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Thursday 21 June 2018

Nerja, Malaga Province and Granada Coast, Granada Province.

Down on the caost for a few days with Jayne and some of her family.

A pair of White-rumped Swifts (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer).
We arrived on the Tuesday morning and stayed in Nerja until the lunch time on Thursday. On the way down and in Nerja I recorded a few speciies including Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and masses of Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), some of which were nesting in the plane trees on the Balcon de Europa and showed very well on their approach to the holes.
White-rumped Swift (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer).
Also seen were Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and during a walk along the sea front on the last day a single Balearic (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and 3x Cory's Shearwaters (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea).
White-rumped Swift (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer).
After lunch we said our goodbes and then headed along the coast calling in briefly at a spot where I quickly picked up a pair of White-rumped Swifts (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer) mixed in with many Pallids. In the same area I also had Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).
White-rumped Swift (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer).
Next we called in at Salabrena for a frozen Mikl which went down very nicely before making a last stop on the way up to Granada where I got another year tick in the shape of a Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus). In the same area we heard and saw European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).

Monday 18 June 2018

Arroyo de Vilano, Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

L R Plovers on the patch.

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) Adult.
Had a quick look down on Arroyo to see how the Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) were doing and I was very pleased to find at least 3 pairs with 8+ young between them. I also saw several Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and back at the house several immature Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) which was being mobbed by 3 Common Kestrels (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) immature.
Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).
Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) immature.
Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) being mobbed by 3
Common Kestrels (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).