SIERRA de LOJA.

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Monday, 7 September 2026

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for 6th September 2026.
15W Actinic on the terrace, +21
57 Moths of 23 Species.
Any corrections, PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.
Licence from Junta de Andalucía.

2169 Scythris limbella.
2169 Scythris limbella x1, 3029 Dysspastus fallax x3,  3036 Stibaromacha ratella x2, 5144 Cydia pomonella (Codling Moth) x1, 5578 Lamoria anella x11, 5624 Bostra obsoletali x3, 5742 Etiella zinckenella x1, 5830 Epischnia illotella x3, 5875 Apomyelois ceratoniae (Locust Bean Moth) x2, 6001 Euzophera lunulella x1, 6118 Cadra figulilella x3, 6178 Anarpia incertalis x1, 6690a Palpita vitrealis x9, 6700 Dolicharthria punctalis x1, 6702 Dolicharthria bruguieralis x1, 7533 Stegania trimaculata (Dorset Cream Wave) x1, 8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal) x1, 8801 Cryphia algae/pallida agg x1, 8899 Clytie illunaris (Trent Double-stripe) x2, 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x1, 9106 Pseudozarba bipartita x1, 9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled) x4 and 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x3 and 10016 Leucania punctosa x1.
6118 Cadra figulilella.
5875 Apomyelois ceratoniae (Locust Bean Moth).
5830 Epischnia illotella.
6001 Euzophera lunulella.
6178 Anarpia incertalis.
6700 Dolicharthria punctalis.
7533 Stegania trimaculata (Dorset Cream Wave).
8801 Cryphia algae/pallida agg.

Sunday, 6 September 2026

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Doing something daft for an old guy.

Today I got my second Tattoo today, Monti did a great job putting the Orion Constellation on my right upper-arm.

Saturday, 5 September 2026

Playa de Poniente, Golf Los Moriscos 2, Desembocadura Río Guadalfeo and Cerro Gordo, Granada Province, Spain.

Another mornings birding with friend Juan catching up with a few Granada Province year ticks.
Ebird List for Playa de Poniente 1.
Ebird List for Playa de Poniente 2.
Ebird List for Golf Los Moriscos 2
Ebird List for Desembocadura Río Guadalfeo.
Ebird List for Cerro Gordo.
 
Sunrise at Playa de Poniente. 
I met Juan and Chika down on the coast where we started the morning with an hours sea watching during which we recorded Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Sandwich (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis) and 3 adult and 1 immature Common Terns (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo), Scopoli’s (Pardela cenicienta mediterránea / Calonectris diomedea) and Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).
Other more none pelagic Species recorded included Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Egyptian Goose (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).
Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).
Immature Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus).
After we finished on the beach we went just a little further along the coast to one of the Golf Course Pools where we added several new species including an Egyptian Goose (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) plus Eurasian x Red-knobbed Coot (hybrid), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), an immature Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus), Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common / Iberian ChiffchaffCetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Small White (Pieris rapae).
Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).
Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).
Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).
On our way to Cerro Gordo we did a bit of a detour to the Desembocadura Río Guadalfeo, on the way there we had a couple of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and by the river and along the beach we found a few more new species for the day including Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x2.
We called into the parking spot near the restaurant on Cerro Gordo where we had a Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), more Pallid Swifts and Red-rumped Swallows.
We moved up to the higher part of the hill where we got the chairs out and spent a while scanning the trees and ridges in front of us, whilst we were there we saw a single White-rumped Swift (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer) a couple of times,  72 European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), singles of both Short-toed Snake (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus), Eurasian SparrowhawkWestern Marsh Harrier, 4x Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), European Bee-eaterCommon KestrelNorthern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax) x3, European Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona Occidental / Curruca hortensis) x2, Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotted (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and European Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs)Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and a single Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius).
I dropped Juan back to his place near Charca and then headed back to Huétor where I went to Paqui's for a late lunch and then went back home and crashed for a while. 

Friday, 4 September 2026

Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

An unexpected flyover.
Ebird List.

A gift of Pepper's, Tomato's and aubergine's from Paco.
Paqui and I just popped into Loja to collect her daughters from an appointment, on the way we had an immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) flying West along the A92, when I got back home I was met by neighbour and friend Paco with a wonderful bag of his veggies from the plot across from my house..
The leading group.
Later in the afternoon, Paqui and I headed up to the crossroads below La Fabrica and watched stage 13 of the La Vuelta 26 which came through La Fabrica, Huétor and finished for the day in Loja, we didn't stay long as it was +40 and too hot to stand around let alone race on a bike.

Thursday, 3 September 2026

Embalse de Cubillas, Granada Province, Spain.

A mornings birding with good friend Juan.
Ebird List for the Embalse.
 
Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
I met Juan at 08:00 at the usual spot on the western side of the Embalse and almost instantly I was pleased to see my main target the Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) which was feeding amongst the reeds in the bay where the Rio Cubillas comes into the Embalse.
Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).
Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).
Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).
We set up our chairs and scopes low down on the shore line and spent 3 hours and 20 minutes recording some good species including Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), a single Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), 113x European Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus)Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia),Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla),Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).
Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).
European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).
European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).
European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).
European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).
European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).
European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).
European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).
After saying goodbye to Juan and Chika I headed back home and then met Paqui for Lunch. 

Wednesday, 2 September 2026

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

An early walk with Paqui along the Lucerne fields and a sit under stars later.
Ebird List for the fields early.
Ebird List for the fields later.

I met Paqui by the Walnut Trees and we walked out to the gates and back, interesting species included 2x Tree Pipits (Bisbita Arbóreo / Anthus trivialis), at least 2 calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator),Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Later in the evening I went back down to the fields where I saw Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Little Ringed Plover, 2x Black-crowned Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Tuesday, 1 September 2026

Embalse de Cubillas, Granada Province, Spain.

Paqui and I spent a while looking for a Spoonbill for my Granada year list.
Ebird List for the Embalse.
 
Black Stork (Cigüena Negra / Ciconia nigra).
Paqui and I went up to the Embalse which is just to the North of Granada where I was hoping to see a Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) which had been around for a few days but as hard as we searched the bird evaded us.
Black Stork (Cigüena Negra / Ciconia nigra).
Black Stork (Cigüena Negra / Ciconia nigra).
However we had a few good species, the best we a very smart Black Stork (Cigüena Negra / Ciconia nigra) which Paqui picked up flying along the far side of the Embalse and then off to the West.
Pied Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).
Pied Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).
Other species of interest were 
Pied Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) which flew around in a flock of 24 birds, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), a single Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), a Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), 4x Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia),Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla) and several Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
Pied Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).
Pied Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

Monday, 31 August 2026

Presa y Meandros del Genil, Granada Province, Spain.

Back for another look at the Owls.
Ebird List for the Presa.
 
European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster).
Paqui and I spent the day sorting our homes out after our few days away, I popped down to her place for lunch, on the way I took some photographs of a couple of European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster) which were feeding from the wire along the road to Huétor.
European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster).
European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster).
During the evening we spent an hour sitting at a site near the Presa looking for the Eurasian Eagle Owls (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) that we have been watching for a while, tonight I didn't manage to see any but Paqui saw one bird leave the one of the caves in the cliffs.
Other species interesting seen during the visit were European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis) and Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).
Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus) ♂, digiscoped by Paqui.