Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

A short walk on the lower slopes of the Hill.

Second Municipal Lockdown Day 20.

 

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica).

I parked at the bottom of the track by the bins and walked up the hill to the first junction and checked the area of Pines but as I went I scanned the Quarry finding a group of 10 Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica).

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).

In amongst the pines there were quite a few Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum Robertiana) which were just starting to flowers, once they all burst into full bloom it will be quite a show. They vary in colour from deep purple through a few shades of pink to the more uncommon white / hypochromatic plants.

Erophila verna.

Erophila verna.

In the same area there were good numbers of Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and down under the Almond trees I found masses of Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) along with a few very small early flowering plants including Erophila verna and Stellaria media as well as a couple of others which I am still trying to name.

Stellaria media.

Stellaria media.

Birds seen and heard included Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Crested Tits (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).

Back down by the car there were a few flowers coming out on some of the Almond trees, this was always one of Jayne's favourite times, every year we would visit an area not far from the house to see the blossom at its best.

Almond Blossom.

Later I went out in the garden for a few house and the whole time I was out there I could hear a singing Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), superb.