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Friday 23 May 2014

Sierra de Loja and Zafarraya Valley, Granada Province.

John and I headed off up the hill.
Day two with John Webster.

Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura).
John and I headed out towards Loja and then on up the hill for some mountain species that John had not seen before.On the way we saw Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus). 
Once we were up on the hill we parked near the end of the quarry track and had a walk, almost straight away we picked up Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).
Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura).
Further along nearer to the quarry we had very good views of Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and more distant glimpes of Spectacled (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata).
Once we were in the entrance area of the quarry we saw a very nice pair of Black Wheatears (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) which was hunting along the slopes and on the main crag an adult Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) which was sitting on the edge of its platform.
Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).
We walked back down recording Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) on the way, as well as Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathsheba), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes), Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea), Bath White (Pontia daplidice) and Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus lavatherae). 
Saxifraga Camposii.
We then made our way out to Charca del Negra as the main species we wanted to see were all in that area, on the way we saw several Black-eared Wheatears (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).
Once at the pool we had a good look around and had good views of  Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Saxifraga Camposii, Sharp-ribbed Salamander (Pleurodeles waltl) and Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) but there was no sign of either species of Rock Thrush so we moved around to the crags just passed the goat cave.
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
Here we evenually had views of a male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis), plus Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and lots more Rock Sparrows. We decided then that we would start to drop back down the hill and head for the woodlands below, on the way and just before Charca we caught up with the long over due Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and even lower down in the pines we had Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).
Once we were down off the hill we stopped at a bar in Venta del Raya and had a very nice Menu del dia (Thanks John) and then made a stop just beyond the village to check out some Montagu's Harriers that were breeding in some large cereal fields. We had two males sitting on a fence, the one was a standard looking bird but the second was much paler but flew before I had chance to get a shot and headed off up high. 
Lizard Orchid (Himantoglosum hircinum).
Next we moved on down the valley to the oak woodlands further south where we checked out the more open areas for birds, butterflies and orchids. Bird wise we picked up Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) Subalpine (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) and Orphean Warblers (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Red-rumpedSwallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) heard only, Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii).
Butterflies included Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto), Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina) and the orchids seen were Lange's (Orchis langei), Lizard (Himantoglosum hircinum), Pyramidal (OAnacamptis pyramidalia) and Sawfly Orchids (Ophrys tenthredinifera), a few spikes of not yet in flower Epipactis tremollsi and some well over with Giant (Himantoglossum robertiana), Conical Orchids (Orchis conica) and Sword-leaved Helleborines (Cephalanatera longifolia).
Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).
Once we had finished off at this site I dropped John off at the bust stop in Loja where he made his way down to Malaga and spent the rest of the week there birding Guadalhorce and other local sites.

Thanks to John for the two days birding and hope he enjoyed thema sa much as I did. Since Johns return to the Uk he has sent me a message saying that he had 22 new species during the two days, can't be bad !!

Thursday 22 May 2014

Huétor Fields and Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A day on the local patch and down the Valley with John Webster from the UK.

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
John and I headed out on to the fields near the house, on the way down we started the day list off with Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).
Once we were down along side the Rio Vilano the list continued to grow with Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).
Common Pochards (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).
We crossed to the far stretch of river and picked up Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).
Then drove towards Balsa de Rigedor via Measia, on the way we added Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo). Once we reached the lake we we counted at least 32 male Common Pochards (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and saw Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) as well.
Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla).
From here we made our way across the motorway and out on to the fields nearby, we took a track through and Almond Grove out to a newly ploughed field. On the way we had cracking views of a pair of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and shortly afterwards a Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) was seen well. Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) were also seen before we went out on to the fields properly. Just after pulling off the road and on to the track we found two very smart Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) and once out beyond the large almond groves we located a calling male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) in amongst weeds in a fallow field. Further along the track down near the large solar farms we had a group of at least 4 immature Great Spotted Cuckoos being fed by there surrugate Common Magpie parents.
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).
A little furter along the track again we found the pair of Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) in their normal tree along with another Hoopoe, a couple of Iberian Grey Shrikes (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and nearby a male Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua). Up around the Cortijo there were several Small (Artogeia rapae) and Bath Whites (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea) and a Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).
We dropped down in to the Valley and called in at an area of pine woodland along side the road where we either heard or saw Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).
Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).
Further along the river we parked up and checked out the woodlands below the dam of the embalse, here were pleased to find a single Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) sat out on a low crag, a small flock of Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater).
Up at the lake there were a pair of Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca) still cruising around amongst the Common Pochards and Mallards. We also added Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).
We moved down to the gorge where we had nice views of a couple of Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) before taking the ridge road over to Ventas de Huelma seeing a distant Short-toed (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and two Golden (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and a pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) on the way.
Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).
Time was getting on so we headed back in towards the house seeing several Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) on the way.

