Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

Down the Cacín Valley on Andys third day.

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

We started by driving out to and past Moraleda and out on to the fields picking up a low level Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Once we were out on the fields Andy quickly picked up a Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) on one of the many stubble fields and as we continued on across the fields the list of good birds grew and included Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and eventually a couple of Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis).

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

We dropped down in to El Turro and had a coffee where we saw Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) before we continued on down to the Pine trees along the river. In the trees we heard and saw Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and a singing male Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus).

We dropped a bit further down the valley and checked the more mixed woodlands and found Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea). In the same area we had 5xM 2xF Copper Demoiselles (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea), Large White (Pieris brassicae) and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

We continued on up to the Embalse, the water levels were low and there was quite alot of mud showing and had several Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), a single Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and quiet a few Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos). In the same area we also picked up White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 1x male Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and a flyby Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius). 

We move further down the valley and checked the gorge but things were quiet so we only managed to find Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).
We retraced out steps and then drove over the ridge to Ventas del Helma but only saw a single Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and a couple of Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) as well as a very nice Little Owl.
Things were getting very warm by now so we headed back to the house early and then later went down town to the 3 Calles bar and had a very pleasant evening of Tapas.