Caleta de Velez and Guadalhorce, Malaga Province.

A Spanish Lifer for my Bird list seen on my second Spanish twitch.

Franklin's Gull (Gaviota Pipizcan / Larus pipixcan).

After seeing information on reservoirbirds.com about a Franklin's Gull (Gaviota Pipizcan / Larus pipixcan) which had been at Caleta de Velez in Malaga Province for a couple of days I decided to have a drive down but as Jayne and I had already said we would go into Granada first it was a slightly roundabouts route. 

Franklin's Gull (Gaviota Pipizcan / Larus pipixcan).

Jayne spent a couple of hours bimbling around the town of Torre del Mar I went just down the road to the port at Caleta. 

Franklin's Gull (Gaviota Pipizcan / Larus pipixcan).

I arrived and dug out the scope before walking out on to the small rocky pier and scanned the beach off to my left and with in seconds had the Franklin's in the scope in amongst loads of Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) but within another couple of seconds a young lady in day glow pink running kit flushed everything as she ran past. 

Franklin's Gull (Gaviota Pipizcan / Larus pipixcan).

Whilst all the birds were up and annoyed I walked quickly around to the corner where the bird had been and waited for them to come back which they all did except for the Franklin's !!! typical. 

1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus).

Any way I scanned through the hundreds of gulls that did come back and found Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) all of which were in good numbers and some had rings on. 

The Franklin's did not return so the searching continued and produce a bit of a surprise with a 1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) which was sat amongst the Med Gulls on the rocks on the left side of the beach. 

An hour and a half after the girl flushed it the Franklin's dropped back in on the beach and gave me some great views (through the wire fence), I watched the bird preen and roost for the next 90 minutes before going and meeting Jayne and having a very nice lunch.

After lunch we drove to Malaga and again I dropped Jayne in the city before going to the near side of Guadalhorce. 

I did a short walk along one of the Channels back along the roadside crossed a bridge to the far side of the water and then back to the car, species seen included Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), all the 5 commoner Gull species seen earlier and from the beach 3x Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and a good flock of Common Scoters (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) plus 40 odd other commonish species.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

 Moth Trapping.

Xanthorhoe fluctuata (Garden Carpet).

Just two insects last night 1x 8256 (1728) Xanthorhoe fluctuata (Garden Carpet) and 1x Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).

Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).

Huétor Fields, Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

Three hours wondering around the local patch.

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

I started the walk along the road heading out towards Mesia and then took to the tracks across the fields following the ditched and irrigation channels. Near the town I started the list off with House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

A few hundred meters along the road I turned off and made my way along a narrow ditch which was dry to begin with but half way along the water started and from there I flushed the first of five Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), a couple of Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and a Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

On the surrounding fields there were flocks of Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) 20+, Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) 25+, Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) 15+ along with Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala). Other species of interest were Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium), Andalusian Storksbill (Erodium recorderi), Common Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Eruca (Eruca sativa), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum) and Violet cabbage (Moricandia moricandioides).

Next I checked the wider ditches whilst walking towards the Arroyo Vilano, along here I saw White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), the first of around 15 Woodchat Shrikes (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

I crossed the Mesia road and continued on along the channel and the up on to the bank of the Arroyo and as soon as I popped my head up over the ridge I flushed a couple of Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), a Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and as I walked along the ridge I added Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica). 

By the time I reached the far end of the bank I had circled back around to the road so I crossed and continued on along to the railway and then under it heading back towards the bar at the end of the road, along this last stretch I picked up Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), Tassel Hyacinth (Muscari comosum), Dove's Foot Cranesbill (Geranium molle), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

On the last stretch along of the Arroyo before the bar I spent some time failing to get shots of a very flighty Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia) and added Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), more Green Sandpipers, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), a calling Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis). 

I made a quick stop for a drink and a bit of tapas before continuing on back to the house seeing many of the species already seen but with out recording any new species.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping.

Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth).

Still cold over night but I caught a few more insects including Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth) x3, Evergestis isatidalis x1, Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, Caradrina flavirena (Lorimer's Rustic) x2 and Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x2.

Caradrina flavirena (Lorimer's Rustic).

Caradrina flavirena (Lorimer's Rustic).

Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).

Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).

Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).

Evergestis isatidalis.

Sierra de Mijas, Coin area and Rio Guadalhorce, Malaga Province.

A morning hunting Orchids and an afternoon with the birds at Guadalhorce.

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Anacamptis papilionacea).

I parked on the side of a track in pine woodlands on Sierra de Mijas and started to search the area for orchids. 

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Anacamptis papilionacea).

I struggled to start with but eventually found a few spikes of Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys scolopax), none of which were in great condition but some had the upper flowers which were still OK. 

Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys scolopax).

In the same area I also found a good number of Pink Butterfly (Anacamptis papilionacea), Mirror (Ophrys speculum) and Sawfly Orchids (Ophrys tenthredinifera). 

Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys scolopax).

Birds included Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

I moved to a second spot just down the road where I spent quite a while searching the pine woods but to start with all I found were a dozen or so spikes of Sawfly Orchids but after quite a walk around I located a single spike of the beautiful Atlas Orchid (Ophrys atlantica) which was the first I had seen at the site for a few years. 

Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum).

In the same area I saw Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Gum Cistus (Cistus ladanifer), Narrow-leaved Cistis (Cistis monspliensis), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Atlas Orchid (Ophrys atlantica).

My last stop in this area was nearer to Coin where I checked an area of woodland near to a quarry, in the area I found Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla), Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea) and Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica). 

Atlas Orchid (Ophrys atlantica).

I then dropped back down to Fuengirola and met up with Jayne and had some lunch before we went into Torremolinos and then on to Malaga where I dropped Jayne at the Patio's Shopping Center. I did not got to the far side of Guadalhorce as normal but drove just up the road to the Malaga edge of the reserve and walked the channels there. 

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

During the hour or so I was there I picked up Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), a single Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), at sea a few Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Yellow (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), a male Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and then as I walked back towards the car I found a very smart Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), a male Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus). 

Naked / Italian Man Orchid (Orchis italica).

During the walk I also saw a massive Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus), Boar Thistle (Galactites tomentosa), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum var discolor), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Mallow-leaved Bindweed (Convolvulus althaeoides) and Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa).

Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).

Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).

Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping.

Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).

Just two Moths of two quite different species in the trap last night, a well hidden Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) and a Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart). 

Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).

But with the temp dropping to -3 I was pleased with anything at all.
37*12'53.66"N 4*04'59.34"W

Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).