Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A new species for the local patch.

Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).

On my way back from the supermarket in Huétor I called in to see if the Wrynecks (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) were still there and with in a minute or two I found the first and the right at the end of the reedy field I found the other 2 in the same bush together where I managed to get a shot of the one bird before it flew along the irrigation channels and into a nearby garden.

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Also in the same area I picked up 3 Bluethroats (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), 2♂♂ and a ♀ along with a single skulking Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), both ♂and♀ Common Stonechats (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), several Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) which were moving through the plants on the railway enbankment, Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), 150+ House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and a large mixed group of both Spotless (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) which were sat in nice lines on the wires over the railway line which made it easy to pick out the spotty one.

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I moved on back along to the Arroyo Vilano and scanned the reed beds where I found good numbers of Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and then the surprise, I had seen a warbler in the far bank of reeds a couple of times but only the tail end and briefly but the third view was much better but brief again, however this time I did get to see that it was a stunning Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon) but unfortunately it did not stick around long enough for the camera. 

House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

In the same area I saw Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), 40+ Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

 I drove out to the Bustard fields again seeing the Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) which was sat in the same tree on the same branch but this morning it was too cold to even bother unfluffing to look at me as I took its picture.

Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

On the Bustard field there were Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) but due to the fog I could only see around 20 or so birds along with several Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and a couple of Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), quite a few Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and in the Asparagus field on the opposite there were at least 4 calling Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) a couple of which came up on to the tops.

Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

I headed back to the house seeing some Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) on the way and in the garden I added Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Huétor Fields, Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

A few birds on my way back from town.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

On the way back from town I zig-zagged my way back across the fields, on the Mesia side of the area I checked to see if there were any of the Wrynecks (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) still around and I was pleased to see two and hear the third off to the side in a garden. In the same area I also had views of Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), a male Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) which was chasing off a very smart looking Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and a nice male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) which came into view several times but not once did it sit long enough for the camera.

I moved back towards the Arroyo Vilano where I made several stops, the first was under a couple of Walnut trees, as soon as I was out of the car I was being shouted at by a Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) which was right above me along with a group of Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and a fine male Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) which looked like it was almost in complete summer plumage, strange???

In the same area there were lots of Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) dfeeding down along the river with several Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), a single Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), a feeding Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) in amongst the numerous Meadow Pipits, White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), quite a few Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) all feeding in amongst the reeds which were still covered in frost and a calling and fast moving Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

On the fields as I reached the top of the track along the river where there was a flock of 100+ House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) which were dropping down from a couple of Fig trees on to the harvested corn fields and as I scanned through them I was very pleased to see a good number of Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and even more pleasng were the three + male Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

In the same area I picked up Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), a mixed flock of Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) with a surprisingly high number of its Northern counterparts the Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and a single Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) in a nearby Fig Tree.

I crossed the site to the Bustard fields see one of my Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) sitting all fluffed up in a frosty tree and once there I found 61 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), dozens of Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), 8+ Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria), 50+ Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and on my way back home a few hundred Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) on their usual roosting fields.

Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Siskins in the garden.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) male.

I did not put the hide out but whilst I was shifting some plants around on the Terrace the Siskins (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) were happy to sit in the Fig and Almond trees around the gardens and pose for the camera.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) male.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) male.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) female.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) male.