La Malaha, Embalse de Bermijalis and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A great days birding with Melanie and Stuart from Australia.

Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus).

On my way over to meet up with I met Melanie and Stuart I called at what was going to be our first stop on the days tour and checked out what was about, as I drove on to the site a single Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) flew out of the small Olive grove along side the road and several Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) could be seen perched on the roof of the Cortijo or flying around calling. I then moved on and met up with Melanie and Stuart just South of Granada and we headed off back to the old Cortijo.
As soon as we arrived we could see and hear some of the summering Lesser Kestrels that breed in the unused parts of the older buildings along with Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).
In the near by barranco there were a couple of singing Nightingales (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and a Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) but both species remained unseen deep in side Tamarisk trees. Also seen here were Turtle  (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica),  some distant European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) on some wires and a couple of Bath White (Pontia daplidice) butterflies.

Melanie and Stuart.

We moved on to the far side of La Malaha where we took the cross country road and then some tracks out on to the fields, in the area we started to pick up some more lark species including Short-toed  (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and more Crested along withtwo pairs of breeding Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) on some discusting looking oil pits out in the fields, Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

We then drove down to the Embalse de Bermejalis stopping on the way on a roadside pull in we had good views of a couple of Woodchat Shrikes (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) which were calling from the olives nearby, Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and some much better European Bee-eaters.

A little further along the road we stopped again to see an Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) before dropping down to the Embalse which was as usual quiet but we did add Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) to the day list there.

Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).

We then started to make our way back north, our first stop was in the Cacín Gorge where had good views of flying Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Rock Sparrow and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus). Here we also had a few other odds and ends including Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea), Blue Alkanet (Anchusa azurea), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Mallow-leaved Bindweed (Convolvulus althaeoides), Southern Daisy (Bellis cordifolia) and Common Snapdragon (Antirrhinum major). We moved on up the Gorge and stopped at the Roman Bridge adding Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata). 

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

Again we continued on towards Cacin Village where we were going to have lunch but stopped along the river just before we got there and walked a short way back up stream seeing Blackcap, Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) as well as hearing both Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).

We had lunch in a bar in the village before visiting the Embalse de Cacín a little way further North in the Valley, the first birds seen were a pair of Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca) which were a year tick and a new species for me at the site. We also recorded Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), 3x Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and heard a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus). Also seen here were Iberian Water Frog (Rana Común / Rana Perezi), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Milk (Silybum marianum) and Spanish Thistle (Scolymus hispanicus), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) and Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

our next stop was just up the road where we had a walk along the river back towards the dam wall and added Garden (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin) and Melodious warblers (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Golden Oriole, Wryneck and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) to the seen list and had better views of an Eagle Owl and European Bee-eaters again.

Our final stop of the day was on the agricultural areas above the Valley, once we were out on the fields we quickly located a calling Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) on a very weedy fallow field before driving around the area, on the far side of the site we had good views of a Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) before dropping down through the Almond plantaions getting good views of both Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) and Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) on the way back to the Motorway. We then headed back to the meeting place and onwards.

Thanks to Melanie and Stuart for a great day out in the country side and to Catherine Stuarts sister for organising it. Good luck to you both with the move and Melanie with the new job.

Mollina, Fuente de Piedra, Laguna Dulce, Teba and Arroya Marin, Malaga Province.

A day around the Laguna's and wetlands of North east Malaga Province.

Day two with Peter and Nick.

Lesser (Phoenicopterus minor) and Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Peter, Nick and I set off along the A92 heading for the town of Mollina, on the way we saw Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus). Once on site we were hoping to connect with the uncommon Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin (Alzacola / Cercotrichas galactotes) that breeds in the area, this year the pair seem to have relocated slightly and have actually moved nearer the town edge but slightly further from any of the tracks. We parked and waited quite some time but then picked the bird up on a waire fence quite a distance away, it flew from there and came quite a bit closer to us and started to sing from a post amongst the plants in the fields giving us nice long views.

Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

In the same area we added Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

Pleased with the views we eventually got of the Scrub Robin we left the site and headed over to Fuente de Piedra, I was a but disappointed to find that all the pools around the front and side of the Centre were dry and birdless. We parked up and walked around the lower track towards the mirador, on the way we scanned the main lake and were very pleased to almost immediatly find a pair of the very rare Lesser Flamingo's (Phoenicopterus minor) amongst quite a large flock of roosting Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus). Also see in the same area were Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) and Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).We continued on around the track and up to the mirador where we got some shade from the Oak tree there, from here we had a clearer view of the Lesser Flamingo's, along with Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) and Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea) which wre in a flock down on the shore of the main pool.

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Whilst viewing from there we also had a Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) do a flyby along with a nice male Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and out on the water there were a lot of Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and a few Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).
We then walked around to the first of the hides where we had views of a singing Great Reed Warbler (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera) and on the way to the second hide we had singing Melodious (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala). From the second hide there were several pairs of Red-crested Pochards (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina), two male White-headed Ducks (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), several Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and on the small pool as we walked back we saw a single Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Iberian Water Frog (Rana Común / Rana Perezi), several Stripe-necked Terrapins (Mauremys leprosa), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator).

