Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

My normal walk but with a new species for the patch right at the end.

 

Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus).

I parked down by the Arroyo and walked out along the bank as far as the plantation and back again on a beautiful sunny but cold (-5) morning. As I got out of the car I saw a very nice Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus) crossing the top edge of the Lucerne fields and as it went it kept checking on me until it was happy it was out of range if I had turned out to be one of the Macho tossers with a gun.

Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

As I crunched my way along the frost covered back of the Arroyo there were seveal cold looking Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), a good number of Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), as well as loads of Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and for the first time this winter a few Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), a restless flock of Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) which were continously flushing and around 15 Golden Plovers  (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) but they were difficult to count as the Lucerne was getting taller.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

In the trees along the road through the Asparagus fields there were good numers of finched including Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

A hard frost.

Around the plantation there were large numbers of Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus),  a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and a calling Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

On the way back I added Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) much lower numbers now, Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).

Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Just before I reached the car I was watching a flock of Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) when I was aware of a large Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) flying up he Arroyo and away up towards Montifrio, a new species for the patch.

Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

In the area around the car I also saw Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis)Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

I drove back up to the house and finished off with a pair of Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Count.

 

6184 Eudonia angustea.

5 Moths of 3 species in the actinic trap.

6496 Evergestis isatidalis.

6184 Eudonia angustea x2, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x1 and 9206 Cucullia calendulae x2.

9206 Cucullia calendulae.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Christmas morning walk.

EBird list for the walk.

 

Common (Urraca / Pica pica) x3 and Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) x12.

This morning was as many mornings are at the moment I was awake at 05:30 and up at 06:00, so after getting the jobs done I was out on the fields for a walk, right by the car there was a group of Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) along with 3 Common Magpies (Urraca / Pica pica), a flight of 8 Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) x8 and out on the Lucerne fields along with Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x1 and Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x28.

Hazy early sun.

Along the Arroyo I heard a Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) x250, Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) x13, Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) x200 or so, Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) x6, the first of 3 Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and lots of Woodpigeons (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) around 130 sat up on the wires.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I continued on through the fields finding Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) x3, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

A foggy morning by the Plantation.

I reached the Poplar plantation where I added Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major). 

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

I walked back towards the car and along the bank above the Arroyo I had a Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and a couple of Common Kestrels (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus). I reached the car and then went back to the house.

Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

Sierra de Huétor, Granada Province, Spain.

A nice mornings birding with Juan in a great area.

EBird list for the walk.

 

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

I met Juan just off the A92 on the road up to Alfacar and we carried on to a spot well into the pine woods where we parked at the start of a chained off track where we started the list off with both Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpeckers (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).

Within a minute or two of setting off along the track we were watching the first Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) mixed in with Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Coal Tits (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), there was also a fly through Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and we heard a calling Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco).

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

As we walked futher down into the valley we added Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Just as we reached the bottom of the track near we both heard a calling Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula) but as hard as we tried we could not find it. We started to check the fields finding Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

In the trees surrounding the farm buildings there was a group of Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

We continued on along the track a short way where we scanned a really good looking area of Hawthorn scrub and found several Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), a single Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), a few more Mistle Thrushes, a very nice looking Hawfinch, White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).

Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea).

We spent quite a while at this site before having another look around the fields and the walked back up the hill, around the fields we had Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Great-spotted Woodpecker and a wintering Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).

On the way back up the hill there was a group of Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) x7, followed by a flock of Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) x15 and then further up we watched a pair of Golden Eagles (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) displaying and then sitting together on the crags.

Just before we reached the car we finished the list with a couple of Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Count.

 

6 moths of 4 species but not surprising as temp dropped to 0 over night.

 

9676 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola).

6184 Eudonia angustea x2, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x1, 9206 Cucullia calendulae x1 and 9676 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) x2.

9206 Cucullia calendulae.

6184 Eudonia angustea.

Sierra de Loja and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Birding and catching up with friends.

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica) a youngster in it's winter coat.

I met up with Bob, Andy, Barbara and Derek, Barbara and Jerry for a socially distanced and masked days birding, we left the abades service area and drove up the hill right over to the far side. 

During the drive we saw lots of the purple flowered Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) on the lower slopes and amongst the Pines, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and from Dereks car a Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica).

Further on up on the tops there were Red-legged Partridges (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), lots of Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a couple of very smart Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Just after passing Charca del Negro we had what I think was one of only a couple of Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) perched up high on the crags amongst the Spotless Starlings and mush nearer and all around ua a group of female and young Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica) which seemed totally unphased by us being there and taking photographs of them

We parked at the far end of the area and had a walk but things were quiet, we did add White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), several nice pure looking Rock Doves (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica).

We returned to the cars and dropped back down the track to Charca del Negro where we had our lunch and just Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) for the list.

We dropped back down the hill seeing 2 Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and a sizable flock of Red-billed Choughs on the way, as we descended we made a stop at the quarry lower down where we had nice views of three Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and a pair of Greenfinches (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

We dropped back to Abades and after a loo stop we headed east along the A92 to Huétor Tajar where we had a good look around the fields and Irrigation channels. On the small model aircraft field we found more White Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and a few Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica).

Out on the Lucerne fields we soon had the wintering flock of Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), several Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and along the Arroyo Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), a Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

We moved further along the arroyo and then did a short walk finding Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Derek had a Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and 4 Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

Part of our view from the fields.

We moved a bit further along the road where we stopped by the Poplar Plantation seeing Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and along the Mesia road Irrigation Channels we had another walk seeing Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and another Iberian Grey Shrike before we all headed our ways home.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk along the Arroyo.

EBird List.

 

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I parked in the usual place along the Arroyo Vilano where I had views of Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) x250+ during the full walk, Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) x123.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

As I walked along the bank I scanned the Lucerne fields seeing the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x30, a small flock of Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) x5, Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) x4, Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) x7, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x1, Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) x1, Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

In the stretch through the Asparagus fields I found Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Serin, Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) x6 and Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) x7.

I reached the plantation and could hear a Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) chip calling, several Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) x60 and had a small flock of Greenfinches (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

As I walked back to the car I picked up 2 Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) which since their main wintering spot on the patch was destroyed by one the farmers has become a rare visitor.

I also had Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) x2 the first I had seen in a while, Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Kestrels (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) x2 and last bird of the day a nice female Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).