Granada Province, Spain.

Out looking for a glamorous Lady.

 

Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

I left the house after spending the morning paint and headed to a spot I was shown a few years ago for the very smart Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea), a truly stunning plant when it is in flower.

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I drove across the fields where I picked up Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys).

I arrived at the spot and almost straight away I found a single spike of the Lady Orchid which was partly in flower and looked very nice, so I took a few photographs as I was not sure if I would find any more.

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea)

I continued walking around the edge of the area and after a while found several more spikes, two of which were absolutely perfect, so again the camera was in action quickly.

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

In the same area I also saw had another new plant for me called Small-fruit Pheasant's-eye (Adonis microcarpa) which was locally quite common, along with Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus) and Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys).

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

I headed back home the same way as I had come except for a visit to the supermarket in Huétor, as I arrived back home I had quite a large flock of around 30 European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) fly over as I unloaded the shopping. 

Small-fruit Pheasant's-eye (Adonis microcarpa).