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Saturday 3 February 2018

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A bit of birding on the way back from the supermarket.

I popped down to the supermarket in Huétor and on the way back I stopped at the ford over the Arroyo Vilano and sat there for around 25 minutes to see what appeared. Best bird by far was a Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon) which I had first seen back in December but not in between. Again the bird behaved as before, it kept its distance and only showed briefly.
At the same point I saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) x3, Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) x5, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) x3, Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) x18, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x1, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) x5, Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) x4, Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) x1, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) x12, Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) x1, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) x2, Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) x1, Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) x1, Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) x2, Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) x2, White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) x2, Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) x1, Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) x1 and Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) x5.

Wednesday 31 January 2018

Los Llanos (Antequera), Fuente de Piedra and Campillos area, Malaga Province.

First full day out in 2018.

Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata).
With Jayne's brother David and his wife Pauline visiting us I had the chance to go out for a day with visiting photographers (closet BIRDERS 😀😀😀😀) Steve Jones and Kevin Gill from Cornwall.
Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Whilst I was out side waiting I started my day list off with Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and a Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) up on the wires.
Egyptian Mongoose (Meloncillo / Herpestes ichneumon).
Steve and Kevin arrived and we headed off west to our first stop at Los Llanos near Antequear where we had a look along the main track and quickly added Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x5, Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) x20+, Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x1, White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) x5, Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and several formations of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) passing over head.
Egyptian Mongoose (Meloncillo / Herpestes ichneumon).
We moved on along the motorway to Laguna de Fuente de Piedra where we parked and had a look at the pools along side the entrance road finding Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), an adult and immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and in the air above the pool good numbers of Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and at least 6 House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
We walked across the boardwalk just a short way and saw very little except for Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and further around towards the mirador a Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) on the far bank. 
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
From the mirador we scanned the main lake seeing more Greater Flamingo's, Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and we heard a calling Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
Next we went to the main hide over looking the fresh water pools at the back of the centre, there were many of the same species as well as several Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and from the other hide Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) as well as a Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea), plenty of Rabbits (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and a single Egyptian Mongoose (Meloncillo / Herpestes ichneumon) which sat out amongst the plants at the side of the pool, photo's by Steve Jones.
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
We returned to the car and drove around the western side of the lake adding Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and the first flock of aroud 100 or so Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
We got to the main road and turned towards Campillos calling in briefly at Laguna Dulce but even with water there were not many birds, we did see several more Common Cranes and some Northern Shovelers but nothing else so we movesd on to a nearby Vulture feeding Station were we saw a few Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), another Clouded Yellow, Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Large White (Pieris brassicae), Friar's Cowl (Arisarum vulgare), Andalusian Storksbill (Erodium recorderi), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis) and Broad-leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Juno / Iris planifolia).
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
We dropped back dow to the road again and continued on along the side road to a wooded area where we made our exet stop and found another Dartford Warbler, Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
We moved on again stopping at Laguna Capacete, bird wise it was quiet and we only found a few Greater Flamingo`s, a pair of calling Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax) but more surprisingly we found 2 species of Dragonflies. 
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
There were at least 2 male Common Darters (Sympetrum striolatum) and a single male Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) photo's by Steve Jones.
Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

We moved down the road and check the smaller Laguna Redonda where we only found 4 Black-winged Stilts but nothing else so we moved on and headed back to Huétor seeing Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) on the way. 
Common Darters (Sympetrum striolatum).
On the fields we checked out the Irrigation channels on the Mesia side of the area where we got brief fleeting views of a male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) but the light was dropping so we headed back to the house and finished off with the local Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) on the way.
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Monday 29 January 2018

Armilla, Granada and Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

On Juan Pérez Contreras local patch after some info he gave me.

Our electric blanket blew so I popped up to Granada for a new one and called in at a spot near Armilla where Juan had told me he had seen four Dunnocks (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) at the spot and as they were one of my favourite species down here I wanted to have a look. 
During the 20 or so minutes I was there I saw one and heard another Dunnock in a scrubby field along side the track and in the field and in the surrounding smallholdings I also recorded 2 male Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) along with lots of House  (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) in the same flock.
Other species included Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), several male and female Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
Later in the day I spent a while out on the fields where I drove along the Arroyo Vilano and out on to the fields on either side of the site. The bird species seen included Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) x8, Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) x12, Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x35, Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) x4, Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) x97, Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria) x12, Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) x278, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x3, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) x2, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) x1, Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) x21, Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) x1, Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) x3, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) x20+, Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) x1, Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) x1, Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) x4, Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) x3, Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) x5, Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) x1, Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) x1, Tree Sparrow x8, Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) x11 and then back at the house a flock of 31 Siskin's on the feeders.

Sunday 28 January 2018

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

Back down on the fields again.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) male.
I managed to slip out down the fields for an hour after calling down to the supermarket, on the way back I called in at the Mesia road irrigation channels finding Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).
I then dropped down to the airfield and the railway bridge where I scanned the fields finding Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) female.
From the bridge I went East along the Arroyo Vilano where I sat on the side of the reed filled stream listening to at least four Water Rails (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) but none of them showed long enough for me to get the camera on it. In the same area I added Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Back in the garden I counted 28 Siskins (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) which were coming down to the main feeder next to the pool.