Huetor and Moraleda Fields and the Cacin Valley, Granada Province.

A days birding with Lorraine and Mel on the local Patch and in the Cacín Valley.

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

I met Lorraine and Mel at the Cortijo de Tajar Hotel just off the A92 near Huétor Tajar, once we had sorted the kit out we headed off out on to the fields where we checked the fields to the West of the town for the flock of Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which winter there. We arrived and started the list off with a couple of hundred Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), a dozen Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria), a single Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), lots of White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), a few Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and then we picked up the Bustard flock in the deeper Lucerne field. We scanned the field and counted about 50 birds in total but we did not get great views as they were deep in the vegetation. In the area we also added Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

We eventually moved on and had a look along the Arroyo Vilano, on the margins we had views of a couple of Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) in the far Pomegranate trees.

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

We moved a little further down the site to a track side ditch where we soon had views of Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulg aris), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), 20+ Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and some flight views of one of the two Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) that have been wintering in the area.

Our next stop was on the other side of the A92 on the fields near Moraleda but this site did not live up to expectations as it was quieter than I have ever known it, after a drive around the site we had only seen Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Lorraine and Mel watching two Golden Eagles.

We moved on and dropped down into the Cacín Valleyto the bridge where we started by checking out the bridge and then down the track, we had views of Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla). We then had a look at the Embalse just up the road where the day list got a boost with Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei). 

Our last stop of the day was along the road between Cacín and Ventas de Huelma, on the way we had some very good views of 3 different Golden Eagles (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos), a single Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and a Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). From here we headed back to the hotel and Lorraine and Mel headed back down to the coast.

Guadalhorce, Malaga Province.

Well yesterday was almost the last day of the tour.

Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

On the way down to Malaga we called in at Guadalhorce for a final few hours birding at the beach and on the reserve. We walked to the sea watch point and scanned the sea but it was quite quiet, however we did see Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) x2, Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) x7, Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) x2,

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus) x2, Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala),  Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala).

We drove to and parked outside the school and walked into the reserve and out to the main hide where we added Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

From the second hide we added Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

From here we made our way back to the car and then to the airport.

The Alhambra, Granada Province.

Last day and the tour ends with some Culture and just the odd bird or two.

We spent the morning in the City of Granada and then the afternoon and evening in the fantastic Alhambra. During the day we did see Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Laguna Herrera, Fuente de Piedra, Teba Groge and Laguna Dulce, Malaga Province.

Day three of the trip but a bit closer to home.

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

We started the day in the Laguna Herrera area where we checked the lower track and soon located a decent sized flock of 69 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) feeding on a freshly sown cereal field along with Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
We moved on around the site to where there has in the passed been a lake but all we found was a small puddle in a ploughed field and it only held a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and in the reeds and fields we saw Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Our second stop was at Fuente de Piedra, on the way in we checked the small pool on the road side and picked up Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).
We parked and made our way out to the Mirador at the front of the center where we were hoping for but dipped on the Lesser Flamingo's (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor), however we did see good numbers of their larger reletives Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), hundreds of Lesser Black-backed Gulls as well as a few Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

We moved on around to the two hides around the back of the center but they were generally quite quiet but we did add Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). 

We made our way back around to the Mirador and checked through the Smaller birds in the bushes below us where we found a couple of male Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos). We dropped down on to the lower track and had views of Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) before we reached the car.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

We drove around the western side of the lake and stopped off at the Mirador on the way but as usual most birds were to far away but we did see Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) both of which were new for the day.

Lunch came next in a bar just opposite the BP garage on the way into Campillos and then on down to the Raptor watch point on the side of the road to Teba which looks up to Sierra de Penarrubia's crags. As soon as we stopped we picked up 6 Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), a pair of Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus) and an unexpected late November adult Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) along with Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Bath (Pontia daplidice), Large (Pieris brassicae) and Small Whites (Artogeia rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Broad leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Iris planifolia), Friar's Cowl (Arisarum vulgare), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis) and Autumn Buttercup (Ranunculus bullatus). 

Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

We moved just down the road and walked most of the way along the gorge of the Rio de la Venta hich runs in to the nearby Emabalse de Guadalteba where we had nice views of or heard Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) as well as Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta). 

We called in again at the Cliffs and had a soaring Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), more Griffon Vultures and the male Bonelli's Eagle which was display flying. 

Our last stop of the day was at Laguna Dulce but we were surprised how quiet the lake was with just a small flock of the usual hundreds of Eurasian Coots being seen, the only new species for the day were Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), other species were Marsh Harrier, Snipe, Eurasian Teal, Little Grebe, Northern Shoveler and Northern Lapwing.