Baza Area, Granada Province, Spain.

A second dip on the Greenish Black-tip.

 

Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense).

I drove along the A92 passed Baza to a spot in the middle of nowhere where I was hoping to find the extremely rare Greenish Black-tip (Euchloe bazae) but with out success again, since the visit I have learnt that it is particularity poor year for the species which is difficult normally.

Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense).

On the drive there I started the list off with Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi).

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi).

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi).

I arrived at the spot and found that Anita and Walter from Granada were also visiting the site, I bumped into them briefly further up the Barranco, but I found out later they were as unsuccessful as I was but we all saw some nice stuff anyway.

Lesser Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens).

Lesser Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens).

As I walked along the track I had Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Shrubby Gromwell (Lithodora fruticosa), Common stork's bill (Erodium ciconium), Giant Fennel (Ferula communis), Shrubby Russian Thistle (Salsola vermiculata), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and the first of several Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi).

Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).

There were good numbers of singing Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), several Black Wheatears (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) which were also in good voice, Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

After a while I met Anita and Walter and we had a chat before they carried on following a rough track and I walked back towards my car, on the way back I had the first of several nice male Black-eared Wheatears (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and 2 passing Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Cistanche phelypaea subsp. lutea.

I dropped my fleece off at the car and had a drink before walking back out along the Barranco, I reached the point where I had turned around and the continued on along the track soon having good views of several Lesser Short-toed Larks (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens) which were singing and feeding in some abandoned fields.

Cistanche phelypaea subsp. lutea, the power of the plant.

As I walked around this area I also had Cistanche phelypaea subsp. lutea a curious Broomrape type species which was fairly common here and was even pushing it's way up through the track surface.

Cynomorium coccineum subsp. coccineum.

In this area and on my way back to the car I had Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and the first of around 6 pairs of Stock Doves (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas).

Yellow Pheasants eye (Adonis vernalis).

Yellow Pheasants eye (Adonis vernalis).

Yellow Pheasants eye (Adonis vernalis).

Once I got back to the car I drove along a few of the local tracks and found another area which looked good but I didn't find any Butterflies, however I did add Cynomorium coccineum subsp. coccineum, Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and more Stock Doves.

Narcissus triandrus subsp. pallidulus.

Narcissus triandrus subsp. pallidulus.

I gave up on the Butterflies and headed back towards home but called in at Sierra Huétor where I checked out an area of Pine woodland finding Aristolochia paucinervis, Geum sylvaticum, Yellow Pheasants eye (Adonis vernalis), Narcissus triandrus subsp. pallidulus, Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis) and the leaf rosettes of Barton's Orchid (Dactylorhias insularis) and Orchis cazorlensis.

Aristolochia paucinervis.

In the same area I also saw Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

I returned to the car and drove back home through several quite heavy rain showers but there was nothing back at home.