Granada Coast, Granada Province.

A bit of a miss more than hit day today.

Kate and Jim Day Three.

Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus).

We started the day at a spot along the Río Guadalfeo near Vélez de Benaudalla after seeing a Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) on the way down near Padul. On the river we soon found the target Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus) which Kate and Jim had wanted, they did not come close but I think they got some desent shots. 

Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus).

We also had Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).

Our second stop was on the road behind Charca del Suarez where we soon found the first of several Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) but in the very strong wind it was difficult to get shots but we did get there in the end. In the same area we also had Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) which flew in, landed and straight back off before I could get Kate and Jim on to it, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava).

Monarch (Danaus plexippus).

The reserve was our next stop but things were very quite and we had the first dip of the day as we did not find any of the Mediterranean Chameleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) we had hoped for. 

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata).

We did however see Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Nightingale, Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Red-knobbed Coot (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) x3, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) as well as Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope).

Red-knobbed Coots (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata).

We had some lunch and then drove down the coast to Cerro Gordo but the wind was very strong by now and most things were keeping their heads down and we struggled a bit but managed Pallid  (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

We continued on up the coast and then made our way inland and headed back towards the house across the fields near Zafarraya and added Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) before we reached the house.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).