Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

Another hour on the Fields.

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Today I just stayed along the Arroyo looking at both ends but starting as usual by checking the area by the ford and then going up on to the far bank. By the ford there were the usual bathing species including House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and skimming the water were several Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) which were joined by the odd Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus).

The Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) were there as usual as were a couple of Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) which were down from the Poplars having a drink and a pair of Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

Up on the bank I flushed several Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and once I parked I could hear a Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), several Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and out over the fields what I thought were 3 pairs of Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) turned out to be 4 pairs which was rather pleasing.

I spent the next hour or so watching the Harriers and also adding Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) in amongst a large flock of feeding hirundines as well as a good sized flock of European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) which flew overhead.

On the way over to the East side a very smart Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) flew across the road and the Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) flew up stream passed me.

Along the eastern track I picked up Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and in the reed bed a migrant Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis) and a singing Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

At the far end of the track I made another start where I again hear a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), I turned around and stopped by the Poplars on the way back and heard my first male Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) of the year as well as Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).