IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE BLOG ON A PHONE PLEASE CHANGE TO WEB VIEW AT BOTTOM OF PAGE AS IT WILL LOOK BETTER, THANKS MICK.

Saturday 30 January 2021

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Count.
Second Municipal Lockdown Day 14.

10037 Orthosia incerta (Clouded Drab).
As the forecast said it was going to be mild over night I switched the trap on again, the numbers were up slightly again, 15 Moths of 3 species.
10037 Orthosia incerta (Clouded Drab).
6496 Evergestis isatidalis x13, 10037 Orthosia incerta (Clouded Drab) x1 and 10226 Cerastis faceta x1.

Friday 29 January 2021

Huétor Fields and Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

Out in the heat for a walk.
Second Municipal Lockdown Day 13.
 
Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).
I went down onto the fields again and most of the species were as expected, 36 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) were right out on the far end of the Lucerne fields and 2 Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) were still knocking around the reeds along the Arroyo.
Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).
In a damp patch on one of the fields I found a couple of
Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), a male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and some noisy Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).

Around the Poplar plantation I had good numbers of
Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), a fly over Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
I drove passed the house and did a short walk through the lower pine woods, on the ground there were masses of
Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia), lots of nearly in flower Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana), one of Iris flowers had a freshly emerged Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) nectaring on it and there was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) whizzing around the same area of plants.
In the same area and lower down the track I had Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).

Thursday 28 January 2021

Cerro Hacho, Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

A good walk up one of the local hills.
Second Municipal Lockdown Day 12. 
Ebird List.

The view out from the Southern side of Hacho looking South East.

After a visit to the Physio I drove up to the start of the track up Hacho and parked then started up along the main track to the top parking area. 
Looking West from the Summit.
On the way there were lots of the rosettes of Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum Robertiana) some of which were nearly in flower, there were also loads of Ophrys type Orchid rosettes amongst the many flowering Andalusian Gorse (Ulex baeticus) bushes and masses of Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) of several colour shades.
Way out East looking towards Sierra Nevada.
Up in the trees and bushes I heard and saw Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), quite a few Common Crossbills (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and in the top car park I had a group of 4 Firecrests (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).
Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).
Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).
Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).
As I took to the Southern track I added Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) x2, Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).
Andalusian Gorse (Ulex baeticus).
As I reached the summit it was quite warm and I found a couple of Small Coppers (Lycaena phlaeas), several Small Whites (Pieris rapae) and a single Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).
Sierra Nevada Crocus (Crocus nevadensis).
Sierra Nevada Crocus (Crocus nevadensis).
On the rocky slopes as I went back down the Northern side I found Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and several spikes of the beautiful Sierra Nevada Crocus (Crocus nevadensis).
Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).
I arrived at the main track and then walked back to the car where I dropped off the long lens and fleece and then I walked up through the Pine woods and old Almond groves where I found a group of Buntings including 2x Cirl (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and at least 6 Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). 
Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).
I also had Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and several spikes of flowering Somber Bee Orchids (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.


Moth Count.

7694 Agriopis bajaria.
I ran the Actinic trap up under the covered terrace as the weather report said it would be warmer and drizzle. 6184 Eudonia angustea x2, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x5, 7694 Agriopis bajaria x1, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1 and 10226 Cerastis faceta x7.
6184 Eudonia angustea.
6496 Evergestis isatidalis.

10226 Cerastis faceta.
7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).

Wednesday 27 January 2021

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Back on the patch.
Second Municipal Lockdown Day 11.
 
Sierra Nevada in the distance.
The water level in the Arroyo Vilano had dropped so I crossed at the ford and parked at the normal spot and walked the Arroyo down to the plantation and a little further.
Female Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Again the species were much as they normally are, the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x31 were on the Lucerne fields along with Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), female Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) on a telegraph post.
Female Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
Further down the road near the Plantation I got a year tick when 2 Bramblings (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) flew up into a Fig tree, the one bird was in stunning plumage but the second more like what I expected at this time of the year.
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

In the same area there was a high flying
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), lots of
Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).
Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
On my way back I watched a trio of male
Blackbirds (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) scrapping in the reeds at the side of the road, had a large group of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) mixed in with good numbers of Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).
Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), one of the battling males.

Down along the Arroyo I had the only
Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) of the walk and a pair of noisy cronking Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax).
Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

Tuesday 26 January 2021

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain

A visit to the Dentist in Loja followed by a walk on the fields.
Second Municipal Lockdown Day 10.
 
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
I went for another dental appointment, last of the heavy work thankfully but later I went for a walk down on the fields again.
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax)
I parked and did the usual walk, 24 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) were in there normal area but a small group of 8 birds were right down at my end of the fields but I did not see them until they flushed up and flew to the back edge of the fields with the other 24.
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
I continued along the Lucerne fields adding
Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Down along the river there were good numbers of Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
Out on the fields before the Poplar Plantation I found
Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Iberian  (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).
Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

Around the Poplars I could hear a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
On my back to the car I had a good sized flock of
Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping.
 
6496 Evergestis isatidalis.
Ran the actinic trap last night for the first time in a while, well the first time when there were any Moths in it next morning. There were just 8 Moths of 2 species, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x7 and 10226 Cerastis faceta x1.
10226 Cerastis faceta.

Monday 25 January 2021

Home, Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A wet walk up the road.
Second Municipal Lockdown Day 9. 
 
It rained pretty much all day so in the end I decided I needed to get out of the house rain or not but I only walked the road uphill from the house.
I did get very wet but also added a singing Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) to my year list which now stands at 170.