Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

Back on the patch.

I again dropped the car down to the mechanics and on the walk back to the house I saw Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Tree (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and  House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 2x Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla). Not bad for a stroll back home.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A whizz around the local patch.

Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

I started down on the Rio Vilano and then went out on to the middle fields on my way down to the mechanics, along the Rio I checked on the young Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and found the 4 chicks still doing nicely. 

A female Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

In the same area I heard and had bad views of my first Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) of the year, Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), a pair of Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), several Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), a female Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) and a zitting Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

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

Out on the fields and around the railway line there were Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).

Zafarraya road woodlands, Granada Province.

A morning with Jayne, Santi and Howard in amongst the wild Orchids.

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).

We drove to a nice bit of Oak woodland where we started to search for species and we started with a couple of butterflies, a Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina) and a couple of Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) neither of which sat for the camera. 

Gagea Species,

As we walked through the area we also saw Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), a soaring Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and then several spikes of Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum robertiana) along with a few varied Fan-lipped Orchids (Anacamptis collina). 

Field marigold (Calendula arvensis),

In the more open areas I found lots of the yellow flowering Gagea Species, blue Common Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule), Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), the first Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) I had see this year, which Jayne spotted, Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus). 

Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum robertiana).

We moved a short way down the road and spent a while walking in an area of abandoned area of Almonds where we saw the same species of Orchids along with Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Small White (Pieris rapae) and just as we were walking back to the car Jayne made a second good find when she pointed out a stunning Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus) which sat nicely on a rock for a few shot.

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

We later had a very nice menu del dia in Loja before heading back home.

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).

Common Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum).

Guadalhorce river mouth, Malaga Province.

A few hours around the pools and on the beach.

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

At first I went to the eastern side of the reserve and parked just off the road to the port and checked the area seeing loads of Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) flying east along the coast. In the same area I saw Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

After finding the river was not cross able I drove around to Guadalmar where I parked by the church before walking out on to the reserve, on the way out to the first hide over looking the main pool I added to the list with Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

From the main hide I found Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), 2x female Eurasian Wigeons (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), several Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) in both summer and winter plumage, Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) all in winter plumage, Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and some fly through Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia).

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) on the sea.

Out on the beach I found Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluviali squatarola).

Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluviali squatarola).

As I walked back around past the two far hides from the beach I only found Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and two Alpine Swifts (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) which flew east over me and were the only year tick of the day. 

Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluviali squatarola).

During the walk around the reserve I also had Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Andalusian Storksbill (Erodium recorderi), Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum var discolor), Eruca (Eruca sativa), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Mallow-leaved Bindweed (Convolvulus althaeoides), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), Southern Daisy (Bellis cordifolia), Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) and White Mignonette (Reseda Alba).