All the time we were there we were aware of the number of Hunters shooting in the surrounding scrub and as we did not want to bump into any of the Macho Men out with there shot guns blasting highly dangerous fluffy rabbits to bits to prove their manliness we left the area to return later once they had gone to the bar to tell their friends about their bravery against the savage fluffy bunnies😠😠😠.
We decided to head for some small areas of water near Salinas, on the way we checked an area of irrigation channel finding two extremely active
Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) which spent the whole time we were there in aerial combat over the water and a single
Mediterranean Bluet (Coenagrion caerulescens) which was bobbing slowly around amongst the
Small Fleabane (Pulicaria vulgaris) flowers.
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Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata). |
Once were were at the spot near Salinas we checked a small pool which was very quiet except for a single
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii),
White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes),
Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus),
Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor),
Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus),
House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus),
Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and
Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica),
Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and
Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki),
Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and
Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).
We drove around to the far side of this spot and parked by a surprisingly dried out pool on the track side, there was a small amount of water in the roadside corner but we only found another
Red-veined Darter here.
We walked back along the track to the small stream which crossed the track and quickly found a couple of very smart male
Southern Skimmers (Orthetrum brunneum), a couple of male
Keeled Skimmers (Orthetrum coerulescens), 1x male
Mercury Bluet (Coenagrion mercuriale), as well as
Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera),
Scarce / Spanish (Chupaleches / Iphiclides podalirius / Iphiclides feisthameli) and
Swallowtail (Papilio machaon),
Sage Skipper,
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui),
Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia),
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla),
Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina),
Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea),
Bath White (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice) and
Perez's Frog (Rana Común /
Pelophylax perezi).
On our way up to the Laguna Grande we stopped on the Arroyo de La Viñuela where Bent had a lifer when we saw a
Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) sat up on the tops of some reeds. We also recorded
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata),
Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis),
Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris),
Hoopoe,
Keeled and
Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma).
We drove up the track to Laguna Grande only to find the Bunny blasters had moved across to this area but we parked and walked down to the lake anyway, on the water we again saw
Mallard,
Eurasian Coot,
Common Moorhen,
Little Grebe and added
Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and
Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus). In the woods and around the margins
European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster),
Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus viridis),
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba),
Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs),
Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and
Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) were seen.
Over the water and on the twigs in the water we saw several new species of Dragon including
Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria),
Small Red-eyed (Erythromma viridulum),
Scarlet (Crocothemis erythraea) and
Red-veined Darter,
Orange-winged Dropwing,
Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope),
Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator),
Black Pennant (Selysiothemis nigra) and
Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).
As we were leaving the site we came across another one of Bents target species, a fine male
Common Golden Ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii subsp algirica) which showed well on a track side root.
We moved on and went back around to Laguna Chica which was gun free by this time so we parked by the old ruin and searched the areas around the walls and soon found a couple of
Common Winter Damselfly (Sympecma fusca) which were also new for Bent. In this area we also saw several Common Blue Damselflies (Enallagma cyathinerum) and a few
Dainty Damselflies (Coenagrion scitulum).
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Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator). |
After a lunch stop in Salinas we headed for the last stop of the day at Balsa de Rigedor just off the A92 were we saw several stunning male
Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) which was Bents dragon of the trip. We also had
Orange-winged Dropwing,
Blue / Common Emperor female,
Black-tailed Skimmer,
Red-veined Darter,
Small Red-eyed,
Long Skimmer,
White Featherleg and
Scarlet Darter. We also had a calling
Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus),
Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla),
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala),
Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata),
Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur),
House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica),
Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major),
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea),
Common Pochard,
Mallard,
Little Grebe,
Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and
Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) before heading back towards Granada and then home.