Cerro Hacho, Sierra de Loja and Balsa de Regidor, Granada Province, Spain.

Back out with friend Bob.

Ebird List for Sierra de Loja.

A bad shot of the Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis).

We were up and out earlish and headed up to Cerro Hacho, on the way we saw Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

3963 Zygaena sarpedon.

We parked at the Puddle Car Park and then walked out on the lower loop, as we walked we saw Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and a very smart male Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis) which sang all around us and showed briefly a few times.

3963 Zygaena sarpedon.

Other species seen after we turned around and headed back to the car included Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), in some pines just passed the car Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and on the wires above us 2 Common Crossbills (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) male.

Also seen were Andalucian Gorse (Ulex baeticus), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Eruca (Eruca sativa), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Purple Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum) and 3963 Zygaena sarpedon.

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) male display flight.

We returned to the car and drove down to Loja for a coffee, on the way we added Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and as we sat having our coffee Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) male display flight.

I went inside the bar to pay and whilst I was there I had a chat with 8 Guardia Civil guys that were having a coffee and asked them about access to Sierra de Loja, they all said it was still open so we headed off up and across to the far side where we eventually found our main target the beautiful Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) which was distant but gave us good views whilst it did several song flights and sang from the highest poing of the crags.

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) singing from the highest perch.

Other species seen on the drive over to and during our time at the far end of the site included Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Rock and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Alpine (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Black-eared (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) and Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Hoopoe, Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Spotless Starling, Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Little Owl, Western Orphean Warbler, Erodium cheilanthifolium, Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis), Navel-wort (Omphalodes commutata), Centaurea prolongoi, Chickweed (Cerastium boissieri), Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) and Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Erodium cheilanthifolium.

On the way down Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Short-toed Treecreeper and Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina) and Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) were all seen.

Centaurea prolongoi.

On the track up to the middle quarry we added Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and in the same area we saw Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x1, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathsheba), Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus baeticus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Black Horehound (Ballota nigra), Rusty-back Fern (Ceterach officinarum), Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis) and  Carduus granatensis.

Carduus granatensis.

Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus baeticus).

We dropped down off the hill and had some lunch in the same bar as we had seen the Guardia Guys earlier and then later we headed out along the A92 to Balsa de Regidor, here we checked the Pool for birds and dragonflies finding good numbers of Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) including two broods of 4 and 5 ducklings, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Stripe-necked Terrapins (Mauremys leprosa), Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x4, Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) x7, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x25+ and Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) x15+.

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) with 5 Ducklings.

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) with 4 Ducklings.

We returned to the house, later we went down to Restaurante Asador Panilla and had a good meal before heading back to Realenga but passed the house and parked on the roadside a few hundred meters passed the top of the hill where we were in the right place at the right time when a stunning Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) flew over the road.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) male.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) male.

We returned to the house and went up on the terrace where we heard 3 calling Red-necked Nightjars (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis), Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Little Owls but the star bird was a Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus) which flew just a few meters away along the Barranco and was picked up in the terrace lights.

Huétor Fields, El Temple area, Cacín Valley and Huétor Fields and Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Out on to the fields into the Valley with Bob.

Ebird List for El Temple.

Ebird List for Contraembalse de los Bermejalis.

Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).

We set off and headed down onto the fields near Huétor, on the way we started the list with Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and once on the fields we picked up the calling male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), a distant Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

We moved on and headed for the area called El Temple, on the way we saw Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) before we hit the tracks.

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

On the first section we which had a few trees we saw Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Nightingale and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

Once we were out on the more open area we were very pleased to find a good number of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) along with 2x Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis), plenty of Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) as well as Bath (Pontia daplidice) x6 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x8+, Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x4+ and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x2.

Whilst we were out on the area we watched a good number of Military type aircraft circle several times practicing for an upcoming event in Motril.

We dropped down off this section and as we were driving between spots we bumped into Good friend Juan Perez who was out for a bit of birding as well, after a chat we were on our way and the next species we connected with was a very smart looking Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) which was followed by Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus).

