Loja Wildlife, Granada Province, Spain.

Friday, 10 April 2026

Coin, Monda areas in Malaga Province and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning looking for Orchids, Lunch with friends, a drink with another friend and a nice short walk with Paqui to finish the day very nicely.

Ebird List for Malaga.

I was up and ready for the off by 06:20 but as soon as I started out I could tell something wasn't right with one of the tyres, I pulled over and found a whacking great bolt in the front passenger side tyre.

The tyre was still fully inflated but I thought it wasn't worth the risk of driving all the way down to Malaga area, I returned to the house and then later went down to the tyre guys in Huétor who had me back on the road to Malaga a few minutes after they opened.

Serapias vomeracea.

My first site was just to the north of Coin where I checked a roadside bank and soon found 20 or so spikes of the very smart Serapias vomeracea and a couple of Small Tongue Orchids (Serapias parviflora).

Serapias vomeracea.

Small Tongue Orchid (Serapias parviflora).

I was soon on the move again to a spot near Monda finding lots of Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Mirror (Ophrys speculum) and a few almost over with due to the recent rains Bumble-bee Orchids (Ophrys bombyliflora) alongside the hybrid Ophrys x fernandii (O. bumbyliflora x O. speculum) and another spike which I am not sure about but Perry Van Munster from down in Malaga Province has Identified it for me as Ophrys x clapensis ( O. lutea x O. bombyliflora) thanks Perry.

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Ophrys x fernandii (O. bumbyliflora x O. speculum).

Ophrys x clapensis ( O. lutea x O. bombyliflora).

Just a short distance back down the road I checked some olives seeing the hybrid Ophrys x diazii (O. alpujata × O. scolopax) and a single spike of Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys Scolopax) which retained just a single OKish flower.

Ophrys x diazii (O. alpujata × O. scolopax).

Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys Scolopax).

I put the camera stuff away and headed for Malaga where I called at a Eurotex place and got a couple of boxes of their filler before meeting up with Barbara and Derek Etherton for Lunch at Ikea, as I was early I had a walk around the shop and got a couple of bits before we had a meal and a chat.

I then headed back home picking up a single Rose-ringed Parakeet (Cotorra de Kramer / Psittacula krameri) which was following a flock of Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) before going out for a beer with friend Pau and then a walk with Paqui which finished the day off perfectly.

Thursday, 9 April 2026

East towards Granada, near Moaleda and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Out Orchid hunting at a couple of sites and a walk with Paqui again later.

Ebird List for the fields.

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

I started the day by driving out to a spot in the direction of Granada, once I was on site I soon found 7 spikes of the uncommon Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea) which were stunning, I also found Mirror (Ophrys speculum), Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera), Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata), Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Small-fruit Pheasant's-eye (Adonis microcarpa) and Roemeria sicula.

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Also seen were Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris).

Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta).

Back down the hill I spotted again where I had been with friends last year looking for the Lady Orchids in the wrong place finding several some spikes of the Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and several Painted Lady's (Vanessa cardui).

Small-fruit Pheasant's-eye (Adonis microcarpa).

Roemeria sicula.

Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus).

Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus).

I moved on but went up the hill and the slightly longer route back to the A92, on the way I saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

I reached the motorway and then went to a site near Moraleda to check in on the Dark Spider (Ophrys incubacea) and Bumble-bee Orchids (Ophrys bombyliflora) which were both nicely in flower along with good numbers of Mirror and Yellow Bee.

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

Around this spot I also recorded Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Eurasian (Urraca Común / Pica pica) and Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica).

Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).

I went home for a while and then went down to the field at around 18:00 to see how the Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) were going on, I was surprise how bad the Calima had got between getting home and now but I persisted even though I could feel the dust in my eyes and taste it.

The Sun through the Calima.

I arrived to find the Monty's were quite active and after a few scans I sorted out that there were at least 6♀ and 5♂ birds in the area as well as Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and at least 8+ Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) ♂.

Back at the car I sat down near the end of the migrant fence picking up a couple of year list birds, a ♀ Whinchat (Tarabilla Norteña / Saxicola rubetra) and a Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis).

At around 19:30 Paqui arrived, we again had a walk out to the gate and back, it might be my imagination but I think we used the translators a little less tonight, mostly because Paqui forgot her phone and mine wouldn't work 😃😃😃😃 but we still managed to chat and laugh before heading home.

Wednesday, 8 April 2026

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of hours down on the fields.

Ebird List for the fields.

Clouds over the Sierra de Loja.

I headed down to the fields just before 18:00, I parked by the Walnut Trees and walked out to the Gates but it was muddy after the rains which made the going a bit difficult, as I walked I saw the group of Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), it's difficult to be sure how many birds there are on site but today there were at least 10 birds, 5♂ and 5♀.

The Lucerne Fields.

Also seen were Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Iberian (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum) and Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Western Subalpine (Curruca Carrasqueña Occidental / Curruca iberiae) ♂, Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), House (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

At just after 19:00 I was pleased to see Paqui arrive after having a busy day so I walked back towards the cars and we did the walk back up to the Gates and back having a very nice talk and learning more about each other which was really good.

We returned to the cars where we said good night before we headed off to our homes, once I got back I finished off a couple of jobs before I chilled and got some stuff done on the Laptop.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 7th April 2026.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +13.

23 Moths of 12 Species.

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

Licence from Junta de Andalucia.

1525 Plutella xylostella (Dimond-back).

0706 Monopis nigricantella x1, 1525 Plutella xylostella (Dimond-back) x9, 4855 Epinotia thapsiana x1, 6599 Pyrausta sanguinalis (Scarce Crimson & Gold) x1, 9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y) x2, 9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x2, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x1, 9676 Xylocampa areola (Early Grey) x1, 10029 Mythimna sicula x1, 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x2 10346 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) x1.