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Rio Velez, Malaga Province.

A walk along the river dodging the weird and watching the wonderful.

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).
Jayne and I travelled down to Torre del Mar for a few bits and bobs that we wanted and for a run out, on the way down we saw Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).
Common Tern (Charrán Común / Sterna hirudo).
Once we were down at Torre I dropped Jayne off in the town for some shopping whilst I went down to the river for a couple of hours birding. I parked down by the very nice but ill placed new hide and walked out on to the beach to scan the sea, straight away I picked up some skimming Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), a couple of Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), masses of Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), along with a few Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).
Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).
Also passing along the coast were quite a few Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), as I was watching these I picked up another Tern species but could not get anything on it but though that it might have been a Common (Charrán Común / Sterna hirudo). Anyway I continued on to the far side of the beach pool and looked throgh a small group of roosting gulls a little further up the beach and was very pleased to find several immature Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) amongst them, a well over due year tick.
Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
As I was checking the rest of the birds the Tern I had seen earlier came and landed on the beach amongst them and as I had thought it was a fine adult Common another year tick. Also on the beach were three summer plumaged Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Kentish Plovers (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and a Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta). 
Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus).
I then decided to walk in land along the river so I made my way back throught the reedbeds picking up Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and Large White (Pieris brassicae). 
Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus).
Once out on the river there were several Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), a Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula). I also recorded several insect species including Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea), Small White (Artogeia rapae), African Grass (Nina esmaltada / Zizeeia knysna) and Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina), Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Broad Scarlet (Crocothemis erythraea), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) and Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii). 
Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus).
After a while I wandered back to the carand drove down towards the road bridge where I again parked, as soon as I got out of the car I was aware of several calling Penduline Tits (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) and soon realized that I was surounded by a family party of the two adults and two possibly three youngsters which was a fantastic experiance.
Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).
 Also seen along this stretch were a couple of Squacco (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) and down in the water a Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura) and lots of Iberian Water Frogs (Rana Común / Rana Perezi).I then went back to the car and picked Jayne up in Torre and we continued the day by visiting several Garden Centres before heading home.

Sunday 18 May 2014

Laguna Duce, Indiana and Grazalema area, Malaga and Cadiz Provinces.

A day around Grazalema day looking for Orchids with Juan Pérez Contreras.
 
Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).
I was up and about early getting sorted to met Juan at the Hotel Cortijo de Tajar, on my way down there I had a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) sweep across the road in front of the car and a couple of Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) sat on posts on the roadside.
Juan and I headed off along the A92 to Antequera and then on to Laguna Dulce for our first stop of the day, on the way we added Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) to the list.
Once we were at Dulce the list grew quickly, the commonest species was by far Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) these were joined by a good scattering of Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and Red-crested Pochards (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), a single male Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and singles of Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) and Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
Serapias x todaroi.
Whilst scanning we also saw several Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Great Reed Warbler (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus), Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Alpine Swifts (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
Heart-flowered Tongue Orchid (Serapias cordigera).
We continued on and our next stop was at a riverside location near Indiana on the road toward Benaojan where we were hoping to see the summer visiting Isabeline / Western Olivaceous Warbler (Zarcera Pálido / Hippolais pallida), we arrived at the spot and quickly picked up Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and a little way along the road from where we parked we had some very good views of the target warbler as it sang from a dead branch hanging over the river.
Tongue Orchid (Serapias lingua).
In the area we also had Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus). In the river we heard and saw several of both Stripe-necked Terrapins (Mauremys leprosa) and Iberian Water Frogs (Rana Común / Rana Perezi).
From here we headed over to Sue Eatock's where we dropped of some bits and pieces and had a look down in the lower parts of her garden at a Serapias species which I still have not put a name to with any certainty.
In the garden we also saw Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Yellow Lupin (Lupinus luteus) and Small Pink Cistus (Cistus crispus) before headed out to a nearby spot for the rare Heart-flowered Tongue Orchid (Serapias cordigera).
Lax-flowered Orchid (Orchis Laxiflora).
Once we had parked we walked out across a couple of goat filled fields until we reached a scrub covered area where we searched in the clearer areas of the Orchid which after a short while we found. In total we located around 7 spikes in varying states but a couple were in fairly good condition.
In the same area we also found several spikes of Tongue Orchid (Serapias lingua), a family of Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi) and a single European Pond Terrapin (Emys orbicularis) in the stream at the far end of the site.
We then drove towards Grazalema stopping at a roadside boggy area and finding 20 or so just going passed there best Lax-flowered Orchid (Orchis Laxiflora) and a single Small-tongue Orchid (Serapias parviflora).
Juan photographing the Orchids on his new Phone.
Again we continued on along a narrow road away from Grazalema and out to a site a couple of KM along a dirt track off the road.
We parked and walked to a fabulous grassy meadow which was full of orchids including a 100 plus spikes of Lax-flowered, Small-tongue, Tongue, Pyramidal (Anacamptis pyramidalia), Bee (Ophrys apifera) and Sawfly Orchids (Ophrys tenthredinifera).
On a small pool at the top of the site there was a cracking male Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) and amongst the grasses I also saw Meadow Brown, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and Marsh Fritillary (Euphydrayas aurinia beckeri).
Next came a site which I had visited on a few occasions in the past and had had very nice views of the Broad-bodied Chasers that occur there but had never had a decent chance of photographs, today however a stunning male performed unbelievably well and allowed me to approach to with in a couple of inches.
Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea).
Also seen here were a few very nice Large Red Damselflies (Pyrrhosoma nymphula), Blue-eye / Goblet-marked Damselfly (Erythromma lindenii), Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum), Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), Isabeline / Western Olivaceous Warbler (Zarcera Pálido / Hippolais pallida) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).
Next came lunch which we had at a small bar on the Ronda road nearby, whilst eating we watched a pair of Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea) entering their nest hole with food several times and a Short-toed Treecreeper which was moving around in an Oak tree in the car park. 
After lunch we dropped down towards Grazalema and checked a roadside meadow out which Sue had given us details of, in the area we found two spikes of Ophrys Dyris, hundreds of S. lingua and several of S. parviflora. along with Common Stonechat, Meadow Brown and Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathsheba). 
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa).
The grasslands of La Rana were our next target but proved to be quite disappointing from the Orchid point of view with just Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta) being found, plus a family party of Nuthatches, a flock of European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and a Iberian Grey Shrike.
Large Red Damselflies (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).
Our last wildlife site of the day was on the banks of a nearby river where in the past I have seen some cracking Dragonflies and Orchids, today the only orchid species was Lange's (Orchis langei) but the dragons were much better and included the beautiful Western Clubtail (Gomphus pulchellus), Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) along with Iberian Green Woodpecker, Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) and Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).
Western Clubtail (Gomphus pulchellus).
Our last two stops of the day were to visit friends, the first was just up the road where we spent a while chatting with Sue and then a little later with Sam, Little Elle and Clive who came up from the village. 
On the way home we popped in for a very quick coffee with Brenda and Peter Jones and had a quick catch up on how things were going before heading back home.