Sierra Huétor, Granada Province.

A few hours along a river valley in Sierra Huétor.

Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Polyommatus albicans).

Sue, Sam, Carlos and I headed out to east around Granada and out to the far side of the Park where we parked and had a walk.

Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus).

SORRY, A RANT: The saddest part of today was how badly this stunning spot is treated by the people who visit it for a picnic, there was rubbish every where. I have heard people say that they do it because it keeps someone employed when they have to go and clean up. I think this is a just a sad excuse used by the lazy and ignorant, as I am sure the money spent on cleaning this mess up would be better used to employ someone in some other good way rather than being wasted on the unnecessary cleaning of garbage in the beautiful Spanish country side after these lazy people.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) Male.

OK RANT OVER and back to the wildlife.In the few hours we were there we only covered about 700m as there were so much to see. We started with some Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) x20+M & 14+F which were stunning in the sun, there we also some females along with Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) x5M & x6F, Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) x3M and Common Golden Ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii subsp algirica) x2M. 

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) Female.

We moved out on to the meadows and I found a few more Dragons, a couple of male Large Pincertails (Onychogomphus uncatus) x2M, Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x1M and Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) x3M, in the same area we also had Bath White (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea), Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina), Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Tree (Neohipparchia statilinus) and Great Banded Graylings (Rey Moro / Kanetisa circe), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus F lyllus). 

Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).

We moved slowly along the river to a disused dam wall at the far end of an area of Hawthorn scrub, on our way through we added Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias de Berger / Colias alfacariensis), False Ilex Hairstreak (Querquera / Satyrium esculi), Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Polyommatus albicans), Wood White (Leptidea sinapis), Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), Adonis Blue (Niña Celeste / Lysandra bellargus), High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe), Iberian Marbled White (Medioluto Ibérica / Melanargia lachesis), Scarce Swallowtail (Chupaleches / Iphiclides podalirius feisthameli) and Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe).

Birds seen included Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Mercury Bluet's (Coenagrion mercuriale).

We turned around and started to walk back towards the car and on the way added a Robberfly species, Mantis Species as well as Purple Hairstreak (Quercusia Quercus), Comma ("C" blanca / Polygomum c-album), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Mercury Bluet's (Coenagrion mercuriale) x2M to the day list.

Robberfly species.

Once back at the car we drove back to the house via a bar in Alfacar where we had a late lunch and then went out on the evening to Loja.

Mantis Species.