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Friday 4 April 2014

Sierra de Loja and Zafarraya Road, Granada Province.

A day of birds and Orchids with Kalpana and Will.
Day two.

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).
Our second days birding started on a much brighter note with the sun shining nicely as we made our way down to Loja and up on to the Sierra above the town. We came up the step track and made our way up towards the smaller quarry, on the way we stopped in amongst the pine woods and had brief flight views of our first Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), in the same area we also had MistleThrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and a Red Squirrel (Sclurus vulgaris).
Torcal Toadflax (Linaria anticaria).
We continued on to the quarry and walked in along the track, just as we left the car we saw a fine male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), quickly followed by Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
We walked back out of the quarry and spent some time looking at the wildflowers and Orchids on the rocky slopes, on one large rock we had several plants of the rare endemic Torcal Toadflax (Linaria anticaria), Rusty-back Fern (Ceterach officinarum), Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) and Western ramping-fumitory (Fumaria occidentalis). 
Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).
In the same area we also found Viola dementria, White Mustard (Sinapis alba), Warty Spurge (Euphorbia squamigera), Southern Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris) not yet in flower and White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum).
From here we made our way up the hill and along the crags were we had nice views of Red-billed Choughs (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), heard a Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) lower down amongst the trees and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).
Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).
Again we carried on up onto the level areas and soon started to see good numbers of Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Black-eared Wheatears (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) of both face pattern varients, a single male Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and several Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis). 
Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).
We made a roadside stop and had a walk in to the broom scrub and eventually saw a male Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata) but he was not helpful and did a single song flight and disappeared in to the distance.
Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbiensis).
We continued on heading for Charca del Negra but the cloud cover dropped and we decided that it was pointless going on as we could not see any thing so we turned around and started to drop back down.
On the way we had two Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) drift by and on our second visit to the track up to the quarry we had nice views of a male Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).
Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).
We dropped down even further and headed back towards Loja, on the way we had some good views of a pair of Iberian Magpies building a nest in a flimsy looking Almond tree.
Our next stop was lunch down in Riofrio Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) one in flight and another perched on a fence post. Our next port of call was at an area of grassland near Zafarraya where were we looking for Orchids, straight away we had several spikes of Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana), followed by several Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Conical (Orchis conica), Mirror (Ophrys speculum) and by far the best were several spikes of just opening Pink Butterfly (Orchis papilionacea).
Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).
In the same area we saw Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus F lyllus), Bath White (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice) and heard a distant Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix). We retraced our way back up the valley and stopped again on the way back towards Loja and checked out another patch of Oak Woodland.
Here we saw several of the Orchid species already seen but added Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbiensis), Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera) and lots of not yet flowering Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanatera longifolia).
Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).
where we had an OKish menu del dia at Paco Rama before heading down the western side of the Sierra. Our first stop was to watch a couple of male
Birds seen or heard included Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).
Conical Orchid (Orchis conica).
Again we moved a little way down the road and had our last walk of the day through some more open Oak trees, here we saw Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea), Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina) and many more of the same species of Orchid already recorded.
Thanks to Kalpana and Will for two very enjoyable days Birding and Botanising.

Thursday 3 April 2014

Huétor Fields and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A day in the Valley with Kalpana and Will from the USA.
Day One.

Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
We left the house at 08:30 and it was raining and not looking to good but by the time we reached the Rio Vilano it had eased and we started the day with Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), the first Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) of the year on the patch, Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs). 
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
We then made our way out on to the Mesia road and headed towards the Village, on the way we had brief views of a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) which dropped out of view straight away and whilst we searched for it we had a Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) Dissappear into a nearby fig tree not to be seen again.
Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).
 We continued on to the small pool called Balsa de Rigedor just off the side of the A92 near Moraleda. Here we soon identified 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), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus) and quite a few Stripe-necked Terrapin's (Mauremys leprosa).
Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
Again we moved on crossing the A92 and going out on to the fields near the town of Moraleda, on the way we saw our first Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus). Once out on the fields we checked the fields on the nearsdide of an Almond plantation and soon had a female and a couple of male Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) in sight along with Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and more Corn Buntings, Common Kestrels and Meadow  Pipits
Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis).
We had a short walk to a nearby patch of more natural ground with scattered rocks and lots of the tall and beautiful Common Asphodel (Asphodelus albus), lower down amongst the grass we also found several of the commoner Orchid species Fan-lipped (Orchis conica), Mirror (Ophrys speculum), Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera) and Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea).
Violet cabbage (Moricandia moricandioides).
Along the fields edge we also saw Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Common Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Eruca (Eruca sativa), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule), the leaves of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) and Field Gromwell (Lithospermum arvense).
We returned to the car and moved on throgh the Almonds to check the more open areas beyond and soon located the first two Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) of the day, shortly after this sighting we had another flock fly in and land on a field a little lower down the ridge so we moved along the track to try and get better views, we had the birds on the ground for a short while but then they flew giving us chance to do a count, in total we had 23 birds which was by far the best flock I had seen this year.
We continued on around the site and added Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and eventually we had cracking views of an adult Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).
Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca).
Time was moving on quite rapidly so we dropped down in to El Turro and had a sandwich before heading south along the valley to the furthest point just stopping briefly on the way to have a look at several spikes of Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca), Violet cabbage (Moricandia moricandioides) and lots of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).
In the Gorge we were treated to brilliant flight views of a pair of Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris). We then started to make our way back north calling at the Roman bridge for a short break picking upa male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and hearing both Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).
We passed  Cacín and headed up to the Embalse where we saw more Common Pochards, Little Grebe, Mallard, Green Sandpipers, Little-ringed Plovers and added Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) to the list from the lake and then a male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), 3x Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and a Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) in the air.
Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).
We then took a slight detour and headed back south and through Cacín up on to the ridge above the village, on the drive over the ridge we saw very little but at the far end we had good views of a pair of Booted Eagles (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) and a little further on a group of Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni). From here we headed back in to the house and finished the first day.

