Huétor Fields and Riofrio, Granada Province, Spain.

Down on the patch before going for a Coffee and a Chat with a friend.

Ebird List for the Fields.

 

The sunrises over Sierra Nevada.

Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

I started the day by getting a few jobs done and the headed down to the fields for a walk along the Lucerne fields where I saw Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), the first Eurasian Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) of the autumn, a late Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

As I walked I also saw Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) and Small White (Pieris rapae) before I headed along the A92 to Riofrio where I meet up with friend Pat and we had Coffee, Tostrada and a chat before I headed back home via the garage where I was shed and cleaned the car.

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) female.

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) female.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 20th Oct 24.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +12

195 Moths of 29 Species.

Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.

 

0663 Trichophaga bipartitella.

0663 Trichophaga bipartitella x1, 1655 Ethmia bipunctella x8, 4432 Oxypteron schawerdai  x3, 6531 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty Dot Pearl) x1, 6619 Uresiphita gilvata (Yellow-underwing Pearl) x1, 6690a Palpita vitrealis x13, 6700 Dolicharthria punctalis x1, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x4, 7882 Charissa mucidarius x1, 8186 Idaea degeneraria (Portland Ribbon Wave) x1,  

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7882 Charissa mucidarius.

8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal) x5, 8328 Nebula ibericata x9, 9081 Trichoplusia ni x1,  9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled) x4, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x29, 9454 Hoplodrina ambigua (Vine's Rustic) x1, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x1, 9591 Agrochola lunosa (Lunar Underwing) x12, 9621 Episema grueneri x21, 9628 Leucochlaena oditis (Beautiful Gothic) x5, 9743a Mniotype occidentalis x2, 10029 Mythimna sicula x1, 

9081 Trichoplusia ni.

9591 Agrochola lunosa (Lunar Underwing).

9743a Mniotype occidentalis.

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10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic) x4, 10215 Xestia kermesina x11, 10326 Eucoptocnemis optabilis x27, 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x6, 10347 Agrotis trux x6, 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x3 and 10460 Earias insulana (Egyptian Bollworm) x3.

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9621 Episema grueneri.

Malaga Airport, Canal de Sacaba (Malaga) in Malaga Province and Huétor Fields in Granada Province, Spain.

A drive down to Malaga to take my Mom to the Airport, later I walked down the fields.

 

Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

It was Moms last morning, they had an midday flight so at 08:30 we set off and by 9:45 I was saying goodbye to them after a very nice visit and looking forward to seeing them again in a few weeks.

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

Until I heard from Mom to say all was well with there flight I stayed in the Malaga area and visited the rather minging spot called the Canal de Sacaba which was filthy with litter and rubbish that had been fly tipped there by many selfish scumbags.

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

Even though it is a site I will not revisit in a hurry I did manage to see Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) x2, Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata).

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis).

During the walk I also saw Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Large (Pieris brassicae) and Small White (Pieris rapae), Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus) and Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).

I returned to the house and on the yard in front of the house I added Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli) and Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore). 

Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Later I went for a short walk along the Lucerne field but turned around before the Crossroads as there was lots of mud on the road, as I walked I saw Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti).

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

Outside just after dark and with the bins I managed to pick out Comet Tsushinshan / A3 well after most people have managed to see but this was our first cloud free night in a while.

CIMA near Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Drive Home and Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

A brief walk around a couple of traps and then off home.

Ebird List for the Terrace.

 

The morning Moth round.

We weren't up as early as planned after a later finish last night but just after 08:00 we were checking a couple of traps near to CIMA and then at just before 10:00 I said my farewells and drove back home as I needed to be back to sort things out ready for my Mom and John's departure tomorrow.

I arrived back a we spent a while up on the terrace where I saw 4x Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica) which could well be the first I have seen from the house, Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Other species also seen from the terrace included Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria). Later we went out for a meal and got everything ready for tomorrow.

Cazalla Watch Point, CIMA and Pinar Del Rey, Cadiz Province, Spain.

A morning with Mom and John and the a drive down to CIMA near Tarifa.

 

Morocco off to the South.

I spent the morning with Mom and John and then at around 11:30 I started the drive down to CIMA for a Moth event that was being held over the weekend but unfortunately was only going to be able to stay for the one night.

Tarifa in to the  Sun.

I drove down seeing a Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) between Algeciras and Tarifa, as I was a little early I stopped at Cazalla watch point to have a sandwich and whilst there I saw a Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), a couple of Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and a Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) before I dropped down to CIMA which was just down the road.

Looking out to Morocco.

I messaged Dave Grundy and he showed me the way in and showed me the kitchen where I met some of the other people attending including Teresa Farino, Stephen Knapp, Keith Hamilton, Dr Will Leo Hawkes who is running a type of insect radar at CIMA, Pedro Pires from Portugal, Rafael M Cerpa, José Manuel Moreno Benítez, José Manuel Moreno Benítez and several more.