At this point we got a call from Juan to say he had relocated the female Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) and that there was a Hobby (Alcotán Europeo / Falco subbuteo) in the same area, so armed with some directions we went to the area and soon found Juan who said the Hobby had gone but both the Male and female Red-foots were in the area but distant.

Juan kindly let Bob and I have views of the cracking birds through his scope, they were some distance a way but with the scope they looked great as they hunted over an area of cereal fields and sat resting in the Olives which bordered the area, whilst in this area we also had Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

After thanking Juan for the call and the use of his scope we headed off for some Lunch and the headed out to the Cacín Valley, on the way out there we saw European Bee-eater, lots more Turtle Doves which seem to be in very good numbers locally, Common Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae). 

Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

Along the Rio Cacín just out side the village we saw Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Golden Oriole, yet another Booted Eagle, Nightingale, Blackcap, Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) x1, Clouded Yellow x2 and Small White x3 before heading up the Valley to the Contraembalse where we added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Great Reed Warbler (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus) which was a year tick, Iberian  Magpie, another Short-toed Eagle and a male Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens).

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

Just before we were about to head off friends Jane and Bob pulled so we had a bit of a catch up before they headed off home and we made our way to a spot in the Pine woodlands a bit further up stream, here we picked up a single Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

We moved up the Valley again to the cliffs below Moraleda were we looked for but missed Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) but we did pick up Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) before we headed for the Fields again adding Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) and Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

Looking out towards Parapanda.

We returned to the house and spent a while sat out on the terrace even though it was raining at times. 

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around the fields with Bob Wright from UK.

 

European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

Bob arrived just after 14:00 and after we got him settled in and then had a coffee we headed down onto the fields, on the way down we saw a very nice adult Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), several Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and at the junction a nice Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) sat amongst the wires. 

European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

We parked at the usual spot and then walked out as far as the goat compound but looking to the South East at an approaching storm we decided to turn tail and make a run for the car.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

As we walked we picked up Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), a few Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) mixed in with a couple of hundred more Common Swifts, Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Other species seen were around 35+ Small Whites (Pieris rapae), Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x1, Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x8, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x1 and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x1.

The approaching Storm.

We got back to the car just in time and headed back up towards the house where we later had something to eat before going up on the terrace where we added Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Cerro Hacho, Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of hours at the puddle.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

I spent the Morning doing some chores around the house, in Loja and Huétor before spending a couple of hours up by the puddle on Hacho.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

I parked and set up but it started to rain almost straight away but I stuck it out and even though not many species came in it was worth it to get the shots of one of the four Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) that were chasing around the area.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

Bird wise the only pictures I got were of a Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) but I also saw Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus). 

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

As I drove back towards the house I saw several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A short walk around the fields.

Ebird List.

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I popped down to the fields in the out side chance of finding the Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) might have hung around but it hadn't, how ever I did see the male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 5x Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), 2x Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), a singing Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) which was a bit of a surprise, Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Near Huétor Tajar and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

They are like buses, have waited for a Red-footed Falcon for ages and then 3 come along in a few days.

Ebird List for the fields.

First thing in the morning Barbara, Derek, Sonia, Ricky, Barbara and Jerry arrived at mine for a meeting to sort of things out about our upcoming trip to the Pyrenees, whilst we chatted and had coffee we saw 4x Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and others.

At around 11:00 they all headed out for some birding and I got a bit done on the Laptop before heading down to Urgencias at Loja hospital.

Later I headed down to Huétor Fields but only did a short walk around the Lucerne Fields, I was surprised to see the male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) chasing one of the females that had been see a month or so ago.

As I walked I also recorded 3x Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and then all of a sudden I was aware of a kerfuffle behide me so I turned around and saw a large group of House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) mobbing a smallish falcon which crossed the Arroyo and then headed off over the fields and as it went I identified it as my 2nd Male and 3rd Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) in the last few days.

After the falcon disappeared over the Olives I continued on to the Walnut trees adding Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).