Motril area, Granada Province.

RAM, Motril Port and Charca de Suárez.

Cabo Sacratif.

This month the RAM was put back to the second weekend of the month due to a couple of Spanish holidays. Juan and I set off from Granada at just after seven and arrived down at Cabo Sacratif to the East of Motril where we set up looking over a flat calm sea. The see watching did not produce the numbers but we did see a couple of good species.  

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Somria / Larus fuscus).

Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) x1 and Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Catharacta skua) x3 were probably the highlight of the couple of hours spent on the headland. We also picked up a single Cory's (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea) and good numbers of Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Somria / Larus fuscus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocorax carbo), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) and a pair of Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and a small group of Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) also passed by.

Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

Along the cliffs Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) were all seen. Amongst the vegetation I picked up a single Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).

Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna).

The next stop was the fish docks at Motril, where we had more access that usual now that Juan had managed to get a letter of permission to enter the areas behind the barriers. Several Lesser Black-backed Gulls with rings on were recorded along with more Black-headed, Yellow-legged and Mediterranean Gulls, Sandwich Tern, Sanderling and Great Cormorant. New birds included Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulga / Falcotinnunculus).

Charca.

We moved on later than expected to Charca de Suárez for a quick look at the pools, fortunately Manolo the warden was not in any hurry so we had a good couple of hours there, some of the time spent in the restricted access photographic hide where the light direction is much better. By the gate we saw several Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria), a single tatty Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Small White (Artogeia rapae). At the first hide Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinula Chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) were all added to the growing list.

Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis).

We moved around to the hide on the long pool where Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) was calling from the reed beds, along with Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and White Wagtail. In the distance a single White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) was picked up soaring, eventually it passed right over head. We then made our way around to the main hide picking up a couple of Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis) sitting out in the sun. Once in the hide the species flowed again, we picked up Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Eurasian Wigeon (Silbón Europeo / Anas Penelope), Mallard, Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Anas clypeata) and a single Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Eurasian Coot and Common Moorhen.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Somria / Larus fuscus).

Out on the pool we also picked up a single female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

Villanueva Mesia and El Turro areas, Granada Province

Another mornings Atlas work.

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

The morning started misty and damp but as I approached the start of the area to be worked the visibility improved and I was able to start. I had 8 fifteen minute itineraries to complete, five in the area around the village of Villanueva Mesia and three near El Turro. Along the Rio Genil where it is joined by the Rio Cacín Several Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), 30+ Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), a single Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and a few Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) were counted. Out on the fields Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Meadow Pipit (Bistita Común / Anthus pratensis), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Petirrrojo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) were the commonest species, they were also joined by a couple of Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and a male Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

The next two sections were along the wooded banks of the Rio Cacín, Both Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) were heard the former was drumming regularly. Also picked up here were more Iberian  Magpie about 50, Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotraustes), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinula Chloropus), Great Tit (Carbonero Común / Parus major), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Later I went to complete the three itineraries near El Turro, here I added Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Blue Rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Miliaria calandra) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulga / Falcotinnunculus).

Huetor Fields, Granada Province.

A visit from Bob Wright from the Axarquia Bird group.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I meet Bob down in Huetor Tajar so that we could go and have a look at the wintering flock of Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which by now numbered 215 birds. I had checked out the site earlier and found the flock on one of their regular fields just out of the town. When we arrived we counted about 180 birds, most of the flock. Bob took some shots from in the car and then tried to get a bit closer by using the cover of the adjacent Asparagus field. Unfortunately a train spooked the birds and they flew off to the fields they use in the Loja direction. We then had a look along the river picking up a single Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Meadow Pipit (Bistita Común / Anthus pratensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata).

Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

There were also good numbers of Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer Montanus).

Bob in the Stone-curlew fields.

Later we went down to the fields where a large flock of Stone-curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) had been wintering, but because of a lot of activity on the nearby lettuce fields the flock had splintered and we only had about 70 birds. Also seen were House SparrowA (Gorrión Común), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Near Andújar, Jaen Province.

The Iberian Lynx in Sierra Morena.

A foggy start to the day.

Jayne, Juan and I set off at some unearthly hour to drive into the mountains in Jaen Province with a dream of seeing Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina). This was a trip I had long waited to do and a species I had wanted to see for many years.

Round-leaved Oak (Quercus rotundifolia).

We arrived before the dawn but found the site was blanketed in Mist and visibility was about 30 meters. As soon as we got out of the car we started to pick things up by sound including the bellowing calls of a great number of rutting Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and as soon as dawn arrived many species of passerine started to rise. Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Robin (Petirrrojo / Erithacus rubecula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Song (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) were all heard.

Juan search the hill sides.

Juan and I had a stroll along one of the tracks and I had a look at some of the trees and plants. The only blooms seen belonged to Iberian Milk-vetch (Astragalus lusitanicus), a species I had seen before in the area around Grazalema. Round-leaved Oak (Quercus rotundifolia), Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo) and Cistus bushes made up a vast amount of the ground cover. At about 12:30 the fog had cleared enough for some serious watching to take place. One of the first interesting finds was an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) which was sitting in one of the larger Oaks, it later moved closer in a eucalyptus but remained on view all day much to the dislike of the local Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común) population which pestered it all afternoon.

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus).

I then took a stroll along the track again and on my way back I stopped to talk to a couple of Spanish lads and suddenly notice Jayne and Juan waving madly and I soon realized that the walk was a big mistake. The next 200 meters were a blur, I wasn’t but it was the fastest I have moved in a very very long time (probably since PE lessons at school), I got to the others to get a two second view thought the scope. I had seen a Lynx but not for any thing like long enough, but it was a start and I did not wonder off again for the rest of the day. Luckily a few minutes later the magnificent male Lynx came into view again a lot closer, it moved through the Oaks at speed and then appeared right out in the open on one of the tracks. 

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

We had marvelous views, it was still about 270 meters away but through the scope it was great. During the afternoon the animal was seen again briefly several times until its last sighting when it was about a 750m away but again through the scope it could be seen lying in the grass cleaning its self before moving out of sight over a ridge. 

Iberian Milk-vetch (Astragalus lusitanicus).

During the day we also saw Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) a couple call continuously all day, Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Little Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotraustes), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Blue Rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).

A92 from Granada, Granada Province.

Raptor with a death wish.

Jayne and I spent a hectic but good few hours around the large general market in Granada city, well worth an occasional visit. On the way back near the exit for Lachar (salida 223) I was looking to the south for a flock of about 40 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which I had seen a few time recently, they were there along with a few Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea). As I looked back at the traffic I was aware of a small raptor flying at about 2 meters down the outside lane of the motorway. It suddenly lifted to the northern side and landed in a small tree. All I saw at first was a flash of silver / grey so was expecting it to be a Harrier but as it lifted it's small size became apparent as did the black wing patches and I soon realized that the bird was in fact a Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).