way we saw the first of several Dusky Heaths (Coenonympha dorus) x6, White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) x2♂, a couple of ♀♀ Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) x12♂2♀, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x4, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x2♂, Wild Carrot (Daucus carota), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala).

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♀.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♀.

Nearer the water we picked up Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) x20+, Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) x3, Small White (Pieris rapae) x3, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x3, Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus) x1, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x1, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x3 and Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) x9.

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus).

Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus).

After a good search around we decided to go back up the hill and go down to the other side of the loop where we found a large pool, on the way down to the river we had another ♀ Small Pincertail, Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus), Wild Clematis (Clematis flammula), White Flax (Linum suffruticosum) and Delphinium gracile.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♀.

Delphinium gracile.

Wild Clematis (Clematis flammula).

White Flax (Linum suffruticosum).

Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) ♂.

At the pool we saw Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) x4, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x2♂, Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x1♂, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x1♂, Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) and European Hornet (Vespa crabro) and a bit further along the Rio at another crossing point we added Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) x1♂, Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) x1♀, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x1♂ and Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) x2 exuvia only.

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) ♀.

I started to walk back up the hill before Lynn and Steve to give me a bit of a head start as my sciatica was still being a tad annoying, on the way back to the car I picked up Orange-winged Dropwing x1 teneral ♂, Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) x1♂, Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla) and Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea).

Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) ♂.

Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) ♂.

Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) ♂.

Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) ♂.

White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) ♂.

White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) ♂.

White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) ♂.

White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) ♀.

We reached the car and then went back along the road the way we had come and stopped at a regular spot where we had some lunch before checking another crossing point in the river, as we walked down the approach track we had several Small Pincertails x12♂+ and down by the main river Copper Demoiselle x20+, White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) x3♂1♀, Iberian Bluetail x2, Blue / Common Emperor x1♂, Long-tailed Blue x3, Small White x2 and Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis).

Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii).

Me photographing the White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes).

Bird wise we saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Nightingale, Eurasian Blackcap, Eurasian Blue Tit, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis).

??????????????

Mud-dauber Wasp Species.

Our last stop of the day was just a little further along the Rio where we saw pretty much the same species and added Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Small Pincertails x10♂+ and down by the main river Copper Demoiselle x2♂, White Featherleg x1♂ and Blue / Common Emperor x1♂.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

From here we headed off back to the house as it was getting quite hot.