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Thursday 12 October 2017

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

A morning in the mountains with friends Pat and Peter.

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
I picked up friends Pat and Peter Love from their house which looked up to Sierra de Loja where we were heading to this morning, they have been in the area for 16 years and had not visited the area before. 
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
We drove along the track from the service station and picked up a male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Further up along the crags we saw the first of several Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Once up on the tops we drove quite quickly out to the furthest point out past Charca del Negro where we soon picked up the first of several Ring Ouzels ( Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), as well as a group of four Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana) which took off as we came along the track, lots of Blackbirds (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and then just as a bit of a shower worked its way in a group of 23 Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) came in low, some landed on a distant ridge before flying right past us giving us all great views.
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
As we watched the Vultures a couple of Alpine Accentors (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris) flew over calling and we also had more Red-billed Choughs, Rock Buntings, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
From here we drove slowly back down the hill between some quite heavy showers, we added Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Once we were down we dropped trough Loja and the up to Pat and Peters house where we finished the morning an back home via the fields North of Huétor adding quite a few species to the list including Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moths.

6503 Evergestis politalis.
A few of the species seen including 6503 Evergestis politalis, 9651 Aporophyla nigra (Black Rustic), 9724 Polymixis lichenea (Feathered Ranunculus) x1, 9743a Mniotype occidentalis x1 and 10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic) x3.

9651 Aporophyla nigra (Black Rustic).
9724 Polymixis lichenea (Feathered Ranunculus).
9743a Mniotype occidentalis.
10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic).
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Tuesday 10 October 2017

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moths in the Gardens.

8328 Nebula ibericata
1655 Ethmia bipunctella, 6531 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty Dot Pearl) x4, 7598 Petrophora convergata x2, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x2, 7926 Aspitates ochrearia (Yellow Belle) x1, 8211 Rhodometra sacraria (The Vestal) x34, 8328 Nebula ibericata, 8823 Bryophila microglossa x1, 9368 Heliothis nubigera (Eastern Bordered Straw) x1, 9534 Pseudenargia ulicis (The Berber), 9616 Episema glaucina, x54, 9621 Episema gruenri x32, 9628 Leucochlaena oditis (Beautiful Gothic) x13, 9653 Aporophyla canescens, 10156 Eugnorisma glareosa (Autumnal Rustic) x1, 10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic) x2, 10273 Euxoa temera x1, 10326 Eucoptocnemis optabilis, 10335 Agrotis lata or pierreti ?????? and 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x2.
9368 Heliothis nubigera (Eastern Bordered Straw).
9534 Pseudenargia ulicis (The Berber).
9616 Episema glaucina.


9621 Episema gruenri.
9621 Episema gruenri.
9628 Leucochlaena oditis (Beautiful Gothic).


10156 Eugnorisma glareosa (Autumnal Rustic).

10326 Eucoptocnemis optabilis.

10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic).
7598 Petrophora convergata.
10335 Agrotis lata or pierreti. ????????
8823 Bryophila microglossa.
9653 Aporophyla canescens.



10273 Euxoa temera.








Sunday 8 October 2017

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Dragons and birds in the garden.

Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum).
Whilst doing a bit of gardening I noted a few species around the pool and in the trees including Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum) which was a new species for the garden, Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), a female Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).