Huétor Fields and Sierra de Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

A day birding with friend Barbara, Derek and Steve.

Ebird List for the Fields.

Ebird List for Sierra de Loja.

 

I was up early and as I was getting sorted I could hear the newly arrived Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) in the Olives along with Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and a Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), once I was down in town I checked to Park and soon heard and saw the two regular Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

I met Barbara and Derek Etherton and Steve Powell at Combustibles Gómez where we had some breakfast before heading to the fields where the Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) put on a good show for us.

Whilst there we also had a single Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which was the first time I have seen this species for a while, when the large number of Harriers turned up the regular pair disappeared but guessing this is one of them.

Other species included Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Greater Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), a singing Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) which remained unseen in the vegetation, Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Nightingale, European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava thunbergi), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x4 and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x2.

We returned to the car and then went along the A92 back towards Loja where we took the track up Sierra de Loja, the first section was quite upsetting as the route for the new high speed rail link cuts through the lower slopes and the amount of destruction is incredible all to save a few minutes of travel time but as with most things these days the wildlife and countryside come second, even when It's for supposed green infrastructure.

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Anyway as we started the trip up we saw some Yellow Bee Orchids (Ophrys lutea) along the roadside and in what remains of the Pine woodlands we picked up Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Common Woodpigeon, Common Blackbird, Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) before we turned up the track to the middle quarry.

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris).

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Viola dementria.

After parking we walked back down the track almost as far as the junction, as we walked we saw and heard Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Curruca undata), European Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Clouded Yellow x2, Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides) x5, Painted Lady x7, Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica), Mirror (Ophrys speculum), Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea) and Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia), Cerastium gibraltaricum, Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Brown Bluebell (Dipcadi serotinum), Eruca (Eruca sativa), Dianthus pungens ssp brachyanthus, Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata), Thapsia villosa, Common Stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Pitch Trefoil (Bituminaria bituminosa), Ramping Fumitory (Fumaria capreolata), Rusty-back Fern (Ceterach officinarum), Tassel Hyacinth (Muscari comosum), Viola dementria, White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris) and Starry Clover (Trifolium stellatum).

Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax).

Brown Bluebell (Dipcadi serotinum).

Thapsia villosa.

Cerastium gibraltaricum.

Dianthus pungens ssp brachyanthus.

We dropped back to the main track then we made our way up onto the tops via the crags, on the way we picked up Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Once we were out on the tops we saw the first of a good number of Thekla's Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Western Black-eared (Collalba Rubia Occidental / Oenanthe hispanica) and Northern Wheatears (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Curruca conspicillata), Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum baeticum), Iris Subbiflora, Wild Peony (Paeonia broteri), Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis), Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina) and Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas). 

Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

Western Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia Occidental / Oenanthe hispanica) ♀.

Iris Subbiflora.

Iris Subbiflora.

Photographing the Iris Subbiflora.

Iris Subbiflora.

We drove past Charca del Negro and just after we passed the fossil cave we started to see several Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) dropping in just around the corner and when we got there we found around 30 or so birds feeding / fighting over the remains of a sheep Caracas, in the same area we had Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Limestone areas on the hill.

Looking out to the west.

After watching them for a while we continued on around to the crags near the Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) scrub, here we heard and had nice views of ♂ Western Orphean (Curruca Mirlona Occidental / Curruca hortensis) and ♀ Western Subalpine Warblers (Curruca Carrasqueña Occidental / Curruca iberiae), Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), and right up on the top of the crags a pair of the beautiful Common Rock Thrushes (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) with the ♂ making several display flights.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

On the way back down we reached the spot where the Vultures were again but we soon realised that the Griff's had been joined by 2 massive Cinereous  / Eurasian Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus), further on we caught up with an Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis) which we were surprised we hadn't seen earlier.

Cinereous  / Eurasian Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus).

Cinereous  / Eurasian Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus).

Cinereous  / Eurasian Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus).

Cinereous  / Eurasian Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus).

