Loja Wildlife, Granada Province, Spain.: Grazalema area again, Cadiz Province.

Sunday, 6 March 2016

Grazalema area again, Cadiz Province.

A walk along the Rio Campobuches with Jayne, Sue, Sam and Carlos.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Carlos and I had a quick look in the garden and he soon found a very snotty looking fungus on a log under the Oak trees and we heard a Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus viridis) calling in the distance.

Snotty looking fungus.

We went over the track and collected a couple of bags of kindling for the log burner before driving down to the River not to far from Sue's.

Sam, Sue and Carlos taking some shots.

We parked and then walked along the Northern bank and almost straight away we had a small group of Woodlarks (Totovia / Lullula arborea) fly away, Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius).

Mediterranean Scorpions (Escorpión Amarillo / Buthus Occitanus).

As we walked towards the far fields we saw Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus), Hoop-petticoat Daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium), Narcissus cerrolazae, Andalusian Storksbill (Erodium recorderi), Teesdalia coronopifolia, Lesser Celendine (Ranunculus ficaria), Annual Daisy (Bellis annua), Romulea bulbocodium, Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).

We reached the far fields and checked the river area and some rocks near a bridge where Carlos found a couple of very smart Mediterranean Scorpions (Escorpión Amarillo / Buthus Occitanus) and down in the river several Common Toads (Bufo bufo) could be seen coupled up mating.

Jayne showing a Sam a Common Toad.

We checked out the nearby small ditches which were full of water but we only found tadpoles, some of which were probably from Natterjack Toads (Sapo Corredor / Bufo calamita) and in the same area we had a Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and a couple of Andalucian Wall Lizards (Podarcis vaucheri) which were hiding in the rocks nearby.

Single Common Toad (Bufo bufo).

We continued on up stream a short way and after a spell of searching Sue and Carlos called me over to see a very nice Parsley Frog (Pelodytes punctatus) which was my second new Amphibian in two days.

Mating Common Toads (Bufo bufo).

We turned around and started to walk back towards the car finding Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), several Spanish Psammondromus (Psammondromus hispanicus) and the a rather large Cows skull which was soon picked up by Sam and Carlos and was to become a rather large article for Sam's collection table in the garden.

Common Toad (Bufo bufo) Spawn.

We went back up to the house and had a very nice lunch before Jayne and I said our goodbyes and headed off home after having a brilliant few days. Thanks Sam, Sue and Carlos.