Ventorros de San Jose Area, Granada Province.

Two more Orchids for the year list.

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).

Jayne and I went for a local run out in the car to look for a small pool a friend Chris Goodacre had mention has some amphibians in it. We first went to the wrong place near some burial chambers at Zagra but it was certainly not a waste of time as very good views of Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Pallid (Vencejo Pálido / Apus pallidus) and Alpine Swifts (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) were had. 

View ot to Embalse de Iznajar.

I also found a single spike of Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana) and several of Fan-lipped Orchids (Orchis collina) along with the very smart Narcissus gaditanus which was growing quite commnly at the site. I went for a short walk along the crag tops near by and found a few spikes of Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera) growing in amongst the low scrub.

We then took the correct track and quickly found the pool and there were loads of Iberian Pond Frogs (Rana perezi) there along with their thousands of tadpoles.

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We then made our way back stopping to photograph a water spot for the local goats and calling in on the Northern slopes of Hacho near Loja. 

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis Olbiensis).

Here I found another couple of spikes of Giant Orchid, loads of Somber Bee (Ophrys fusca subsp fusca) and some nice pale versions of Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis Mascula ssp Olbiensis).

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis Olbiensis).