Later we all headed off to Pinar Del Rey (Thanks to the three guys from Barcelona for giving me a lift) where we were spending the night Moth surveying, Manuel Pozas, Dr Rhian Guillem and a coupe of others joined us on site.

7613 Opisthograptis luteolata (Brimstone).

7765 Peribatodes ilicaria (Lydd Beauty).

Some of the species I saw (There were many more I didn't see) included 7613 Opisthograptis luteolata (Brimstone), 7765 Peribatodes ilicaria (Lydd Beauty), 8235 Scotopteryx peribolata, 8405 Horisme scorteata, 8750 Phalera bucephala (Buff-tip), 8802 Cryphia pallida, 9520 Callopistria juventina, 10216 Xestia agathina (Heath Rustic), 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart), 10380 Ocneria rubea, 10555 Cymbalophora pudica, 

10216 Xestia agathina (Heath Rustic).

10380 Ocneria rubea.

8405 Horisme scorteata.

8235 Scotopteryx peribolata (Spanish Carpet).

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9520 Callopistria juventina (The Latin).

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8802 Cryphia pallida. 

10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).

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During the evening we also saw several Scorpions and heard at least 3 calling Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco) before all the traps were checked and packed away and we made our way back to CIMA and to bed around 02:30ish.

Scorpion species.

A Scorpion under ultraviolet light.

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

A short, damp walk along the Lucerne fields

Ebird List for the Fields.

 

A grey start over the fields.

Woke to grey skies and light rain so first thing I popped to Moreleda and then came back to Huétor Fields for a walk but unfortunately it was still blowing a bit and drizzling so it was a short one.

I parked by the Walnut trees as the track was a little muddy and walked back towards my normal parking spot, on the way I saw Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

I returned to the house and then later we all went out for another walk at Riofrio which Mom and John had enjoyed the last time and then went for some lunch at 3 Calles in Huétor Tajar.

During the walk at Riofrio I saw and heard Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus),  Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Iberian  (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).

On our way back we went through Loja and out via La Esperanza where at the bridge over Rio we saw a good number of feeding Eurasian Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

From 3 Calles we headed back to the house and up onto the terrace where we chilled until it became too windy and saw Common Buzzard, Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Eurasian Blackcap.

Antequera, Fuente de Piedra in Malaga Province and Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A run out west with Mom and John.

 

Fuente's main lagoon with a spot more water than the last time I visited but not much.

After overnight rain it was nice to see the cloud braking up a bit so we decided to have a drive over to Antequera where we had a coffee and then we took a look around the town before heading over to Fuente de Piedra but as expected there wasn't a lot of water (what there was looked more like a disgusting slimy green sludge) so everything was distant and as I hadn't planned on go there I didn't have any bins with me.

We did see Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) x2, Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and some distant small looking terns.

Mom and John near the (closed) visitor center.

We returned to the car and headed back towards the house for a late lunch, as we were turning around above the house there were a couple of butterfly species on the roadside weed which turned out to be Small White (Pieris rapae) x3 and Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) x2, we also saw at least 3 more of the Orange-tips from the terrace along with singles of both Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Birds seen were the usual suspects which included Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops) and Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 15th Oct 24.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +17

239 Moths of  32 Species.

Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.

 

4432 Oxypteron schawerdai.

1655 Ethmia bipunctella x8, 4432 Oxypteron schawerdai  x3, 5875 Apomyelois ceratoniae (Locust Bean Moth) x1, 6380x Ancylolomia tentaculella agg x1, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x1, 6619 Uresiphita gilvata (Yellow-underwing Pearl) x3, 6688 Spoladea recurvalis x3, 6690a Palpita vitrealis x10, 6700 Dolicharthria punctalis x2, 6704 Antigastra catalaunalis x1, 8328 Nebula ibericata x1, 8509 Eupithecia centaureata (Lime-speck Pug) x1, 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x2, 9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled) x1, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x48, 

6496 Evergestis isatidalis.

6688 Spoladea recurvalis.

8328 Nebula ibericata.

9436 Caradrina flavirena x3, 9454 Hoplodrina ambigua (Vine's Rustic) x3, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x2, 9462 Spodoptera littoralis (Mediterranean Brocade) x1, 9591 Agrochola lunosa (Lunar Underwing) x3, 9621 Episema grueneri x26, 9628 Leucochlaena oditis (Beautiful Gothic) x7, 9743a Mniotype occidentalis x1, 10016 Leucania punctosa x3, 10029 Mythimna sicula x1, 10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic) 2, 10215 Xestia kermesina x14, 10326 Eucoptocnemis optabilis x22, 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x27, 10347 Agrotis trux x29, 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x3 and 10353 Agrotis spinifera x1.

9462 Spodoptera littoralis (Mediterranean Brocade).

9591 Agrochola lunosa (Lunar Underwing).

10353 Agrotis spinifera.