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Friday 20 March 2015

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping.

Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth).
A few more species in the trap last night including a 1525 (0464) Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth) x1 with out the usual markings (thanks Dave Gundy would never have sorted that one).
Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth).
10351 (2087) Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x 1 and 9436 (2388) Caradrina flavirena (Lorimer's Rustic) x2.
Caradrina flavirena (Lorimer's Rustic).
 There were also several moths which I had originally Ided as 10343 (2092) Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) but Dave thinks that they could be 10342 (2092a) Agrotis catalaunalis / syricola (Grouville Dart).
Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) or Agrotis catalaunalis / syricola (Grouville Dart).
Also in the trap there was a Nycteola siculana a new species for the garden.
Nycteola siculana.

Wednesday 18 March 2015

El Faro, Fuengirola, Malaga Province.

A couple of hours dodging the surf on the beach watching waders.

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).
During a day of shopping I managed to slip away and have a couple of hours on what was left of the beaches at El Faro just to the west of Fuengirola.
Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
Pretty much all the rocks were swamped by a strong tide / surge and bird numbers were low, however I did see a dozen or so of both Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and Sanderlings (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) but not other waders.
Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and
Sanderlings (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).
Out to sea it was also quiet but I did see several Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), a single adult Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).
Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).
Other species seen included Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Monday 16 March 2015

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping.

10343 (2092) Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).
Ran the trap last night and had 13 insects in the egg boxes but all of them were 10343 (2092) Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).