North East of Andujar, Jaen Province, Spain.

A search for the Iberian Lynx with success for most of us.

Steve and Lynn, Day Fifteen.

 

Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus).

We set of early and headed out to the area where we have seen the Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina) in the passed, on the way we picked up Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).

Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama).

Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama).

Once on site we stopped at a fire break where we had good views of passing Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) x50+ and Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) x4, Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) x2, Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus) x10, Black Kite x1, Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea) as well as Tree Grayling (Neohipparchia statilinus) and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama).

Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama).

We drove further on towards the main Lynx area adding Red (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) and Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius).

The shelter.

We parked along the track and scanned the slopes as we walked, I was just 50 meters or so behind Steve and Lynn but this was far enough to miss a sighting of three Lynx (adult female and two youngsters) which Steve saw on the slope above us. We rushed passed this point to the next viewing spot where Lynn got a view as one of the animals leap up a rock face but it soon disappeared before I got there.

Information sign next to the Shelter.

For some reason I started to have problems with my eyes which were watering uncontrollably and became very sensitive to the glare off the road surface so I moved under the nearby shelter. Steve and Lynn remained out on the track and I missed another chance at the Lynx which they both had views of up the slope again. Whilst in this area we also recorded Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and at least three Iberian Imperial Eagles (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) female.

After a while we drove down to the Embalse and checked the dam area where we had views of  Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) and a couple of Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Farrukh in his normal position.

We called it a day after we returned to the car and headed to out accommodation at the La Caracola Hotel nearby where we were made very welcome by Laura and Ramon as well as the superbly well behaved dogs Farrukh, Tango and another little chap who I can't remember the name of.

Charca Suarez and Castillo de Ferro, Granada Province, Spain.

A quiet morning at Charca and a few butterflies further down the coast.

Steve and Lynn, Day Thirteen.

 

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

We were up and around a bit earlier today so that we could be down on the coast for the opening time of 09.00 at Charca Suarez, we arrived and parked just up the road and went in through the gate and made our way up to the hide over looking Laguna Blanca but it was generally quiet and we only saw Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).

We moved on around to the main hide Laguna de las Aneas but we had a quick look in at the northern end of Laguna del Taraje on the way were we again saw Western Swamp-hen but an immature bird this time, Mallard, Common Moorhen and Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) male.

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) male.

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) male.

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) male and female.

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) male and female.

From the main hide we scanned the laguna finding Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), several Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) on the island with a couple of Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

European Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus).

Cynanchum acutum, Id by Anita Beijer.

6688 Spoladea recurvalis.

Down below the hide on the floating weeds Steve located several Black Percher (Diplacodes lefebvrii) dragonflies and on our way to the next hide over looking Laguna del Trébol I found a new Moth species for me, 6688 Spoladea recurvalis which was sitting on a climbing plant called Cynanchum acutum.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) male.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) male.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) male.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) female.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Steve found a cluster of European Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) on the leaves of the same plant as I had seen the Moth and another cluster a bit further on, from the hide I watched 4x Ferruginous Ducks (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) and on our way out of the reserve we also saw Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna).

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) male.

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) male.

We drove down the coast and up on to a site on the out skirts of Castillo de Ferro where we walked up on to a disused urbanisation where we looked for and found both male and female Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore), in the same area we also saw a single Black Percher and Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) before we went home where we later sat on the terrace and heard Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Rio Agar o Cacín, Sierra Tejeda, Granada Province, Spain.

A return to the valley of the Rio Agar o Cacín.

Steve and Lynn, Day Twelve.

Spiny-footed Lizard (Acanthodactylus erythrurus).

We headed back down to the same valley we had visited a few days earlier and parked in the same area but this time we walked upstream along the track for a few KMs to the Arroyo de la Venta.

Spiny-footed Lizard (Acanthodactylus erythrurus).

Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus).

As we started we found an immature Spiny-footed Lizard (Acanthodactylus erythrurus) which showed very nicely, in the same area we also had Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) and a couple of other insects which still need names.

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We continued on seeing Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and a calling but unseen Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus).

Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus).

Horseshoe Whip Snake (Coluber hippocrepis).

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).

As we walked we reached a pool down to the right where we watched a Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) feeding on the far shore, a Horseshoe Whip Snake (Coluber hippocrepis) which swam to the far reed bed and as we walked down to a spot where we could see the whole pool we also saw Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii), White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes), Common Winter Damselfly (Sympecma fusca), Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia).

Rock Grayling (Hipparchi alcyone).

We continued on and watched a couple of Cardinal Fritillaries (Argynnis pandora) which were feeding on some small Carlina corymbosa subsp. hispanica along with several Southern Blues (Polyommatus celina), Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia), Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto) and a bit further along the track Rock Grayling (Hipparchi alcyone), Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia palustris), Blue-winged (Oedipoda caerulescens) and Red-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda germanica).

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) male blue form.

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) male blue form.

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) male blue form.

Just before we reached a point where the Arroyo crossed the road and we had a large dragon fly passed us which I first called as an Emperor but Steve said he thought it was not and we soon sort the id when if flew by again and landed and showed itself to be a Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) of the blue form which is quite a rare sight. 

Common Winter Damselfly (Sympecma fusca).

Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii).

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens).

In the same area we also found a very smart looking Long-horn Beetle which is called Aromia moschata ambrosiaca and down by the Arroyo we found Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene), Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), the exuvia's of both Western Spectre and Southern Hawker, Purple Hairstreak (Quercusia Quercus), Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). 

Aromia moschata ambrosiaca.

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

We continued on a short way to where the Arroyo again crosses the track again where Steve came up with the find of the day a very small Betic Midwife Toad (Alytes dickhilleni) which was clinging to a rock just above the water line, we also found several of this species Tadpoles.

Betic Midwife Toad (Alytes dickhilleni).

Betic Midwife Toad (Alytes dickhilleni).

In the same area we found Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Tree Grayling (Neohipparchia statilinus), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Great Banded Grayling (Kanetisa circe), a couple of distant Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and back in the water several Larva of the Western Spectre Dragonflies.

Betic Midwife Toad (Alytes dickhilleni) Tadpole.

We walked back to the car and drove back towards the Embalse de Bermejales and along the track we saw House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene).

Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene).

Our next stop was at the bar near the Embalse where we had a drink, whilst there we heard and saw a single Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

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

Our final stop of the day was just down the road at the concrete sided inlet to the Embalse where we checked the two remaining pools finding Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Orange-winged (Trithemis kirbyi) and Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata), Iberian Bluetail, Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).