Sierra de Loja and El Jau, Granada Province.

Looking for Thrushes in the Sierra and Barn Owls amongst the Tobacco Barns.

Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).

I start the list off at the house with Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and on the way out to the Sierra Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus).

Once I was up on the Sierra I drove to the far side and on the way I saw Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus).

Once at the furhtest point I parked on the side of the track amongst the Hawthorn trees and waited to see what appeared, birds that turned up included several Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) x20+, Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) x3, Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush, Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus). I had a walk up on to the scree slopes above the track looking for some Alpine Accentors (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris) that I could hear from the car, once I found the flock I turned up 11 birds but they remained distant and when a Sparrowhawk came in flew up and over the crags.

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).

After a while I dropped down to a nearby pool where I was surprised to find a Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) along with the first of a few Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) along with a nice male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius).

Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

On my way down the hill I added Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) which sat for the Camera, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus) and down by the exit a male Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) which was singing from the top of a small pine tree.

A day time moon from the Sierra.

Later in the day Jayne and I headed Up towards Granada to visit a Chanel exhibition in the city, on the way we stopped off at an area of agricultural lands surrounded by old Tobacco barns looking for Barn Owl (Lechuza Común / Tyto alba) but again I dipped.

Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

However I did see quite a few species including Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Corn Bunting, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackbird, Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Black Redstart, Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), White Wagtail, Spotless Starling, Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Chiffchaff, Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), House Sparrow and last of all a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) which drifted in to a nearby reed bed for the night.

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

We went up in to the city and had a good time at the exhibition and then had a mooooch around before heading back to Huétor for some food.