Laguna Dulce, Malaga Province and Campobuche, Cadiz Province.

A trip over to Grazalema to see Sue and Sam (Day one).

Red-crested Pochards (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina).

Jayne and I started our day a little later than planned but hit the road heading for Grazalema via Laguna Dulce and Setenil on the way. As we travelled west towards Campillos we saw a few bits from the motorway including Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) around Huétor and Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) on some flooded fields near Coloniade Santa Ana.

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

Once at the pool I went and checked the area from the hide, the wind was keeping most of the birds on the near shore which made things a little easier than the last time I visited. The commonest species by far was the Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), several hundred of them were being herded around between the Tamarisks and reeds by several immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni).

Also in amongst all the Coot I located several Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochards (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), 6x Tufted Ducks (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), a pair of Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), a small number of White-headed Ducks (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Jayne and Sam at Campobuches.

Other species seen and heard here were Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Hoop-petticoat Daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium).

From here we headed on past Campillos to Setenil, one of the many white villages in the area and one which I had until now not visited. By the time Jayne and I had spent a very pleasant couple of hours we wanted to move there it was that nice. Whilst we were walking around the was the continous calling of Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) over head and every time I looked up to see them there were several Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) passing through. Also in the town we saw Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).
We continued on towards Sue's put called in at the Roman Ruins of Acinipo where we walked up to the main ampitheatre and around the two other sites, it was interesting but as with many speacial site in Spain the fencing and other bits had seen better days. Birds here included Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus).

Sam.

We continued on again and stopped for some lunch at a place just outside Montecorto on the side of the main Ronda to Sevilla road before heading to Sue's house. 

We arrived and spent some time chatting with Sue and playing games with Sambefore we all headed out to an area nearby to look for Amphibians. We parked at Campobuches and walked along the river checking some small pools on the way where we found loads of Natterjack Toad (Sapo Corredor / Bufo calamita) tadpoles. A little further on we saw lots of spawn in another pool and a freshly dead female toad. We continued on a short way and found one of the plants I have very much hoped to see on this visit, the Hoop-petticoat Daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium). 

Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychlorus).

In the same area we were checked out by a nice Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychlorus) which sat and sunned itself a few times between energetic flights. After checking a few slower moving pools in the river and only turning up several Iberian Water Frogs (Rana Común / Rana Perezi) we retraced out steps but stayed slightly higher up the bank out of the swampy bits and found several flowering Narcissus cerrolazae (formaly fernandesii), Romulea bulbocodium, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea).
Birds in the area included Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala). Well into the evening we made our way back up to the house, had a nice meal and relaxed with Sue and Sam.

Huetor Fields and Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A days birding with Steve and Elena Powell.

Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I met up with Steve and Elena at the Cortijo de Tajar hoteljust off the A92 near Huétor Tajar and we had a quick coffee before making our way out onto the nearby fields. Our first stop was on the track out to Mesia where a week or so earlier I had seen a single Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) in a trackside ditch.

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

On the way we checked a couple of other fields and soon started the list off with Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and a calling flight of 7 Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria). When we reached the first spot we checked the ditch before having a walk along a narrow irrigation channel which crossed the fields, as soon as we started off we had a couple of Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) go up along with Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
At about the half way point we flushed up the first Jack Snipe which dropped in to the crop fields a short distance off to our right and then a few meters further on a second bird went up and flew around behind us and away to the other side of the track. Pleased with our sightings we retraced our steps to the track where we had a chat with one of the local farmers and explained to him what we were up to and that we were only hunting with our camera's.

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

I was pleased that he took the time to find out what we were doing and that he seemed a little bit interested in the birds as well. Anyway we then checked out the damp fields on the opposite side of the track where we saw a female Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and another fine male Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail.

We returned to the car and made our way through Mesia and on to the service road along side the A92 heading for Moraleda, along here we scanned Balsa de Rigedor and picked up Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and on the nearby wire both Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

From here we made our way up to the agricultural area near to Moraleda where we searched the fields from several of the farmer tracks, on the way in we picked up a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and a flying Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis). Once out on the fields we could hear Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) singing all around us along with Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica). Near the large ruin of an old Cortijo we saw two Swallowtails (Papilio machaon) and several Bath Whites (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice).

