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Saturday, 27 August 2016

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping.

8813 Bryophila / Cryphia petrea, a new species for the garden.
Quite a few moths in the trap this morning but the vast majority of them were 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x60+, along with 7504 Watsonalla uncinula x1, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x2, 8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug) x2, 8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal) x3,8691 Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Pine Processionary) x8, 8828 Raphia hybris x2, 8509 Eupithecia cenaureata (Lime-speck Pug) x1,
5643 Actenia brunnealis.
8801 Cryphia algae (Tree-lichen Beauty) x4, 8802 Cryphia pallida x2, 8813 Bryophila / Cryphia petrea x1, 9106 Pseudozarba bipartita x6, 5643 Actenia brunnealis x3, 9702 Dryobotodes roboris x6, 10096 Noctua pronuba (Large Yellow Underwing) x1 and others still needing names. Thanks to Jose Luis Yela for the help with some of the ldentifications. 

8801 Cryphia algae (Tree-lichen Beauty).


8802 Cryphia pallida

8802 Cryphia pallida
8828 Raphia hybris.
8828 Raphia hybris.

Friday, 26 August 2016

El Torcal de Antequera, Malaga Province.

A mornings stroll around this superb natural monument with Jayne, Howard and Santi.

Rock formations.
Jayne, Howard, Santi and I headed out on the A92 to Antequera and then on to El Torcal, on the drive in to the visitor centre we had a few Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica) on the roadside rocks. 
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) Male.
Once we were parked the others went for a lok at the centre whilst I watched a cracking male Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata), a pair of Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and several Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) most of which were either females or immatures but there was one very smart looking male feeding on the blackberries. 
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) Male.
Once the others returned we had a nice steady walk arounfd the shorter of the two trails, on the way I recorded Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Rock Bunting  (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla). 
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) Male.
I also saw Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Blue lettuce (Lactuca tenerrima), Wild Plumbago (Plumbago scandens) and a small number of butterflies including Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla), Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia), Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) and a single Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) Female.
About three quartes of the way around we diverted off the main trail and went out on to some rocky shelves which gave stunning views out to Malaga and the coast and of several Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) as they drifted by. 
One of the fossels.
Howard and Santi returned along the track we came up on but Jayne and I took a slightly harder route which took us on to the far view point where we found some fossels in the rocks. 
Jayne, Santi and Howard starting the walk.
We dropped down to the main path again and met up with Santi and Howard and then we walked back in to the visitor centre adding Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).
Jayne on the edge.
Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica).
Some more rock formations.

Wednesday, 24 August 2016

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping.

8691Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Pine Processionary).
Ran the moth trap on the 24th August as it was slightly cooler and these are some of the species seen 3029 Dysspastus fallax, 6001 Euzophera lunulella, 8059 Scopula marginepunctata (Mullein Wave), 8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug), 8691Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Pine Processionary), 8801 Cryphia algae (Tree-lichen Beauty), 8899 Clytie illunaris (Trent Double-stripe), 9081 Trichoplusia ni (Ni Moth), 9106 Pseudozarba bipartita, 9165 Metachrostis velox, 10347 Agrotis trux (Cresent Dart) and others.
3029 Dysspastus fallax.
6001 Euzophera lunulella,


9165 Metachrostis velox.
8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug),
9081 Trichoplusia ni (Ni Moth).
8059 Scopula marginepunctata (Mullein Wave),
Cryphia sp ?????
10347 Agrotis trux (Cresent Dart).
Teleiopsis sp.

?????????

8167 Idaea subsaturata (Satin Wave) ????????

8899 Clytie illunaris (Trent Double-stripe).

Tuesday, 23 August 2016

El Faro, Fuengirola, Malaga Province.

A couple of hours on the rocks.

Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).
I Parked and walked along the coastal walk way to the hide on the side of the main coastal dual carrageway, it is not a pleasant walk with the masses of summer traffic but I did find the first waders which included 3x Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), 2x Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), 1x Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus) as well as 1x Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), 3x Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and a single adult Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).
Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).
Whilst I was in the hide I had just a single Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) which was heading west and a couple of adult Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) both going east. 
Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).
There was also a small pod of Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) but they soon moved off as they were continually chased by two motorboats. 
Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).
As I came out of the hide there was a group of ladies working there way along the beach collecting all the garbage left behind by the lazy holiday makes so I dropped down and sat on a rock and waited for them to pass by and then waited again for them to flush the waders back down towards me. 
Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).
This worked a treat except that they all dropped in nice and close but behind a ridge and out of sight, I remained seated and waited for a while and eventually they started to move around and come to my side of the rocks but just as the Whimbrel was about to climb over the top the Police helicopter flew along the coast and flushed every thing off. 
Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).
I sat for a while longer but when one of the fire planes started to practice just off the beach I gave up and went for a quick look on the river in Fuengirola.
Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).
On the river I added Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor). 
Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).
Fire Plane doing some training.