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Butterflies were also seen including Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea), Large White (Pieris brassicae) and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

From we made our way along the road to the west on the lake to the Mirador and checked the pool out below, here we picked up distant views of Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), 2x Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) along with lots more Gull-billed Terns, Common Pochards, Red-crested Pochards, Eurasian Coots, Common Moorhens, Avocets, Greater Flamingo's and several Ravens. 

Our next stop was on the track between Fuente and Laguna Dulce, along here we picked up several Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra). On Laguna Campillos there were several more Gull-billed Terns, Avocets, Curlew Sandpipers, Black-winged Stilts, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Common Sandpiper, Corn Bunting, Jackdaw, Common Redshank and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) in flight.

From the back of Laguna Dulce we only added Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) to the list before we dropped down South along the Malaga road and stopped off at Teba Ridge seeing Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Spotless Starling, European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and over the lake behind us a couple of flying Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea). A little further along the road we had a look at the gorge from the bridge where we saw Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) all new for the day list. 

Our next site was to be at Laguna Dulce but we made a quick roadside stop when we saw three Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) soaring over the road. At the laguna we went to the hide and scanned the pool and picked up several species already seen during the day but added a few more to the growing list including Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus) and a quite unexpected male Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula). 

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Ou last stop of the day was in the mixed woodlands along  the Arroya Marin near to Archidona, we made a couple of stops and checked the riverside wood out seeing Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Pied (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and Spotted Flycatchers (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli). Again several species of butterfly were seen during our walk here including Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathsheba), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) and Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina). From here we headed back to the house.

Peter and Nick liked this site so much they spent all the next morning there and enjoyed it again.

Huétor Fields and Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

Several new species for returning birders Peter and Nick from the UK.

Day one.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Peter and Nick had arrived at our house back on Saturday before Jayne had left to come down to Malaga to collect me after the 8 day tour of Western Andalucia and this was our first day out and about. We started by headed down along the Rio Vilano and out on to Huetor Fields and quickly started to pick up species as soon as we were clear of the bar including Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

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

On the second stretch of the river we checked out the reedbeds and Poplar plantations as we made our way down to the dead end at the railway line, in the area we added Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and a very quick fly through of a  Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) and a female Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) Nick unluckily missed both of these species.

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

We moved on and made our way through Mesia and along the Motorway service road to Balsa de Rigedor but it was quite quiet and we only added Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) plus more Common Moorhens, Mallards, a Little Egret and lots of Barn Swallows. We then crossed the motorway and headed out on to the agricultural areas nearby but approached from the Northern side through the olives instead ot the normal drive in through the urbanisation, on the way through the olives we picked up Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Garden Warblers (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and another Hoopoe. Once we were through the olives we entered the Almond groves and decided to park on an area of rougher ground and almost straight away we heard a Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) which we quickly managed to get views of and this was followed by a pair of Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis).

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

Out on the fields we started to pick up new species including Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), a couple of male Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and eventually a cracking Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus). 

From the fields we dropped down in to the Valley and made a stop in amongst the pine woodlands along the river picking up Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Nightingale, Sardinian Warbler, Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla). 

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

We moved a little further along the valley stopping along side the river and having a walk, from the bridge we picked White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Nightingale, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, Red-rumped Swallow, European Bee-eater, a roosting Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and Cetti's Warbler. From the bridge we took a short walk along the irrigation channel adding a dark phase Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus). We returned to but went passed the car and continued on in to the woods along the road in the opposite direction, along this way we saw a male Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and a Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) which showed well in an open pine tree.

Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

We again returned to the car and made our way up to the Embalse just up the road but saw nothing new for the list so we moved on down the valley in to the southern end where we had good views of two more Bonelli's Eagles, Golden Oriole, Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax). Back along the gorge at the Roman bridge two more male Blue-rock Thrushes which showed very well. 

We went back up the valley to Cacin and took the road across country to Ventas de Huelma, on the way we saw a pale phase Booted Eagle, European Bee-eater and Red-rumped Swallow.

We then started to make our way back towards the house but added several Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) to the day list before we got there.

Hacho, Loja, Granada Province.

A couple of hours on the local patch with Juan Pérez Contreras.

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Juan and I headed out from the house up to the nearby mountain of Hacho just to the North of Loja where we checked out the woodlands on the Northern slopes. The lower area is mainly pine woodland but as we climbed we headed in to Oak scrub  before moving back across the ridge and down in to the Pines again.

As we started out we found quite a lot of dried spikes of Ophrys forestieri and Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana), but we also found good numbers of Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Pink Butterfly (Orchis papilionacea) and Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora) in good condition.

Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora).

As we climbed the wooded slope we heard and saw Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and the two star finds were a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) which gave us brief but good views as it flew through the trees and a Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) which I flushed by accident from it's nest as we descended the slopes passing a small bush which was over hanging the path.

Southern Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris).

I do not normally photograph nests and eggs but as I had already disturbed the bird and the nest was so beautiful I thought that the few extra seconds it would take would do no harm.

Other plants seen whilst on out walk included Southern Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), Wild Peony (Paeonia broteroi), Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus illyricus), Tassel Hyacinth (Muscari comosum), Mediterranean Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Linaria anticaria and the uncommon Dictamnus hispanicus.