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Friday 10 July 2020

Arroyo Vilano, La Fabrica, Granada Province.

First venture out of the Garden with the camera.

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).
After a few hours in the garden I decided to walk down to the Arroyo which was around 15 minutes walk from the house through the Olive groves, on the way I heard and saw Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), a singing Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).
Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).
Once I reached the Arroyo I went upstream a short way and found the first of around 8 male Southern Skimmers (Orthetrum brunneum), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x2 Males, Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis). 
Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens).
Along the margins there were Small Fleabane (Pulicaria vulgaris), Rush Loosestrife (Lythrum junceum), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).
Small White (Pieris rapae).
I walked back to the bridge and then walked down stream for a while adding Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), a Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) which had managed to get it's self tangled in some sticky trigs but went off ok after a detangle, Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). 
Mallow / False Mallow (Carcharodus alceae / tripolinus).
On the insect front I saw Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii), Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma), a single teneral male Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Four-spotted Moth (Tyta luctuosa), Mallow / False Mallow (Carcharodus alceae / tripolinus) and  Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi), Holly (Celastrina argiolus), Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina) and African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna) and both Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae).
Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).
As with most days at the moment I also had one of the fire fighting helicopters pass over the site.
I got back to the bridge and walked back through the Olives and apart from being checked on by the Guardia Civil, who were happy with what I was upto I did not see a single person. 
Four-spotted Moth (Tyta luctuosa).
Later I went up to the track at the back of Hacho adding Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) to the list.
African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna).
Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) old female.
The fire fighting helicopter.
Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).

Monday 6 July 2020

Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Fire on the hill side nearby.

Into the smoke.
This mornings task was to sort out the bottom accommodation which I am pleased to say did not take too long. Bit of filler and a swip of paint, a wipe and mop and it was done by lunch time. 
Heavy lifter.
At around 12.00 I notice a small aircraft and then a large plum of smoke over the next nearby ridge, as the afternoon went on the fire grew as did the number fire fighters.
Bombing the target.
I walked up the hill and watched from there as 3 Helicopters and 2 fixed winged aircraft tackled the fire and then 6 or so Bombero Local in Loja and Bombero Forestal Trucks came to do the hard ground work. 
Going back to fill up again and again.
I am now righting this at 18.30 and I am still hearing planes but looks as if it almost out. Very lucky that there was not a breath of wind today so the fire was slow moving up the hillside.
One of the fixed wings after dropping a long red line of fire retardent.
On the far side of the fire.
In bound with another load fron the Rio Genil.

Sunday 5 July 2020

Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Getting the house back in shape.

Ready for some birding.
Yesterday I got one of my favourate places sorted, the terrace where I have masses of memories. So it was good to spend some time up there birding but today it was back to work as the bottom room and lower terrace were swamped by weeds and Perriwinkle. Some shots of the upper terrace and the temp.
The Ikea Corner.
Later in the day I went for a walk around the loop of Huétor Tajar and to get my steps in a short spur off up the Loja road. On the way round I had Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) 200+, the escaped collection Barnical Goose (Barnacla Cariblanca / Branta leucopsis), other feral Geese and Ducks, House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
Many a good meal been had here.
Along the Loja road amongst the Asparagus fields I heard a Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and watched a hawking Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) in the very last of the light as I sat on a bench.
The front Yard.
Tad Warm.