Torcal, Malaga Province.

Well, the views would have been good but for the cloud layer in July!

The group.

I met Mike and the rest of the walkers at the Hotel Enslava in Antequera and we made our way up to the Torcal, unfortunately the mist / low cloud had come across the ridge, we decided to push on around the longer of the two loops. 

Because of the low cloud very little wildlife was seen, but I did manage to pick up Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). 

Fossils

Towards the end of the walk we made a slight detour out on to a ridge for what would be great views normally but due to the lingering cloud we could not see very far, it was worthwhile to see the fossil remains in the limestone.

Fossils.

Hacho, Loja, Granada Province.

Mad Dog (Yogi) and English Men Go Out in the Mid afternoon Sun, not one of my best ideas.

Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia).

Yogi and I went for a late afternoon walk on the northern side of Hacho, a small sierra just north of the town of Loja, we parked up and stated off up the track from the road to Ventorros de San Jose and picked up a small party of Iberian Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) nosily moving through the almond trees.

Large numbers of Western House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), a few Eurasian Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido / Apus pallidus) all fed along the crags and over the quarry. 

Striped Grayling (Pseudotergumia fidia).

A male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) dropped from sight in to the quarry, several Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) called as they flew over and 20+ Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) wheezed on the cliffs. 

In the grassy areas I picked up several Southern Gatekeepers (Pyronia cecilia), a couple of Striped Grayling (Pseudotergumia fidia), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia agestis) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

On the way back I added Eurasian Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), European Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).

Further along the Rio, Huetor Fields, Granada Province.

Eurasian Golden Oriole's by the flock. 

Yogi again.

Today’s walk with the Bear was a little further along the river; we parked and followed one of the many farmer’s tracks, on a small pool of water in the now nearly dry river there were a couple of Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinula Chloropus) scratching around in the mud and a flock of about 10 Iberian Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) drinking and bathing. 

All the way along the track I had been able to hear several ♂ Eurasian Golden Oriole's (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) calling from the Poplar plantation on the opposite bank of the river, as I got closer five bird flew out of a solitary tree on my side of the river and dispersed into the plantation opposite, a couple of cracking ♂♂ stayed and showed very well (as they do when you have not got the camera set up) before joining the other birds.

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

A Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) called several times from the Poplars but remained unseen, other birds included Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulga / Falco tinnunculus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido / Apus pallidus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Western House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Great Tit (Carbonero Común / Parus major), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and Eurasian Magpie. 

A little way past the woodland, we crossed the river and walked back towards the car.