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Thursday 14 March 2024

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

An interesting walk around the fields.
Ebird List for Huétor Fields, Species 37.

Dawn from the terrace.
I parked near the Walnut trees and then walked back up stream to the usual parking point and then just a short way further on but it got too muddy to continue.
The Arroyo Vilano with a good flow.
I returned to the car and then went on passed to the junction and then turned right and then right again back along the Arroyo to the car.
Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
Along the first part of the walk I heard a Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and saw a nice male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) in the Lucerne fields and as I walked I added Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) x2, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and a small flock of Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).
The female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).
On the way back and down as far as the junction I added Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).
I turned right and then right again along the arroyo, as I walked I picked up a second Common Quail but this time I got good flight views when it came up out of a crop field and flew passed me.
The Lucerne fields.
Other species seen were Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and as I reached the car I saw a newly arrived female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) which came in high and then toured the fields before landing out of sight in one of the crop fields.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 13th March 24.
15W Actinic on the terrace, +6.5.
 
1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth).

1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth) x1,
6496 Evergestis isatidalis x1, 7533 Stegania trimaculata (Dorset Cream Wave) x1, 7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, 8951 Autophila cataphanes x1, 9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark) x2, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x1, 10343 Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x11.
6496 Evergestis isatidalis.

8951 Autophila cataphanes.

7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).

9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark).

9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow).

 

Wednesday 13 March 2024

Zapata, Rio Grande, Coin and Sierra de Mijas, Malaga Province, Spain.

A morning with friends Barbara and Derek and then some Orchid Hunting.
Ebird List for Zapata, 45 Species.
Ebird List for Rio Grande, 39 Species.

Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon).
I met Barbara and Derek near Zapata and we went down to their local patch and did some birding, on the drive in to the site we saw a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).
Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon).
At the first spot by the weir we added to the list with Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba). 
Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Next we crossed the lower Weir and parked just a little bit further up stream where Derek and I went for a short walk and added Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 4 more Little Grebes, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Next we checked out a rather smelly concrete storm drain, we saw a flock of 20 odd
Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) and a Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).
A practice for the Malaga Crash combine, 3x major foams and an RIV involved.
Our final stop was on the reed filled river near the end of Malaga Ariport Runway where we spent a while checking the crossing point where the reeds have been cleared and found Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), my first Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) of the year, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and a couple of Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon).
Rio Grande.
On the way off the site we saw
Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), a single Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) before we headed to Restaurante El Tardón, I think that was the right place for breakfast.
Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

Later we headed out to the Rio Grande and did a drive east to where it meets the Rio Guadalhorce and then back west as far as the large pipe bridge and then back, new species seen on the drive included
Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Meadow (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), 6x Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and a couple of noisy Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) 1 of 6.
I said goodbye to Barbara and Derek and headed up to a quarry site near Coin where I was looking for some Orchids, I found several spike of the uncommon
Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla) but little else so I moved on to Refugio de Jaunar area where I was looking for the very local Ophrys alpujata, I found 2 spikes and a single Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).
Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).
Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).
Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).
Other species seen there included
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
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Ophrys alpujata.
Ophrys alpujata.
Ophrys alpujata.
Ophrys alpujata.
Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).
Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).
Again I moved on and stopped briefly at a spot on the way to Sierra de Mijas but saw nothing new, I parked at the start of the track and walked an area I have walked many times and found several good species of Orchid which included 
Fan-lipped (Anacamptis collina), Pink Butterfly (Orchis papilionacea), Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera), Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys Scolopax) as well as a couple of interesting Hybrids Ophrys x Peltieri and Ophrys x castroviejoi.
Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).
Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys Scolopax).
Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys Scolopax).
Other species were Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium) and Andaluz Storksbill (Erodium primulaceum).
Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium).

Ophrys x castroviejoi.
Ophrys x castroviejoi.
Ophrys x Peltieri.
Ophrys x Peltieri.
Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).
Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).

Tuesday 12 March 2024

Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

Bits and Bob's then a walk around Hacho.

The south facing slopes.
I started the morning by doing a few jobs around the house, mid morning the mechanic contacted me to say the car was ready and he would collect me so I could get it back.
Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).

Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).
Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).
Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).
On my way back I popped up to see a friend who was having car problems as well and waited with her until the Grua had been and got it started and then we went down to Huétor where she got a new battery.
Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).
Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).
Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina) var. flavescens.
Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).
I returned home briefly before going down to Loja hospital to arrange an appointment and then went for a walk around the lower loop on Hacho to see if any new Orchids were in flower and in total I found 6 species, Conical (Neotinea conica) x6 and Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera) x4 were both new and were seen along with several Giant (Himanthoglosum Robertiana), 30+ Fan-lipped (Anacamptis collina) including var. flavescens, 60+ Southern Early Purple (Orchis olbienis), 100+ Somber Bee (Ophrys fusca).
Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).
Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).
Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).
Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca).
Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca).
Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca).
Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca).
Since my last visit there were quite a few more species of wild flower in bloom, they included Bellis microcephala, Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Cymbalaria-leaved Speedwell (Veronica cymbalaria), Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata), Eruca (Eruca sativa), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Common Whitlowgrass (Erophila verna), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), Linaria aeruginea, Amethyst Toadflax (Linaria amethystea), Field Madder (Sherardia arvensis), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum) and Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca).
Bellis microcephala.
Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata).
Amethyst Toadflax (Linaria amethystea).
Linaria aeruginea.
Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum).
Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca).
There were also good numbers of butterflies on the wing as things warmed up, the commonest by far was the Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x30+, in smaller numbers I also recorded Large White (Pieris brassicae) x2, Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri) x4, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x1, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x8, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x4 and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x3.
Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis).
Eruca (Eruca sativa).
Snake's Head Fritillary (Fritillaria  lusitanica).
Common Whitlowgrass (Erophila verna).
Birds were also seen and included Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus). 
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).
Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).
On my way back home I was surprised to see 5x
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) as well as Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).
Back at the house I saw that there were still several Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) on the feeders.