Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Out checking whats on the patch and adding a new species to my patch list.

Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus).

I started the day by having breakfast out on the terrace and the list with a male Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), several passing European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and up on the road just as I was leaving for the fields Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

I drove down to the fields and took the track along the Arroyo and crossed to the far bank where I checked the fields seeing Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), 150+ Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) up on the wires and a large flock of Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) was collecting on the track ahead of me and in the surrounding reeds, I checked as many as possible before they flew up and off just in case there was a nice pink one in there.

Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

At the far end of the track I stopped again and looked along the fence at the end of the field finding that there were at least 6 Woodchat Shrikes (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), a couple of Willow Warblers (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), a Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), a Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis) a single Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and further out in the field a calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and a perched Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

I moved on to the Eastern end of the track where I saw many more Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), a single Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and whilst I sat by one of the Fig trees a Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), more Golden Orioles, at least another 3 Coomon Whitethroats, a Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and in a small bush in the Rush field 4 more Common Whitethroats and over head a single Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

I moved towards the town on the next track aong and started to check one of the Grass fields where there were 25x Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), 1x Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), 2x Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and two thirds of the way down the field a new species for the patch in the shape of 2 Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

Female Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).

I took one of the side tracks and I managed to get down a little closer to the Ibis and found that in amongst the grass that was being Irrigated there were loads of Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and possibly some other races in the flock of around 125 birds at least.

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

During the walk through the fields I also had Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Serin, Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) x7, Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), European Bee-eaters, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and down on the ground a female Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum), African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

After seeing several Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore) a couple of days ago I decided to return to the site and have another look and I soon had three and they did land more but they were not easy. I got a few shots before heading home.

Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

As I was leaving the fields I saw two Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) heading up towards the house so as I got back I saw them again from the terrace, later I set my self up on the terrace again and spent a few hours catching up with the blog and seeing single Golden (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and a pair of Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus),  a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), a young male Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) which spent all afternoon hunting from the top of the Jasmine plant and a rather tatty Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) in the fig tree.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

Later as usual I did my dusk walk and soon had Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) on the when one started calling from the roof of a disused house near the road and just up the road a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) flew between the Olives and over the road. On my way back I could hear the Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) off down the bank below me but I did not get to see it.

Male Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).