We started the day picking up a few species around the house and on the way down to the first site, they included Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) heard only, Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) again heard only, Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).
From here we headed out to the agricultural areas near Moraleda, as soon as we arrived we started to pick up new species for the day including Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica). We moved on around the site to see a pair of Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) which were breeding in the area, in the same area we picked up Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris). On the way back to the road we picked up a couple of fine male Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax). Up around the derilict ortijo we saw a couple of hill topping Swallowtails (Papilio machaon), three or more Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) and a very tatty Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).
Our next stop was along the Rio Cacín just below the Dam near the bridge where we walked along the track to the dam and soon added Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), a couple of heard only Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) which stayed well hidden but called constantly, Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). From near the dam we walked back along the track back to and passed the car continuing along the road for a while.
Along here we saw a male and female Cirl Buntings (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), several adult and immature Nightingales (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and a Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla). In this area we also added a few butterflies to the species list for the day including Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) plus a couple of dragons which were White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) and Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis).
From here we moved on up to the Embalse just along the road, on the way we had both Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus) and Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida) and a little further on we picked up two raptors on the ridge.
Andy quickly parked and quickly relocated the two birds and soon Identified them as an adult and immature Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus), we watched them for quite a while as they soared right above our heads before moving to the lake. On the muddy margins we counted at least 8 Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and a couple of Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and out on the water a small number of Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
On the far bank there were the usual Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) sunning them selves on a log. I then picked up some movement down in the reed beds and soon a couple of young Wild Boar (Felis silvestris) came out into view, also in the reeds there were several Reed Warblers (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) flashing about, a Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) which flew up onto some nearby thistles and a couple of Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) were calling from up on the ridge.
We again moved on, our nest site was along the Rio Cacín just out side the Village of Cacín where we followed a track along side the river. We soon had good views of a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and then a bird Andy really wanted to see after hearing them earlier, a cracking Wryneck which gave us superb views as it perched on some dead branches for a good while.
From here we headed up onto the ridge above the village and followed the road for a while to a view point where we scanned the skies for raptors, we did add Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) to the list but no other raptors. However we saw our second pair of Rollers for the day, Rock / Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) along with several Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and dozens of Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).
We then retraced our step right back up the valley to the crags just below Moraleda, along the crags above the pines we soon picked Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and out on the fields we heard Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
On the way back towards the house we called in at Balsa de Rigedor where we added just two new species for the day, the first was Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and the second a cracking pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus). We ten went back to the house, on the way in we had a couple of fly over Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).
Along here we saw a male and female Cirl Buntings (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), several adult and immature Nightingales (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and a Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla). In this area we also added a few butterflies to the species list for the day including Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) plus a couple of dragons which were White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) and Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis).
From here we moved on up to the Embalse just along the road, on the way we had both Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus) and Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida) and a little further on we picked up two raptors on the ridge.
Andy quickly parked and quickly relocated the two birds and soon Identified them as an adult and immature Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus), we watched them for quite a while as they soared right above our heads before moving to the lake. On the muddy margins we counted at least 8 Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and a couple of Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and out on the water a small number of Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
On the far bank there were the usual Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) sunning them selves on a log. I then picked up some movement down in the reed beds and soon a couple of young Wild Boar (Felis silvestris) came out into view, also in the reeds there were several Reed Warblers (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) flashing about, a Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) which flew up onto some nearby thistles and a couple of Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) were calling from up on the ridge.
We again moved on, our nest site was along the Rio Cacín just out side the Village of Cacín where we followed a track along side the river. We soon had good views of a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and then a bird Andy really wanted to see after hearing them earlier, a cracking Wryneck which gave us superb views as it perched on some dead branches for a good while.
From here we headed up onto the ridge above the village and followed the road for a while to a view point where we scanned the skies for raptors, we did add Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) to the list but no other raptors. However we saw our second pair of Rollers for the day, Rock / Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) along with several Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and dozens of Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).
We then retraced our step right back up the valley to the crags just below Moraleda, along the crags above the pines we soon picked Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and out on the fields we heard Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
On the way back towards the house we called in at Balsa de Rigedor where we added just two new species for the day, the first was Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and the second a cracking pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus). We ten went back to the house, on the way in we had a couple of fly over Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).