Migration Around Huetor Tajar and Loja, Granada Province.

Migrants and Red-necked Nightjars.

Stone-curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

During the day several flocks of Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and a few singleton Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europea / Circaetus gallicus) were seen passing west from the garden. 

European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) were also pushing south with several hundred being noted during the afternoon, later several were on wires a Km or so from the house. Whilst driving down to the local supermarket Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Stone-curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) were all seen. 

Whilst having a beer on the way back quite a few more Stone-curlews were seen dropping into the fields near by, possibly the start of the winter gatherings we get locally, some years numbering 900+. The final birds of the day were four Red-necked Nightjars (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis), three seen whilst driving home and one sat on the wires at the side of the house.

Rodin and the Symbolist Mythology, Malaga Province.

Visit to the Exhibition Rooms of the Museo del Patrimonio Municipal.

The museum is located on the eastern side of the city, surrounded by some very nice gardens and walkways. The only slight down side was the price of the parking, but if you’re very early or very very lucky you can pick up a free space near by on some of the back streets.

The exhibition of 85 of Auguste Rodin's works was well worth the visit, even for a person with only a passing interest in arts like me. Unlike me my wife, Jayne who was in her element and enjoyed the works very much and the only down side to her visit was me prattling on and asking far too many questions. The collection included THE KISS, GATES OF HELL, LITTLE SIREN and the best know THE THINKER. The Bronze's, plaster works and paintings were well set out over three floors in the museum.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records.

Pale Shoulder (Acontia lucida).

Again I was using the 125MV trap, it was a warm night with the temperature not dropping below +20 and the sky was clear. There were a couple of new species for the year Cosmopolitan (Mythimna loreyi) and Pale Shoulder (Acontia lucida) and a couple of new moths for the garden list. 

Cosmopolitan (Mythimna loreyi).

Pine Processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) which is a moth that I have seen more as larva, forming there long nose to tail line and Eutelia adulatrix which is quite distinctive in the way that the wings and abdomen rest.

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Agrotis lata, The Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria), Small Mottled Willow (Spodoptera exigua), Small Marbled (Eublemma parva), Menophra japygiaria, Four-spotted Moth (Tyta luctuosa), Ni Moth (Trichoplusia ni) and Antigastra catalaunalis were a few of the other species caught.

Eutelia adulatrix.