Monte Hacho, Loja, Granada Province.

Getting the steps in with a pleasant local walk.

My beautiful Jayne.

Jayne and I drove to the Northern side of Hacho and then took the zig-zagging track up to the summit at just over a 1000m. There was a nice breeze which meant even in the afternoon sun it was still a very pleasant walk and this time Jayne made it all the way to the marker post at the summit.

At the Summit.

During the walk I saw lots of Striped Graylings (Pseudotergumia fidia),  as well as several Tree Grayling (Neohipparchia statilinus) and a couple of Common Grayling (Hipparchia semele), Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla) and a single male Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Birds included Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

On the way back down.

On the way back down we added Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Black (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Redstarts (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus). 

At the Summit.

Just a quick foot note: During the morning Jayne and I went up to Granada and in the Huétor Vega area we had three latish Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus). 

Male Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).