Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

An 8.5KM stroll around the fields.

Ebird List for the day.

 

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

I parked in the town and took a track out towards the railway line, I started the list off with Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

Once I reached the dead tree I started to scan the fields and soon found the first of 94 Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), 5x Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra) and 5 Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which were following a plough.

Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra).

I reached the railway and the crossed a couple of Asparagus fields to the road seeing Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus) and Small White (Pieris rapae) as well as Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

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I crossed the Railway via the foot bridge and from the far side I found a flock of 31 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) away on one of the Lucerne fields along with 3 Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), more Western Cattle Egrets and below me in some old vines Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and  Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

I dropped down the other side and walked along the main road scanning the fields finding Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

I went behind the bar and crossed the Arroyo and up on to the bank on the far side where I scanned the Lucerne fields where I had a second Common Buzzard, Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava) x250+, Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) 70+, Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and in some Fig trees on the far fields plenty of Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

At the far end of the raised trail along the fence and in a small allotment area I saw Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), the first of several Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and as I watched what looked like a 1st winter male bird a very smart winter plumaged male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) popped up on one of the canes.

Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava).

As I continued on along the track I became aware of two Seprona Guards on motorbikes coming up behnd me, they went passed and continued on a short way before turning around and coming back and stopping next to me. The one guy spoke good English so I soon found they just wanted to check what I was doing with the camera and was pleased to have a look through a few of the shots I had taken. I got some good info from them including the date the Sierra de Loja was to open to cars again which was the 15th October, a day I am again looking forward to.

Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

I continued my walk along the roads and then I took the track along the Arroyo towards the Mesia Road where I had a small flock of Red Avadavats (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava) which were feeding in a large Maze field along with lots of Goldfinches, Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and several Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild). As I continued on along the bank I found a Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), a smart Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which whizzed passed and out of sight and a fast flying Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) which really upset the flocks of Avadavats and Waxbills.

Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

I went under the railwayline and continued on counting at least 100 Collared Doves on the wires, 2x Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) on the roof of onr of the farm building, Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

I reached the Mesia Road and crossed to follow the Arroyo again where a Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) flew off in front of me and as I turned to head back towards Huétor the first Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and as I crossed the Mesia Road again a Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) flew up off the track. 

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

I took the lower track along the railwayline again where I had 9x Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) coming down to a damp corner in a field where the irrigation channel was leaking.

I continued on seeing more Western Cattle Egrets, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and on the model Aircraft area several more Northern Wheatears before I reached the car again.