Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of hours on the local hill.

 

Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris).

I parked at the bottom of the northern track and walked up the main track avoiding the Picnickers on the grassy area under the Almonds, on the way up to the Quarry I found lots of Orchids and wildflowers including Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Pink Butterfly (Orchis papilionacea), Mirror (Ophrys speculum) and Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera), Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus) and Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius).

Paeonia broteri.

Paeonia broteri.

Up in the Oaks there were a couple of calling Bonelli's Warblers (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) and a fine male Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) which had stopped off for a feed on it's way North.

Palmate Anemone (Anemone palmata).

Palmate Anemone (Anemone palmata).

I reached the pine woods and walked up through them to the start of the scrub and then out into the Oaks further on, In amongst the pines there were lots of over with spikes of Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana) as well as good numbers of Palmate Anemone (Anemone palmata), Red Vetchling (Lathyrus cicera), Linaria tristris, Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys) and Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) on a Paeonia broteri.

On the pine slopes I also found the first of around 6 Red-underwing Skippers (Spialia sertorius), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri), Daisy-leaved Toadflax (Anarrhinum bellidifolium) and Serrate Spurge (Euphorbia serrata).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Lower down I too the track around to the far side of the quarry, on the way I had a singing Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis) but it was not an easy bird to see and I only managed one poor picture when it came to the top of one of the bushes before it flew off.

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).

In the same area I had a couple of Green Hairstreaks (Callophrys rubi), an Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii).

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Birds seen in the area included Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes),  Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis) male.

I turned around and walked back towards the car adding Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

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Cryptocephalus rugicollis.