Hozgargantes, Jimena del la Frontera, Cadiz Province.

Lynn and Jayne on Gib whilst Steve and I went looking for dragons and birds inland.

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) female.

Steve and I drove inland from the border to Gib picking up Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) male.

Once we reached Jimena we were surprised to find that there was a lack of water but there were a couple of pools up stream so we went and had a look at them.

Steve photographing the Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus).

On the first pool we soon had a male Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) but after landing once it disappeared up the river bed. In the same area we had Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x1M-1F, a male Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and the first of 3 male Ringed Cascaders (Zygonyx torridus), in the sky overhead we had Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus).

On the second and larger pool we found another 3 male Green Hooktails and a single female along with Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x8M, Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) x 20+, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1M, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x5M, Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) and White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes).

Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus).

We had a very smart Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus) which was very tame and came right up close whilst it had a drink. In the same area there were loads of Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) all along the side of the pools.

An immature Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

In the trees around the area we found Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), 2x Kingfishers (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and on the way back we found a very nice male Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene).

Steve.

We went back towards La Linea and met the girls and then went and found the hotel and checked in and later we went for a meal at the Luna beach bar back in La Linea.

The castle at Jimena.

Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).