We dropped back to the service area where Derek and Barbara headed off to Malaga and I took Steve back to his car in Huétor and then headed home, later I had a very pleasant walk with Paqui down the fields. 

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 22nd April 2026.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +14.5.

29 Moths of 17 Species.

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

Licence from Junta de Andalucia.

 

0465 Myrmecozela ataxella.

0465 Myrmecozela ataxella x2, 0706 Monopis nigricantella x1, 1525 Plutella xylostella (Dimond-back) x1, 5864 Acrobasis obliqua x3, 6531 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty Dot Pearl) x1, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x5, 7765 Peribatodes ilicaria (Lydd Beauty) x1, 8581 Eupithecia cocciferata x1, 9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y) x2, 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x2, 9350 Synthymia fixa (Goldwing) x1, 9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x2, 9961 Hadena sancta x1, 10022 Mythimna l-album (L-Album Wainscot) x1, 10029 Mythimna sicula x2, and 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x2.

????????

7765 Peribatodes ilicaria (Lydd Beauty).

8581 Eupithecia cocciferata.

10029 Mythimna sicula.

10029 Mythimna sicula.

9350 Synthymia fixa (Goldwing).

10022 Mythimna l-album (L-Album Wainscot).

9961 Hadena sancta.

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

Out birding with Antonia and Hendrik.

Ebird List for El Temple.

Ebird List for Ventas de Huélma.

Ebird List for Ventas de Huélma 2.

Ebird List for Contraembalse de Bermejales.

Ebird List for Moraleda Crags.

Ebird List for Balsa de Regidor.

I met Antonia and Hendrik, we started with some birding out on the El Temple area, at the first stop we had nice views of and heard Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) ♂, Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

A little further along the track we stopped again, this time we had nice views out over the fields and saw Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius), Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

We continued on and to the cross track out to the road which cut right through the area, on the way we picked up Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Calandra Lark (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra) and 2x stunning ♂ Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus).

We drove along the road a short way before we took to another track where we again saw a Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Corn Bunting and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus). 

Further along the road we crossed to the Southern side of the site and checked out a few more of the tracks, new species for the day included Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) heard, Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) before we headed off the site and started to drive across to the Cacín Valley.

Just out of Ventas de Huelma we made a roadside stop where Antonia picked up a couple of Iberian Green Woodpeckers (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei) which showed well, and whilst watching this endemic species we also saw or heard Common Woodpigeon, European Turtle Dove, 4x Booted Eagles (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Eurasian Scops Owl (Autillo Europeo / Otus scops) heard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hoopoe, European Bee-eater, Common Nightingale, Sardinian Warbler, Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Great Tit, European Pied Flycatcher x4, Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Serin and Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense). 

Further along this road we stopped again and listened to a singing Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), whoever gave this bird its English name defiantly needs a slap as it's far from melodious but still nice, Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus). 

At the semi-derlict Cortijo nearer to Cacín we had views of Booted and Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) before dropping into the valley seeing an adult Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and heading up to the Contraembalse, from the parking spot by the lake which was still low but filling up we saw Mallard, European Turtle Dove, Booted Eagle both light and dark morph and Short-toed Snake Eagle, Common Kestrel, Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Sardinian, Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), Corn Bunting, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Just around the corned we walked the tracks to the dam, here we saw Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Nightingale, Eurasian Blackcap, Long-tailed (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Great and Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), European Serin, Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria). 

We made two stops along the crags further north, here we were happy to find both Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and ♂ Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) as well as a passing Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Booted Eagle, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Western Jackdaw and a Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Our last stop of the day was at Balsa de Regidor for some water species, whilst there we had views of Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Mallard, Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Stone Curlew x2, 4x Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus), ♂♀ Western Marsh Harriers, Common Nightingale, Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum), Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) before we headed off and finished the day with almost 70 species.

I returned home, Later Paqui came up to the house and we had a 00 beer up on the terrace with some of the very nice Asparagus tortilla she had bought with her, I was very pleased that what we didn't eat she left for me as it tasted brilliant, Thanks Paqui.