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Thursday, 29 October 2020

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

What comes to a Puddle in the mountains.
 
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) male.
I drove up on to the Sierra de Loja and at a puddle on the far side of the hill I parked and waited to see what came in for a drink.
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) female or 1st Winter Male.

Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) were the first to arrive, this nice male came in and then spent ages tap dancing on the roof of the car and it was later joined by at least 4 other birds.
Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Next came the Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) with several coming in to drink during the time I was there and one bird enjoying a wash and scrub up over about 20 minutes.
Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
A group of 5
Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) flew in and landed on the chain-link fence next to the car and a sixth bird came in to the puddle and also stayed a while to have a bath, always a nice colourful bird to get the camera on.
Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Another nice species that arrived was a
Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), I was not surprised to see it as there had been five or six birds along the track as I had driven up. I was up on the Sierra a week or so earlier and we had seen Northern Wheater but we also had really good numbers of Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) but today they were noticeable by their absence.
Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) also came in but never stayed long enough for me to get the camera on them but the Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) were a little happier to stay.
Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).
The whole time I was there
White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) were coming in out both immature and adults.
Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).
A couple of
Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) came in for a drink and both showed their nice yellow throat spots.
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
In the area around the pool I also had views of
Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).
Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

After about 2.5 hours I packed up and went and had a look amongst the
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) bushes which were almost berry free so I was not surprised to only found a single Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) but I was pleased to see 4 Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus).
Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

On my way further down the hill had views of Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), another Rock Bunting which sat in a bush and eventually a pair of Black Wheatears.
Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) female.

Later in the day I had a walk along the Arroyo Vilano where I got good views of a nice female Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) before returning home.

Wednesday, 28 October 2020

Moreleda Fields and Embales de Cacín, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of hours out on the patch enjoying the Eagles.

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
I drove down the motorway and went out onto the fields near Moreleda, I just did a short loop throgh the area and aongst the Almonds at the start I found 4 Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) trying to find a it of shade, mixed flocks of Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
Out on the larger fields there were good numbers of larks including Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) as well as White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and as I left the site a small flock of Greenfinches (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and a male Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
I drove down the road toward the next village checking the old Almonds by the roadside finding a sun bathing
Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus) and a roosting Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua). 
Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
Just before the village I turned right and headed out through the ever expanding Olive groves seeing nothing until I reached a mainly derelict farm where I scanned the walls of the ruins finding a Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), several Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), a small flock of Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and up on a pylon several Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and some Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).
Immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).
As I was watching these birds all the Jackdaws, many of which were hidden away in the came up and started to make life difficult for a cracking immature
Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) which was right over head.
Immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).
I got out of the car and had great views of this bird as it gained height, suddenly the Jackdaws changed direction as a second Goldie came up over a near by ridge and they instantly started to hassle this bird instead.
It also gained height but they did not let up and eventually both birds came together and disappeared over another ridge still being pursued by aroud 20 Jackdaws.
Second Immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).
I continued on over to the Cacín road but checked the view point just along the road before I dropped down into the Valley. At the view point I picked up a
Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Second Immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).
I turned around and dropped down into the Cacín Valley and went up to the embalse but there were far less water fowl there, Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) were still in good numbers with about 300 feeding in what was left of the water but there was only a single male Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), 3x Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), 4x Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) and best of all an eclipse male Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).
Both Immature Golden Eagles (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).
I also found lots of Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), 2x Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 2x Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and 2x Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
On my way back to the house I also had
Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) at the cliffs near Moreleda and a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) along the motorway.

Tuesday, 27 October 2020

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around the fields and a bit of time in the garden hide.
 
Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).
I Parked down in town and started the walk along a track out to the railway line, in the first few fields I found Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), lots of White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and large numbers of both Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) were feeding on weed on the field sides, Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) the first of loads, House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), several Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) which flew up from the track side and on the unploughed fields the first 100 of the Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) seen.
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) male.
I continued on up the track as far as the fence and sluices, on the way finding a single Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), several Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), 6 Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) were sat on the track side chainlink fence, Blackcaps (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

After having a chat on the phone with good friend Steve from the UK whilst sitting on the sluices I continued on back a short way and then crossed the Asparagus fields getting views of Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).
Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).
I crossed the railway on the foot bridge and scanned the far fields from the highest point but could not see the Bustards in the usua spot but I did add
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).
Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
Once over the bridge I took to the fields and crossed to the next road over, on the way I had Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), another 150 or so Stone Curlews, a male Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) which came up out of the Asparagus, Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
Andalucian Wall Lizard (Podarcis vaucheri).
Once I reached the other road I turned back towards the town, on the way I had a flock of 27 or so Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), a male Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) on the model Airport and in the ditch along side the road the second Bluethroat, an Andalucian Wall Lizard (Podarcis vaucheri) in one of the irrigation channels and several Desert Darters (Sympetrum sinaiticum).
Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum).
I headed home and sorted a few jobs and then went and sat in the hide in the garden where I got some shots of a 1st winter Grey Wagtail and a female
Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) which was egg laying into a bit of rotten log.
Female Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea).

Female Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea).
Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).

Sunday, 25 October 2020

Padul, El Temple and Cacín Valley, Granada Province, Spain.

A mornings birding with Juan and a bit more birding on the way home.

First snows on Sierra Nevada.
I made my way up to Granada, on the way I started the list with Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and lots of White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
I drove out to meet Juan on the car park infront of the Restaurante Montesol near Padul, I arrived early and scanned the main lake picking up Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), one Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which was perched and another flying out over the reed beds, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).
Juan arrived and we set off around the lake to the left finding the first of lots of Blackcaps (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
Up by the visitors centre Juan showed me a spot surrounded by trees and scrub which held loads of birds including loads more Blackcaps, Common Chiffchaff, House and several Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), a couple of Reed Warblers (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), a Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) flew through trying to catch one of the Blackcaps in a fig tree but left hungry and just before we retraced our steps a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) flew over head.
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).
We walked back along the same track back to the turning to the bar but went straight on back on to the reserve and followed the boardwalk finding Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) calling but not seen, a single calling Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), several more Spotless Starlings and a few Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) mixed in with the flocks and up over the mountains we also had 3 Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and a smaller raptor but it was too distant for an ID.
At the end of the boardwalk we crossed the road and followed the newly cleared track along side the stream where we had at least 3 Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), a female Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and as we returned to the car we crossed several fields and added Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) immature.
We reached the car and Juan headed off home and I took to the fields in the La Malaha area on the way home and had soon added Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).
I crossed the area between Ventas de Huelma picking up Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) on the way over, an immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) from a view point and quite a few Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore) around the Wild Caper (Capparis spinosa).
Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) immature.
I dropped through the town and then drove up to the Embalse, on the way I had a hunting juvenile
Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) over the Olives, when I reached the lake I parked and scannedwhat was left of the water finding high numbers of Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).