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

Another birding day in and around the Cacín Valley.

Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis).
I started the day by meeting up with Tana and Craig at the Mirador San Cristobel just out side the Albazin in Granada who were visiting from Vancouver, Canada, we headed out of the city towards Moraleda and out on to the fields nearby.
Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
On our way out to the site we started the list off with the first of quite a few lifers for Tana and Craig with nice views of a pair of Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) which showed well making describing the identification features easier. In the same area we added Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).
A little further on the second new species was a pair of Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), one perched on the roof of a ruin and the second bird at the entrance to the nest hole which was in the side of a disused roadside construction.
Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Next came a male Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) which sang nicely (well if you can call the scratchy rattle singing) from a still bear fig tree and a Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) which flashed away over the Olives.
Once out on the fields we picked up a Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) which was singing from the ground, several Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) which showed well during short flight but disappeared in to the crops once on the ground and a Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) jangling out its call from the top of a flowering Almond tree. 
Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
We moved through the trees and scanned the fields the other side seeing more Calandra Larks and the first Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) for the day.
Our next stop was at the ruin of a Cortijo on the hill top, as soon as we got out of the car a group of 7 Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) took off and did a wide circle of us before landing at the bottom end of another field not to far away. In the same area we had good flight views of two Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) which passed by noisily heading to the Almond groves at the bottom of the same field and as we watched them disappear we located a single Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) right on the edge of the same plantation.
Tana and Craig.
As we did not get good views of this bird we took the track across the centre of this fallow field to try and get a bit nearer, on the way we had good views of 18 or so Black-bellied Sandgrouse on the ground and in flight.
We arrived at the far end of the field but could not located the Curlew, we retraced our way back to the Cortijo and onwards around the site. We checked out the far fields and the areas around the Solar panels, where we had a chance to get close views of a Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) which gave us the time to look at the differences between it and the Thekla's we had seen earlier.
Also seen during this part of the drive were Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), a second Stone Curlew and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) but we only heard the required Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) so we headed back towards the entry point and checked some more fields in that area.
As soon as we arrived we could hear the birds and a few minutes later we located two male birds in amongst the crops. In and around the fields we saw several wildflowers including Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Clypeola jonthlaspi, Eruca sativa, Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Corn Gromwell (Buglossoides arvense) and Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule).
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
Butterflies were also up and about by the time we were leaving and we saw several Bath Whites (Pontia daplidice), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and a Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).
From here we headed down into the valley, at the top of the road in to El Turro we picked up a couple of Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and the first Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata). Our next stop was at the bridge over the Cacín, on the way we saw a couple of Mistle Thrushes (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) which flew up off the side of the road and a good number of spikes of Somber Bee Orchid (Abejera oscura / Ophrys fusca subsp fusca). 
Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus).
Along the river the number of birds was much lower than expected and most were heard but not seen, we did see White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Long-tailed  (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and we heard Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).
During the stroll around here we saw a single Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea) and heard several Iberian Water Frogs (Rana Común / Rana Perezi).
We moved along the road a short way to the Embalse de Cacín, in a bush at the side of the road we glimpsed a female Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), added a nice Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) to the day list and my year list and had better views of a fine male Common Stonechat.
Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus).
On the lake we picked up Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus). Whilst Craig and I were down by the lake Tana had stayed by the car, we had looked for but did not see any of the Water Rails (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) I had had on a previous tour but when we got back to Tana she had had views of a bird on the edge of the main in flowing stream which we had missed !!!
Whilst we were looking around the lake we also had good views of several Green  Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), two Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica). 
Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
We continued on down the valley into the gorge and soon had nice views of both male and female Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus) and Red-billed Choughs (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), I could hear several Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) but they were so far down in the gorge we could not see them. We retraced our way back up the valley to the bridge where we again saw Red-billed Chough along with two Cleopatra (Cleopatra / Gonepteryx cleopatra) butterflies.
From here we headed over the ridge back towards Granada, on the way we stopped a couple of times, once to watch a pair of Booted Eagles (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) and a little later as we turned around to go to a garage to get some extra water we picked up two male Black-eared Wheatears (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) on a roadside field.
Once we had got the supplies we were off again, this time we took an across country track looking for birds on the fields, we had some nice views of a Hoopoe, a large flock of mixed birds most of which were Calandra Larks but with a scattering of Corn Buntings and some late Skylarks
Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni).
Our last stop of the day was at another ruined Cortijo where we were hoping to get views of the Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) that are usually there, as we pulled up there was no sign of them but with a scan around the fields we soon found them feeding not to far away.
During this scan Craig also picked up a nice female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) amongst the Kestrels.
We crossed the main road and took another track and got much better views of the birds from here before heading back to the Motril / Granada motorway and then back in to the city.
We returned to the spot near the Mirador and Craig and Tana headed back to there accommodation and I made my way home, On the way I added a couple of species to my day list including Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and a very nice male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) right outside the house.

Thanks to Tana and Craig, enjoyed your company and had a great days birding. Thanks for supporting Granada Wildlife.