Padul Wetlands, Granada Province.

A short three hour visit mostly spent watching just one bird.

Baillon's Crake (Polluela Chica / Porzana pusilla).

I dropped Jayne off at a friends house in Granada and made my way down to Padul wetlands, I parked where I usually do and walked the 100 meters or so along the smelly stream to the foot bridge.

Baillon's Crake (Polluela Chica / Porzana pusilla).

On the way to this point I recorded Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), a single Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

Baillon's Crake (Polluela Chica / Porzana pusilla).

I turned and crossed the foot bridge and as I did a small Crake flew out from under the bridge and dived for the cover of the reeds about 5 meters along the stream, I quickly sat down on the bridge and waited to see if the bird would show. After just a couple of minutes a cracking Baillon's Crake (Polluela Chica / Porzana pusilla) was the reward and for the next 2.5 hours I watched this stunning bird down to just a meter or so (far to close for the camera at times) as it fed amomongst the vegetation on the margins.

Baillon's Crake (Polluela Chica / Porzana pusilla).

Just before leaving I did have a quick look from the hide where I caught brief views of a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) along with Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).  I then returned to the City and collected Jayne and we headed home.