Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A couple of hours checking the Fields for migrants.

Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

I dropped down to the very local patch and started by crossing the Arroyo at the ford making a quick stop there seeing the regular pair of Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), as well as several bathing House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

Down on the river bed I also had Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and a Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Up on the far bank I counted the 3 pairs of Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) which were displaying and nest building by collecting branches and twigs from the nearby Olive groves.

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Along the bank I also added Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), 2 Alpine Swifts (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) which was sat on a nearby Pylon and it watched on as 2 Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) tried to cross the Montagu's Harriers air space but all 6 Harriers were up and soon saw them off.

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

As I drove towards the Mesia end of the site I had a nice male Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra) which was sat up on a chain-link fence with 2 Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I parked near the Irrigation channels and then had a walk on the fields opposite seeing Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

My next stop was along the eastern end of the Arroyo but on the way I picked up two different migrating Common Whitethroats (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis). 

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Along the track to the railway I added Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and a calling Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus). 

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

During my drive round I also saw Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

Zafaraya area and Sierra de Loja's Western slopes, Granada Province.

Butterflies, Orchids and Birds.

Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).

I made my down to Puente Don Manuel to get the TV box sorted out, on the way I recorded quite a few species including Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and at the cliffs near Zafaraya where I stopped briefly a dozen or so Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and in the town House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).

Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).

I sorted the box and then drove back up the hill to Zafaraya and took the Loja road and stopped in an area of abandoned Almond Groves where as soon as I got out of the car I could hear several singing Bonelli's Warblers (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) in the Oaks at the to of the field so I went and had a look and got some good views as two males chased each other around me.

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

As I walked around there were thousands of Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea) spikes as well as a few Mirror ( Ophrys speculum) and Conical (Neotinea conica).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

I walked further along the terraces and found good numbers of Giant (Himantoglossum robertiana), Pink Butterfly (Orchis Papillionacea) but most pleasing were two spikes of Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora) which is a species I had not seen on this site for 10 years since a single spike stopped flowering.

Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis).

There was also a singing male Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis), Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis Papillionacea).

Butterflies started to fly in the warmth and I soon found several species including Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) and Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina).

Mirror Orchid ( Ophrys speculum).

I walked back to the car and then drove north to some fields where I sat in the car and watched 12+ Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), some of which came in quite close giving me the chance of some shots. 

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

In the same area I had Corn Buntings, Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

My last stop was in the Almond Groves near to Moraleda where I checked a spot for some more Orchid species and found Bumblebee (Ophrys bombyliflora), Dark Spider (Ophrys incubacea), Somber Bee (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and Sawfly Orchids (Ophrys tenthredinifera) as well as a couple of Common Kestrels (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), European Bee-eaters and a noisy Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).

Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora).

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).

Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Bumblebee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Guadalhorce Pools, Malaga Province.

Waders, Gulls and Terns along with a few other bits along the way.

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Jayne and I headed down to Malaga airport for her trip back to the UK to spend some time with the family including our Son and Grandson. After I made sure she was safely through the security checks I went and parked near the reserve and walked on. 

Collared Pratincoles (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Between the car and the bridge I started the day list off with Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Once over the bridge I headed straight to the main hide over looking Laguna Grande, on the way I heard a singing Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and the first of a good number of Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Once I was in the hide I stayed there for the next couple of hours scanning the lake but started with a few good species on the mud bar right right infront of me including 4x Collared Pratincoles (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola), a smart lookng summer plumaged Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), 3 Curlew Sandpipers (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea) in different stages of plumage including a good summer bird, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and more Slender-billed Gulls and several Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Further out on the lake there were 5x Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), 3x Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 1x Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), 2x Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), 1x Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Gull-billed Terns (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica) which were sat on the far side of the lake and over the water Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

I walked around to the hide over looking Laguna Escondida, on the way a flock of 19 Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) came in over the reserve and the flew off East without landing. From the hide I added just a single male White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and a perched Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

I continued on around the site to the two far hides adding Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola) before I reached the sea watch point where I had views of 2 Great Crested Grebes (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) and a chasing Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) which was making life difficult for the Gulls.

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

I walked along the beach and then back in to the reserve and to the main hide again see a male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) on the way. From the hide I had two more new species for my year list when both Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus) and Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea) flew across infront of the hide. 

Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

After a while I walked back to the car and finished the visit with a fine male Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis) in the trees near the bridge.

Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

Collared Pratincoles (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), 3x Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) and a Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

Gull-billed Terns (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).