Some good birding and dragonfly hunting in the heat.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1exOX0-Yzhcmm4uqKmXZ9OU84dse4SsEdMMpGKs_TdU_m0Yy27ur1YZRjNFbs44jeKsJnzlQesXBYmDRLJOb-X_YTUbR7Fv6E-7FPv6MkXm9i6FD6jxbene7_gdKAqrNfKYPM8KCn9NIc/s640/6th+Sept+16-2.jpg) |
Female Banded Grondling (Brachythemis leucosticta). |
I dropped Jayne and Barb off in Malaga and headed past the airport to a spot I had only ever visited once before after reading about in on the Adalucian Bird Society facebook page called Zapata.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4I9xtupal_Pozw7Q2TVIsDNEMZslsha5_XsMxmLTI-HMCCHYW3R6dQSPt_MiI_-IX-8yYM-Xi5OLnKLCeBpBbaqtfMBxwIlrczlhHUxQzP8EhViZpdBhvrlFxnY3eiP07xOfWs7PoKKp9/w640-h555/6th+Sept+16-3.jpg) |
Male Banded Grondling (Brachythemis leucosticta). |
The first area I came to is a reed and iris filled ditch but apart from a ford across the ditch viewing of the water is impossible so I did not see a lot here except for several Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) feeding amongst a large flock of sheep which were drinking at the ford, Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Greater Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) x5, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjJdfMJs6GFGYfQVHzi9f0xd4K3Pe6gAQXnfioVKFpUzF-Otz3QEyBf3RrnnmUgn-xArDPt-rFrG7PFsxxjNf44sf32loPkRQIzfqRykwHWu-7NRWVIZQ3gznPIvC8vH0QJ1heSECxIOa/s640/6th+Sept+16-16.jpg) |
Immature male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus). |
I also saw Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x2M, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1M and Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x4M & 2F.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcToS-5YaoNhZxKM53vV62i6LQySPwqiZ89R1DvJBoBsVTufFMsHzWlNI6S8Zq3i_632Ol9QumdGAFSNQESxH33avnCLMCmlD2xl8gtX6otlzCV_49thXztHkcV1WjMYA7qrHB4QNZ2eZ/w640-h456/6th+Sept+16-15.jpg) |
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra). |
I crossed to the opposite bank and check the areas around a couple of abandoned looking workshops there adding a very smart fly through immature male
Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus),
Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), an immature
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator),
House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus),
Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and in the chainlink fence along the track dozens of
Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus),
Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and a few
Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciiezXSCwOesNqDSVOXR0OTVOyC44vZrWvLlxDWUGYEvKnZ-YLcDAI4b8ZSqfkve22t9enuCDp7uUBMomsZBHoFN1qje_zbjLbZiAhyphenhyphenvohqPXWJ_ixe6TJKC6p6ENfnWHWtluq6V1XnM1/s640/6th+Sept+16-06.jpg) |
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta). |
I went under the bridge and parked down near the river again but could not see any water here either but I still had a walk along one of the tracks where I added Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Mediterranean skipper (Gegenes nostrodamus), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus) and Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) x1M.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuu5iGGrKZYLv0_Db74QdNHIUOZoXAU_c6eBoJUnaVj0PT99PZoQPFWQITf9o333ODh_He7hLM5geCFAAERwOV8WUVhSMADdIf9JAQde_oUHutqnsmWQN5Z9rh25kAWEU-wB5X24G5ezZ/w640-h523/6th+Sept+16-09.jpg) |
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta). |
Not knowing the site very well I then had a drive around for a short while and found a super spot at a ford across the Guadalhorce where I parked mid stream and sat to see what came to me.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxtZ44xsyzFne1snuqEsFTfsEWHFX9MCgRFPVazHZg1K8qF-gnQFf4OQutxN7_HBJNheJ8G08vqi7GkPtaxlYOW8q7KQAiqwA8qc99ZDNqokD3GTal9gMZOvJGCRfPtTg8xc0ZCg9gewl/s640/6th+Sept+16-12.jpg) |
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta). |
In the hour or so I was there I had views of Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), a flock of at least 5 Penduline Tits (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus), a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which wizzed past several times, a Great Reed Warbler (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus) which flashed across into the reeds and on a drier patch up stream an immature male Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and a female type Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jleyMtC2GQM-iQijwmLCUyw5ZVdT34jDlCUghgckWXkno-DnPWxZW2xgLHvWXGHjF7fGAmarr_4-Ddgec88LE8GzDKas_rUR-IpENw2UDTjL3X7fGTxCtIyV_2_dJ3R4Hu-mBMWUqxUY/w640-h490/6th+Sept+16-13.jpg) |
Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius). |
I move along the river again to a more open area and had a walk looking at the dragonflies and added Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) x3M & 2F, Banded Grondling (Brachythemis leucosticta) x7M & 4F, Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x2M, Long Skimmer x2M as well as Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), 8 or more Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and lots more Yellow (Spanish) Wagtails.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1SDSyBHVi6us_CLvazA0ZZRaytj9cO1Q-DgWlqMT6o-SDwzXw2ZW-2BwVnKIgv_MTElxQye0lvbUemUCx6SK7mt6OxV2Y-VlaqYZqbL8y8ayicXAS0gWtH0o5Zxry4Evw1rN46uy8Pff/s640/6th+Sept+16-07.jpg) |
Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus). |
I moved back to the ford again and spent what time there was left looking at the Dragonflies there and was surprised to find a fresh looking Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus) x1M, Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) x2M and more Blue / Common Emperor's x2M.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zMgj823rZnmHeY5o1lmyCobV_U-m_QFCIIlG9nUUcl7HrNDoDDctUtPDreyEaJ8H5mEbYo_xqOJ-7wiwp4QvZM8GdlkixJ2SfmPfYcjMG3HWpa9RVNbkjiU8REL-ymg7I6jKA0OAhPUF/w640-h450/6th+Sept+16-11.jpg) |
Female type Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca). |
My time was up but I had enjoyed the few hours at this very nice site and will certainly go back again when I am in the Malaga area.
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