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Saturday 13 February 2021

Arroyo Vilano, Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Reed Buntings on the River.
Second Municipal Lock down Day 28.
 
Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).
I had already had a good walk around the woods at Hacho so I just sat in the car along side the Arroyo as I wanted to get some better shots of the wintering Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).
Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

 

Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk amongst the Giants.
 
Cymbalaria-leaved Speedwell (Veronica cymbalaria).
I parked at the bottom of the hill and checked the area amongst the Almond Trees finding a few wild flowers including Cymbalaria-leaved Speedwell (Veronica cymbalaria), Shepherds Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), Erophila verna and Stellaria media and Field marigold (Calendula arvensis).
Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).
Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).
Up in the Pines and along the track I found several
Somber Bee Orchids (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and lots of Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum Robertiana). 
Cleavers Species.
Shepherds Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris).
As I walked the woods I heard and saw Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater).
Moss Species.

Moss Species.

Friday 12 February 2021

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A quiet afternoon walk.
Second Municipal Lock down Day 27.
 
Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
I parked at the mid point again as the crossing was to muddy to try, the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) were on the same fields but spread out more than usual, they were sharing the lucerne field with a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
I Walked along the Arroyo finding Meadow (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
I drove back around towards the house picking up more White Wagtails and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) on the Asparagus fields.
Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

 

Thursday 11 February 2021

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A productive walk on the fields this morning in the sun.
Second Municipal Lock down Day 26.
Ebird List.

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) x3.
I started the day by going into Loja to sort a few bits before going the long way around to the far side of the Arroyo as the water level was still too high to cross at the Ford.
A rather scruffy looking Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).
On the Lucerne fields the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) were still on site but more unusual was a group of 5 Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) which were mixed in with them. 
Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) after a bath.
I then had a rather strange, scruffy looking
Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) which had been around for a while but this was the first time I had it on the ground. In the same area I also had Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), a flock of over a 100 Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), 40 odd Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and a very skulking Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).
Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).
I turned around at the normal parking point and walked back to the car on the way picking up lots of Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), the 4 Common Crossbills (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) that have been knocking around the poplars, Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and just 2 Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) which were surprisingly the only hirundines seen all day.
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
I passed the car, only stopping to drop off my fleece as it was warming up nicely, I continued on following the Arroyo finding
Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), the regular roosting Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and the first of 3 Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).
Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
I crossed the road and again followed the Northern track I saw the first of several Clouded Yellows (Colias corcea), Small Whites (Pieris rapae) and a single Bath White (Pontia daplidice), all of which were seen on the leaves of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum).
Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) female.

Birds along this stretch included 6 Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) which was the best count of the winter so far, at least 2 but probably more Bluethroats (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), a male Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) which flew off quickly, Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).
Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).
Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).
I turned around at the far end of the track and on one of the side ditches I had a smart looking Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which was the first on the patch for a while and as I walked back I had a Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) fly up just before I decided to sit down and see what came close enough for a photo.
Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) showing the red tail flashes.
Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).
The male Bluethroat was the first to come, this was followed by an unexpected exotic species, a white
Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) and even more unexpected was an early Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) which showed briefly a couple of times in the Reed Mace (Typha latifolia). 
Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata).
Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata).
On my way back to the car I added Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) before heading back up to the house.
Small White (Pieris rapae).
Small White (Pieris rapae).
Later in the day at around 18.00 I went up to another local spot where I had a pair Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila-azor Perdicera / Hieraaetus faciatus) displaying which was a fantastic site.
Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).


Wednesday 10 February 2021

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A wet walk.
Second Municipal Lock down Day 25.

The Arroyo below the house.
The morning was a complete wash out so in the end I decided to go for a walk in the wet in the afternoon. The Arroyo at the back of the house was running well but the main Arroyo Vilano was in flood so I didn't bother to try the crossing at the ford but drove around to the far bank.
I parked and the walked up to the normal parking point, on the way I saw the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) but I could only see around 16 birds but I was pretty sure all the birds were there but most of them were just keeping the heads down avoiding the near horizontal rain.
The Arroyo Vilano.
Other species were White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) x2, Meadow (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and up on the wire what appeared to be a flock of mostly Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) with a few Spotless (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) mixed in.
The left of the water is normally the track I drive along!!!!
I walked back passed the car and followed the Arroyo down to the bridge, today I stayed on the Northern side, on the way I saw Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) x2, Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) with a mix of Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
A Rainbow low over the fields.
As I walked back I added Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and 4x Common Crossbills (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) which had been around for a few days.

Tuesday 9 February 2021

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Almost feels like Spring, ALMOST.
Second Municipal Lock down Day 24.
 
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
It was mostly cloudy but today was a great deal warmer than the last few days, mostly due to the wind dying down, throughout the walk I could hear Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) singing well and rattling out there call. 
The local Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) were also sat up high on bushes and reed stems singing, as were Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) when they weren't chasing and fighting each other.
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
The 37 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) were on the Lucerne fields and the males were leaping and running around like lunatics displaying to the female birds. Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) numbers had risen and on the far side of the fields there were at least 120 birds feeding and roosting.
A dozing Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
I continued on and started to see some hirundines feeding over the water, today as it has been for the last couple of days most were House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) with a mix of Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and at least a couple of Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) first of the year.
Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).
I continued on passing the Poplar wood seeing Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), a calling Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Spotless (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), both White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and at least 3 Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) all females.
Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and a female Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

Further along before I reached the end of the track I had 6x
Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and several Bluethroats (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), at least 3 males and a female.
Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).
I dropped off the main track and walked around the Juncus field finding at least 2 more Bluethroats, a
Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and 3x Zitting Cisticola's (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).
As I walked back I added
Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x3, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), a single Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).
Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).
As I walked along the Lucerne fields again a large flock of birds flew up and some landed on the Eastern fence, they included Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and a female Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).
Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).
Later in the afternoon I popped up to the Pine Woods on the slopes of Hacho where I photographed the
Somber Bee (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum Robertiana).
Whilst I was doing this I also recorded Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).
Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).

Monday 8 February 2021

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

First Yellow (Spanish) Wagtail of the year.
Second Municipal Lockdown Day 23.
 
Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).
I started off along the bank of the Arroyo as usual and followed it on the Northern side at the furthest point down to the railway line. 
Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).
On the first part of the walk I had the usual wintering Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) but today they were spread out over 4 section of the Lucerne fields and on the far side there were around 40 or so Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).
I continued on and just as I turned off the road on to the track I saw the first of hundreds of hirundines which were feeding in the strong cold wind, most of them were House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) x700+ but mixed in were smaller numbers of Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) x50+, several Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) x100+ and a dozen or so Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).
House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).

After I crossed the road and followed the Arroyo again I had a nice male Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) but by the time I had farted around with the camera it had flown off.
Continuing on I added Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) female.

On my way back I found the Yellow Wagtail again this time I was slightly quicker but the bird was further away and as I walked passed the Poplars I had a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Count.
 
10037 Orthosia incerta (Clouded Drab).

Very wet and windy over night and even though the trap was under the covered part of the terrace everything got soaked as the wind drove the rain in.
6184 Eudonia angustea.
I checked the trap and found 18 Moths of 4 species, 6184 Eudonia angustea x1, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x14, 10037 Orthosia incerta (Clouded Drab) x1 and 10226 Cerastis faceta x2.
6184 Eudonia angustea.