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Saturday 26 December 2015

Huétor Fields, Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

A couple of hours checking out the Local Patch.

Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).
I drove down to the pools and ditches on the far side of the area and parked on the ditch side edge where I found Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), 30+ Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and lots of Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) female.
I moved back towards the house and made a second stop along side of the Arroyo Vilano where I found a nice male Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) sat on a field ridge, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), 20+ Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), 6 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and several Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
I dropped down to the side of the river near the ford and sat for nearly an hour to see what arrived, as I stopped a Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) flew up but stayed out of range of the camera but more Chiffchaffs came close enough as did a Meadow Pipit and a White Wagtail.
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Also seen here were Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula). 
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Sunday 20 December 2015

Campobuche area and Grazalema Village, Cadiz Province.

A walk through the Cork and Portuguese Oak woods.

Portuguese Oak (Quercus faginea).
Jayne, Sue, Sam and I headed for the river in the Campobuche area and walked towards Montejaque passing several pools in the none flowing river, on the way we saw ten or so Cirl Buntings (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).
Portuguese Oak Leaves in the river.
Several butterflies were seen including Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) and Large White (Pieris brassicae) not bad for December and followed by a single male Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum).
Jayne and Sam sat in the dry river bed.
All the time we were amongst some superb Cork Oaks (Quercus suber) and had the sound of the leaves falling from the deciduous Portuguese Oak (Quercus faginea). 
A mischievous looking Sam.
Later we went and called on Clive and Family and had Lunch in Grazalema before heading home.
Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum).
Another Portuguese Oak.

Grazalema, Cadiz Province.

The Night Sky at Sue's.

Orien in the Skies over Grazalema when we were at Sue and Sam's.