SIERRA de LOJA.

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Friday, 11 September 2026

Laguna Dulce, Near Campillos, Laguna Dulce, Laguna Salada, Laguna de Capacete and Cerro del Búho in Malaga Province, Spain.

Out in Malaga Province with Paqui, Derek Etherton and Andy Paterson.
Ebird List for Laguna Dulce 1.
Ebird List for Laguna Dulce 2.
Ebird List for Salada.
Ebird List for Laguna Capacete.
Ebird List for Cerro del Búho.

Laguna Dulce.
Paqui and I headed out early to meet up with Derek and Andy at a spot near Campillos, we were there early so had a look from the hide at Laguna Dulce where we saw Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus),  
Paqui in the hide.
Greater Flamingo
(Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseu
s), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), a cracking Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which was hoovering on the far side of the Laguna, Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).
Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus).
Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus).
We met Derek and Andy near Campillos where we had amazing views of 4 Long-eared Owls (Búho Chico / Asio otus), they were great to get good views of but what made it better was that the locals at the site were soon out and checking on us, once they realised we meant not harm to the birds they chatted with us about them.
Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops).
Immature Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).
Immature Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).
Immature Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) with a grasshopper and some grass.
Immature Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).
The next stop was breakfast and then we took the back track around Laguna Dulce which was productive, we saw 64 species along the track and around at the hide in total, new species for the day were Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus), Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Short-toed Snake (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Booted (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and an immature Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti), Western Marsh (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and a couple of immature Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian Grey (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Calandra (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) x2, Whinchat (Tarabilla Norteña / Saxicola rubetra), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Checking Laguna del Lóbon.
Immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) .
Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).
Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).
Along the back track we did a short detour and checked Laguna del Lóbon where we found Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Black-winged StiltLittle Ringed PloverCommon SnipeWood (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola) and Green SandpiperDunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Greater Flamingo and lots of Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).
Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).
We also had better views of the Black-winged KiteLong Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) and Crimson Speckled (Utetheisa pulchella).

From the hide new species included 
Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Ferruginous (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) and White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Common (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) and Spotted Redshank (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).
Our next stop was at Laguna Salada where we counted nearly 350 Greater Flamingo's but only added 3 Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) as a new species for the day.
Around at Laguna Capacete we found Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) which were new for the day before heading around to the Vulture feeding station.
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 drove up as there were a small number of birds in the air which to our amazement included 3 
Cinereous  / Eurasian Black Vultures (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus), a stunning adult Egyptian (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus) and several of the more expected Griffon Vultures and a single immature Montagu's Harrier which was sitting in a stubble field on the way up.
Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Immature Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).
Back down at the bottom of the hill Paqui and I said our goodbyes to Derek and Andy after a cracking days birding and headed back to Paqui's for a later lunch. 

Thursday, 10 September 2026

Huétor Fields and Presa y Meandros del Genil, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning on the Fields and another visit to the Owls.
Ebird List for the Fields.
Ebird List for the Dam.

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
I met Paqui down at the fields and we walked out as far as the gate, on the newly cut Lucerne fields we found a single Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which got flushed when the tractors arrived to collect the cut Lucerne.
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
Other species seen were Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), a fly over Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), a flock of 17 Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Willow (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Whinchat (Tarabilla Norteña / Saxicola rubetra), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs)European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and the star birds were a couple of immature Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana) feeding with other Finches and Buntings.
Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus).

Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus).

Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus).

Later in the day we went back out to see if the 
Eurasian Eagle Owls (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) were still hanging around, we didn't see any but heard a bird calling off down the valley.
Whilst there we also added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Willow WarblerShort-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla) and Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Riofrio and Presa y Meandros del Genil, Granada Province, Spain.

Lunch in Riofrio and later Back to check in on the Owls.
Ebird List.

Paqui and I popped down to Riofrio for some lunch but it turned out to be extremely disappointing, later we spent a while down at the river where Paqui had a paddle, whist there we saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea)European Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).
Losing the Sun.

Later in the day we spent another hour with the Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo), however we only managed to hear a single bird which was calling further along the valley but this was not surprising as there was quite a bit of noise from people in a nearby building and from a farmer nearby who was pumping water from the river.
As we sat scanning the area we picked up a few more interesting species including Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) x3, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Tuesday, 8 September 2026

Contra-embalse de Bermejalis and near Moraleda, Granada Province, Spain.

Down the Cacín Valley with Paqui.
Eird List for the Embalse.
 
Sunrise down the Fields.
Paqui and I met early down at the Fields but after a short walk we went for a coffee and then headed down the Cacín Valley to the Contra-embalse de Bermejalis, just before we got there we had the first of several Short-toed Snake Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
We parked at the Embalse and we scanned the water using the scope finding 
Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).
Around the margins and above the water there were Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), 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).
Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) .
Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) .
We moved back up the Cacín Valley back to the A92 but as we went back towards Huétor we came off at the Villanueva Mesía exit and spent a short while trying to get shots of the Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) butterflies x8.
Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) .
Other species included Small White (Pieris rapae), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) and a ♂ Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).