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

A nice walk with Paqui looking for butterflies and another visit to the Presa Later.

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

I was up at just after 05:00 as the water problem was still not solved, I need to get some work done before I met up with Paqui later in the morning for a walk-up on Cerro Hacho.

Paqui stalking a Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

All went well, I got a good few jobs done and had a nice catchup with friend Deb Hopton from Australia on a WhatsApp call. 

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

Small White (Pieris rapae).

Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini).

At around 09:30 Paqui arrived, she helped me do a few bit on the terrace before we headed off up to Hacho in her car, we arrived and found quite a few butterflies were active including Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) x25+, Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) x1, Large  (Pieris brassicae) x1, Small (Pieris rapae) x1 and Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x1, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x7, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x8, Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini) x6, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x15, Lang's Short-tailed (Leptotes pirithous) and Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) x3, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x9, Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora) x3, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x1, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x6, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x2, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x11, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) x16+ and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x1. 

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).

Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba).

Bird species seen included Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), a Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) with several chicks at the side of the track, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

Other wildlife found included Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Carpentor Bee (Xylocopa violacea), Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Linum tenue, Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) and Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis).

Linum tenue.

Scabious flower with a Zygaenidae species.

On the way back to my house we saw Eurasian Collared (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Iberian (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

As I walked back into the house I saw a Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli) in amongst the flowers on the yard and a very large Moorish Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) on the wall.

At 13:15 I headed down to Paqui's, we went to one of the bars in town to collect a Paella that we were having for lunch and then returned to her place where we shared the food with her daughter Yanira.

Later at just before 15:00 I headed home and unusually decided to have a siesta which lasted longer than expected as I didn't wake until well after 19:30.

Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax).

Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax).

Paqui and I then headed back out again to the Presa, a spot we like where we saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon, European Turtle Dove, Common Swift, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Buzzard, Eurasian Hoopoe, European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Common Kestrel, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Iberian Magpie, Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Barn Swallow and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling, Common Blackbird, Common Nightingale, Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch and European Goldfinch.

Other species seen included Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady, Iberian Barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

On the drive off the site we had great views of at least 2 different Red-necked Nightjars (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) which kept landing on the track in front of us and a calling Eurasian Scops Owl (Autillo Europeo / Otus scops).

Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis).

Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis).

Sierra de Loja and Presa y Meandros del Genil, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning birding on my favourite hill with Garry Pearson and an evening with Paqui at the Presa.

Ebird List for Sierra de Loja.

 

The Crags.

Garry and I headed down town where we had coffee and some breakfast before we headed off up my favourite bit of Mountain, we made the drive out to the far end without many stops but still added Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), a fine ♂ Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis). 

Out along the crags we had views of 2♂ Common Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) as well as Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), several Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), a surprising Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica) which I can't remember seeing up along the crags, Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Western Black-eared (Collalba Rubia Occidental / Oenanthe hispanica) and Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Western Orphean (Curruca Mirlona Occidental / Curruca hortensis) and Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).

Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura).

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

We dropped back down the hill, on the way we picked up a couple of surprising Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) sat up in a Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae).

Other species seen during our time up there included Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae) x1, Bath (Pontia daplidice) x1 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x4, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus)  x3, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x2, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x1, Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) x23, Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) x2, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x12, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x4 and Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).

We returned to Huétor and Garry headed back off home to Almeria and I went back home where I spent the afternoon getting a few jobs done, then at 19:30 I pick Paqui up, we headed out to the Presa y Meandros del Genil where we spent a while sitting by the weir, then we had a short walk.

Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina) ♂♀.

Species seen included European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina) ♂♀, Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) x2, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Barn Swallow and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Spotless Starling.

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).

Other species included Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) x1, Small White (Pieris rapae) x2, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x2, Iberian Barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and Delphinium halteratum.

El Torcal and Laguna de Herrera in Malaga Province and Huétor Fields in Granada Province, Spain.

A very nice morning out birding with Paqui, Barbara and Derek.

Ebird List for El Torcal.

Ebird List for Laguna Herrera.

 

Looking out to the East.

Paqui and I were off out east early as we were meeting Barbara and Derek Etherton at 07:30 at the lower car park at El Torcal, we arrived at the meeting time precisely finding Barbara and Derek already doing some birding.

Some of the crags.

After the introductions we all jumped into their car and headed up to one of the roadside pull-ins where we had nice views of several Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica), Barn  (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Western Orphean (Curruca Mirlona Occidental / Curruca hortensis) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra),

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Further along the road we stopped again and found several more Spanish Ibex as well as Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Western Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia Occidental / Oenanthe hispanica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia). 

We reached the car park and then walked out on one of the tracks where we picked up Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasqueña Occidental / Curruca iberiae), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Thanks for the photo Derek.

Out at the Mirador we had nice views of Griffon Vultured (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina).

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) ♂.

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) ♀.

We returned to the car and dropped to the road which went up to the radio mast, along here we had nice views of a ♂ Common Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Other species seen in the area included Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x2, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x5, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x2, Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) x4, Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) x3, Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) x2, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x23, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) x35+, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x4, Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia) x1, Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Black Horehound (Ballota nigra), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Field Eryngo (Eryngium campestris), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), White Stonecrop (Sedum album), Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) and the uncommon Saxifraga biternata. 

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Saxifraga biternata.

Our next stop was in Antequera where we had some breakfast in Bar El Ladrón Antequera before going to Laguna de Herrera which was a new site for Barbara and Derek, on the way we added an Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki).

After parking we walked a short way along the track finding Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) x3, a couple of very nice Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

It was starting to get warm, so Derek went back to his car and picked the rest of us up, we went a short way further on so that we could see the far end of the Laguna where we had better views of the Greater Flamingo's, we also went up on to the back on the opposite side of the track which gave us views over another Laguna where there were many more Greater Flamingo's as well as Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

We returned to my car where Paqui and I said goodbye to Barbara and Derek and they headed off whilst we spent a few more minutes taking a few photos, I then got a call from Derek to tell us that he had found a point where it was possible to view the other pool better so we headed down there and added Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius) before we all headed off.

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Other species seen during the visit here included Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) x45+, Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) x2, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x500+, Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) x18+, Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) x1, Clouded Yellow x3, Painted Lady x15+, Spiny-footed Lizard (Acanthodactylus erythrurus), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata) and Squirting Cucumber (Ecballium elaterium).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Later in the day I met Paqui down on the Fields, as we walked out to the gate and back we saw Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).