Rio Casarabanella and the Rio Guadalhorce near Alora, Malaga Province, Spain.

A couple of Rivers north of Malaga, one nice one not so nice.
Steve and Lynn, Day Six.

Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator).

Steve and I headed down to Malaga and then inland to visit a couple of rivers where we were again searching for Dragons, we started on the Rio Casarabanella which in past years has been brilliant but unfortunately the area which was good now has a raw sewage inlet somewhere up stream which contaminated pretty much the whole section. 

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) male.

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) male.

Epaulet Skimmers (Orthetrum chrysostigma) pair mating.

It always amazes me in this age that the local authorities allow this to happen so often and on so many good natural areas.

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum).

We did however have a walk up stream trying to stay out of the water as much as possible finding a few species on the way including a very nice Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Keeled (Orthetrum coerulescens) and Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma), Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum), Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes), Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) and Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii).

Grasshopper Species.

As we walked we also saw Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

Faded Pincertails (Onychogomphus costae).

Our next spot is one of my favorite spots where I enjoy seeing the best of the best dragonfly wise in my view, the Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae). 

Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus).

Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus).

Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus).

Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus).

Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus).

Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus).

Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus).

As we parked we had a male Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus) flying between the reed beds, we saw several more patrolling males along the river and on a couple of occasions a pair in tamdem, I got one shot but its not great.

Cooling off with a Faded Pincertail.

Steve getting a close up of the Pincertail.

Looking up stream with a Pincetail on the rock.

Steve eyeing up his next photograph.

We spent several hours at this spot seeing more Broad Scarlets, Epaulet, Keeled and Southern Skimmers, Orange-winged Dropwings, Iberian Bluetail, White Featherleg, Blue / Common Emperor as well as Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) and Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii).

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata).

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).

Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii).

Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii).

In the same area we had Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and a couple of Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus). 

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

By 15.00 it was well over 40 degrees so even sitting in the river did not work and we decided after a really good few hours to head back towards the house.

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Later we sat out on the terrace and had both Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) and Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).