We drove down to the area around the Solar Panels and Elena picked up a nice male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) walking across a crop fields nearby and then we heard and saw (breifly) a cracking adult Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius). Continuing on we checked out the Almond groves and as things were warming up even more butterflies were on the move, in this area we added Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea), a single Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera). Again we moved on around the site adding Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) and both Common (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Iberian Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Ibérico / Phylloscopus brehmii).

Province Hairstreak (Cardenillo / Tomares ballus).

Our last stop at this site was in a large Almond plantation where we were looking for and found several Province Hairstreaks (Cardenillo / Tomares ballus) a cracking quick flying difficult to photograph insect which was a new species for Steve and he got some very nice shots as well. In the same area we also had a second Little Bustard and 3 Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

From here we dropped down in to the valley and had our lunch at the small bar in El Turro before pushing on down the Valley to the bridge across the river where we walked along the river up to the dam, on the way we saw several spikes of Ophrys forestieri on the roadside in the pines. New species at the bridge included Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great  Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) heard only and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos). We continued on again but just as far as the small Embalse a KM or so further along the road, here we saw much the same species as on the small pool earlier but new species included Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), a pair of Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and a calling but unseen Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei). 

Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni).

Our final stops in the valley were south of the village of Cacín, the first was in the gorge where we had really nice views of a female Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and heard Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). On our way back North we stopped at the Roman bridge and soon had a male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) on the list along with a nice male Cleopatra (Cleopatra / Gonepteryx cleopatra) butterfly. 

We continued on North and took the Ventas de Huelma road in Cacín hoping to see some raptors during the drive there bu we were unlucky. Once in Ventas we took a minor road across country heading back to the agricultural areas where we had started the day, just after we left the village I picked up two Great Spotted Cuckoo's in flight which landed in a tree not to far from the roadside and gave us great views and Steve managed to get some cracking photograps. Further on we stopped near an abandoned Cortijo and had good views of a group of at least 8 Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni). From here we made our way back to the motorway and then on back to the meeting point a the hotel.

Thanks Steve and Elena for yet another great day out in the field and for the use of some of your shots.

Padul Wetland, Granada Province.

A very windy morning and an unexpected meeting with two Spanish birding friends.

Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

Yesterday, Tuesday I went to Zagra to get a boot full of logs from the Olive factory just to keep us going but arrived to find the pile had gone. As we were very low we decided to go to a place up on the out skirts of Granada to get some next morning.

As we were going we thought that we may as well make the most of it, so Jayne went into the city for a few hours whilst I visited Padul wetlands.

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

I parked by the entrance to the reserve near the smelly river section and walked along the track a spent some time sat on the new ridge near the bridge and watched the wintering Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Bluethroats (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) and Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and the resident Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) which apart from a fleeting scamper across a gap in the reeds were heard reather than seen. After a while I decided that lying on the damp soil in the cold strong wind was not such a good idea and returned to the car. I drove the car a short way along the same track and parked along side the smeely stream and waited to see what would come in to range of the camera.

Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

From this spot I saw, heard and photographed (some of) Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I sat there for some time then I noticed that Juan Perez had just arrived so I go out of the car and whan and had a chat with him for a while. I took the car off the track and parked next to Juan as we we were going have a walk out to the hide, as we were about to start Manuel Cayuela López arived and he joined us as well. We walked down to the bank but saw nothing more than I had earlier so we continued on down to the hide where we added Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) to the list before heading back to the car well and truly blown inside out.

Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

We gave into the wind then and made our ways home.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

Out on the local patch Snipe hunting (only with the camera !!!).

Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

I went down to the spot where I had seen the Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) a few days early hoping but not expecting to see it again whilst making sure the camera was ready this time. I arrived and checked all along the roadside ditch where the bird first flushed up from but only saw a dozen or so Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

I continued on along the track crossing the Mesia road and checked the channel that side, I soon found a good flock of very active and quite noisy Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) which were flitting around between the nearby trees, a Lucerne fieldand the channel. In this area I also saw a couple of Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

I then turned around and headed back to the car checking the channel again, once back I walked out to the small pools in the field but found nothing. on the way back I looked amongst the reeds near the road and had brief views of at least two  Bluethroats (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) a white spotted one and another with a completly blue throat, both males. I sat on the side of the irrigation channel for the next hour or so hoping that the Bluethroats may show a bit better for the camera but they stayed hidden. In the area I did see Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) before heading home.