Alhama de Granada, Granada Province.

New Years Day walk. 

The tapa's in the bar in Alhama.

Jayne, Sue, Sam and I set off towards Alhama de Granada with friends Allan and Lesley following us in their own car. On our way down I started the year list off with Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer Domesticus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Jayne and Sue.

Once we reached the spot for the start of the walk we went and had a coffee near the Pantaneta de Alhama, later I had a look over the pool picking up Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

The Church in Alhama from down in the Gorge.

From the lake the group walked along the Alhama gorge throught the woods to the town of Alhama de Granada where we had a drink before returning along the same track.

Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

During the walk I recorded several nice species including Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Red Squirrel (Ardilla común / Sclurus vulgaris) and a single Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Looking back down the Valley.

Once back at the pool we all went into the nearby bar and had a good lunch before heading off home.