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Saturday 4 October 2014

RAM and Charca de Suarez, Granada Province.

Good number of sea birds and a good charca visit.

Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator).
Juan Pérez Contreras, Manuel Cayuela López and I met on the outskirts of Granada and made our way down to Peñón de Jolúcar just to the east of Torrenueva where we set up for a sea watch. We were only doing the watch for one hour but the numbers of Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) was fantastic and by the finish we had recorded 1023 of which 986 were heading east.
Red-knobbed Coot+ (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).
We also saw 4+ Med / Yelkouan shearwaters (Pardelas Mediterráneas / Puffinus yelkouan), a single Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).
The three of us then made our way down to Charca de Suarez wetlands where we made our way around the resereve in an anti-clockwise direction calling in at the hide which over looks Laguna del Lirio where we had views of Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and the first of the reintroduction Red-knobbed Coots (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata). Over the water there were good numbers of both Lesser (Anax parthenope) and Blue / Common Emperors (Anax imperator), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) and on some floating weed there were several Small Red-eyes (Erythromma viridulum).
Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope).
We continued on around to the reopened hide at the Southern end of Laguna del Trébol passing the Dunas area where we had a male Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) sat on the cros beam of the wooden fencing and several Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna mixta). From the hide we saw two more of the Red-knobbed Coots, Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula). We continued on around the reserve picking up 2 Booted Eagles (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).
From the northern hide over looking Laguna del Trébol which was quiet but we did see Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major). We carried on around to the main hide where we scanned Laguna de las Aneas picking up the female Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).
We moved on around to the newish Laguna del Alamo Blanco and added singles of  Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and 3 Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) and 4 Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago). In this area we also saw a couple of Long Skimmers (Orthetrum trinacria), Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii) and Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii). Our last stop was at the Laguna del Taraje hide, on the way around I saw several Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) and lots of tracks of Wild Boar (Jabalí / Felis silvestris) in the mud. From the hide we saw a fishing Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and on my way out I added a Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Small White (Artogeia rapae) and heard Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis).

Thursday 2 October 2014

Huetor Fields and Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

Day two with Jane Wise.

Leucistic Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).
We headed out on to the fields along side the Arroyo Vilano where we started the day list off with Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and on a pylonwe picked out a nice female Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).
Next we checked out the ditches where we had seen the Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) yesterday. We dipped the Jack Snipe but we managed two Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), a single Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Sedge (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) and Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).
Leucistic Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).
We next went over to the far side of the area where we soon had 65 or more Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) in the scope along with Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) including a lucistic bird, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Later we drove over to Sierra de Loja where we had time before Jane had to catch the train, up near the lower quarry we had good views of Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), 3x Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). On our way back down the track we had good views of a couple of Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica).
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
From here we went up along the crags and out as far as the Paragliding track, here we found a superb immature Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Northern Wheatear, Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
Later I took Jane up to the train station in Loja where we had a couple of Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and several House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) before she got on the train.

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Huétor Fields, Moraleda Fields and Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A days guiding with Jane Wise from the UK.

Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).
We set out from the house and started with a couple of houses birding down on the local patch, our first stop was on the Western side of the town where we picked up 50 or so Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 4+ Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and on a nearby roof we picked up several Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) adults and immature and two early visiting Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulg aris), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra).
We moved to the far side of the area and checked out a roadside ditch , almost straight away we flushed a Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) which flew just a short distance but into a dense patch of vegetation in a crop field. In and around the same ditch and fields we recorded Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Reed Warblers (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and a newly arrived winter visitor a Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
Our next stop was on the way out to Laguna de Rigedor amongst a group of Almond Trees, here we had good views of another Whinchat and a nice Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae). A little further on we stopped by the laguna and picked up Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
Group of ducks including Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope).
From here we moved out on to the fields near to Moraleda, as we arrived we had an immature Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) fly over the Almond groves. We moved out on to the fields and along the first track we had more Northern Wheatears and a small flock of around 8 Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), a couple of Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) and on a bare field at the end of the track we heard and had distant views of two Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) flying off. We moved out on to the main area of fields where we picked up Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and another flock of 10 Black-bellied Sandgrouse which were much closer and gave us much better views. As we were leaving the site we had nice views of two Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) on one of the many rock piles on the site and as we were watching another Iberian Grey Shrike, we had a very smart Swallowtail (Papilio machaon). A little further down the road we had good views of a couple of migrating Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) which soared over the Almond groves.
Male Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).
We dropped down in to the Cacín Valley and made a short stop in the Pine woods above the river, here we saw Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Long-tailed  (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and heard Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala). 
We moved along the valley and stopped near the dam of the embalse, here we checked the river hearing Cetti's and Reed Warblers and then picked up a distant pair of Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus). At this point we jumped back into the car and drove down the side of the lake and parked again and had slightly better views of the Eagles before they drifted away over the rigde. From the roadside we had a good view over the lake where we heard and saw Mallard, Northern Shoveler, 270+ Common Pochards, Eurasian Coot, Common Moorhen, Little Grebe, Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and a distant Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis). 
Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).
Next we drove down to Cacín and took the ridge road looking for Raptors, we parked on the roadside and had our lunch whilst we watched the ridges. We picked up several Common Kestrels, a male Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and in the broom bushes below us we had a Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), heard Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), 2 Common Redstarts (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and several Red-legged Partridges (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa). We continued on along the road and took a track to the North, along here we added just Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo). We retraced our way back to the road and then towards Cacín again, as we round a corner we picked up a large raptor and soon we were having great views of an immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos). We dropped back down in to the Valley and then back up to the Embalse, we scanned the lake from the same place as we were earlier but this time the birds were a bit more out in the water and giving better views. Amongst the large numbers of Common Pochards we picked out a female Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope) and a very nice male Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) which was a new species for ne in the Cacín Valley. We also added a couple of Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) which were roosting in the dead trees on the margins.
Small White (Artogeia rapae).
We went back to the bridge where we were earlier, on the way we checked out an area of flowering roadside weeds and had a nice selection of butterflies which were nectering there including Bath (Pontia daplidice), Small (Artogeia rapae) and Large Whites (Pieris brassicae), Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea) and Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina). Along the river we added Pied  (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba). Along the irrigation channel we saw a single and tandem pair of Western Willow Spreadwings (Lestres viridis) and a male Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii). On the walk back to the car we heard Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater). From here we made our way back to the fields near the house hoping to get views of the Little Bustards again in better light but they had been flushed off again by a tractor working nearby.

Tuesday 30 September 2014

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

Little Bustards are back on the Local Patch.

I drove over to Loja and whilst I was waiting in San Francisco area I had good views of a couple of migrating Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula). 
I met Jane Wise from the UK in Loja and we headed back to the house but on the way we had a look on the fields to the Loja / Western side of the town. We could not locate any of the 50 or so Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) I had seen earlier (probably due to a farmer working close by) but we did see 4+ Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).
Up nearer to the house we had several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and as we got out of the car another Short-toed Eagle flew over high. A nice appitiser for the next two days of guiding.