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Saturday 4 November 2017

Peñón de Jolúcar, Motril Port and Charca Suarez, Graada Province.

Sea watching, Ring checking in the port and a wander around the wetlands dodging the shower, well almost.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).
I met Juan Pérez Contreras and we headed south to the Granada Coast at Peñón de Jolúcar where we spent sometime counting seabird passage. 
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).
On the way dow we had a few showers but once we arrived it dried up right until the last few minutes of the count when we got a good soaking. 
Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).
During the count we recorded Balearic (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and Cory's Shearwaters (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea), Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Shags (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis) x18, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos). 
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
On and over the point we also saw Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus). 
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
Right at the end of the watch the heavens opened and on the walk back down to the car we got soaked, once we sorted the kit back in to the car we went for a quick look around the port for any colour ringed Gulls but they were thin on the ground and we only found three birds with bands so we carried on to Charca for the rest of the morning. 
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
On the way we saw Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).
Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).
We first went to the hide on the southern end of Laguna del Taraje where we found Mallard, a female Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen  (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus),  Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and the first of what must have been 100+ Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) dragonflies, they were everywhere but as my macro lens is in for repair I did not get any shot of the very smart insects
Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).
On our way around to the New hide over looking Álamo Blanco and straight away a long staying White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) was in view along the right hand reed bed with a couple more Western Swamp-hens and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea). 
Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).
Out in front of us there were more Mallards, Teal, Moorhens, Coots and calling Water Rails. New species were Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

On our way around to the main hide over looking Laguna de las Aneas we found a couple of Stripe-less Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Small White (Pieris rapae), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), a female Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).
 
From the hide we scanned the water and found 4 Ferruginous Ducks (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) 3x ♂ and a single ♀, a single female Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Red-knobbed Coot (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and an immature Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).
Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

We moved around to the next hide over looking Laguna del Trébol where we found 7+ Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) feeding low amongst the Tamarisk trees along with a couple Crag Martins. On the water there were several uncollared Red-knobbed Coots, Eurasian Coots, Common Moorhens, Mallards, Teal and lots more Migrant Hawkers.
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Back at the main hide we had the same species as before and around at the hide over looking Álamo Blanco a Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) in its winter plumage and a Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) were added but nothing else so we headed for the exit at 13:00 and then made our way back to Granada and then home.
Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).
Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
Red-knobbed Coot (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata).

Wednesday 1 November 2017

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

Another couple of hours in the garden.

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
I spent a couple of hours in the hide but hings were quiet and the only new species that sat long enough for me to get the lens on it was a White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) but there were several Blackcaps (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and a few others but none came in for long enough for a shot.
Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) male.
As I packed up and walked up to the top gate an immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) was disappearing over the Olives, I called Jayne as know she likes the raptors but thought it was going to be over the ridge before she got out. Just as she got to me the bird turned around and soared back and came right over the house again.
Immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).
Immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).
Immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Monday 30 October 2017

Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

A couple of hours in the garden.

Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).
After a bit of building work on the house in the morning I set the hide up on the lower terrace and spent a couple of hours seeing what came through the area. 
Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).
The birds included a flock of noisy Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) which did not come down for a drink but a couple hung around in the Quince tree and one gave me the time to swing the camera around. 
Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).
Other species included Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), a Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) which perched very nicely but was to close for me to focus, Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).
Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).
On the rocks around the pool there were several sun bathing Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and in the air Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum), Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea), Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore), Large (Pieris brassicae) and Small White (Pieris rapae).
House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).