Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of hours on the fields dodging more showers.

Back into Local Lockdown.

Eird List for the walk.

 

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I parked at the normal spot today as it had dried out a bit along the track from the ford, after the rains of the week before the Arroyo had been flowing for a couple of days but was now again dry. 

Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin).

Just as I stopped I had a very pale looking Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) which carried on up the valley towards Montefrio.

Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin).

I walked along the Arroyo and the took the track that follow the Arroyo again right down as far as the railway bridge. On the first section along the Lucerne fields I heard at least 4 Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and had views of Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), the first of at least 13 Woodchat Shrikes (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

I turned off the tarmac and then spent quite a while watching several Warblers in the Almond trees near the Goat pens, the first was a smart looking Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), which was followed by the first of two Garden Warblers (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin) and then another bird which flew in from the pine on the other side of the Arroyo and landed for just a second before going into cover and I did not see it again but my instant thought was that it was a Wood Warbler (Mosquitero Sibador / Phylloscopus sibilatrix) but as I didn't get a decent view I can not be sure. 

Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

Along this stretch I also had Iberian  (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Collared (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus).

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

As I continued on I added Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and along side the Poplar Plantation I could hear Golden Orioles (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) singing.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Count.

 

A bright dawn from the Terrace as I checked the trap.

Very quite in the trap this morning but there were a few bits including 2420 Eurodachtha canigella x1,  7761 Olive-tree Beauty (Peribatodes umbraria) x1, 7882 Charissa mucidaria x1, 8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata x1, (Double-striped Pug) x1 and 9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y) x2,

7761 Olive-tree Beauty (Peribatodes umbraria).

7882 Charissa mucidaria.

9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y).

2420 Eurodachtha canigella.

2420 Eurodachtha canigella.

Eriocottis Species but which one ???????????

Cumbres Verdes and around the Jardin Botanico la Cortijuela, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning plant hunting with Anita.

 

Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).

I drove up to Cumbres Verdes where I was going to meet Anita and as I was quite early I had a walk in the woods nearby where I found Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Southern Early Purple (Orchis olbienis) and Dense-flowered Orchids (Neotinea maculata) as well as Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Bombycilaena discolor, Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and as I got back to the car a singing Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea). 

Biscutella laxa???????

I met Anita and we drove out to the Botanic gardens where there is a chain across the track preventing you going further in the car so we got our kit together and started to walk further along the track through the Pine woodlands.

Sierra Nevada Narcissus (Narcissus nevadensis).

Sierra Nevada Narcissus (Narcissus nevadensis).

Near the car I heard and saw Iberian Green (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula).

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula).

Along the track we found possible Biscutella laxa before we turned off and headed up the hill into a bit of a clearing, on the way up the bank we had lots of  Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus) and then after a scramble and struggle through the thicket the target species the Sierra Nevada Narcissus (Narcissus nevadensis) but unfortunately we should have been there a week earlier as they were a tad past their best but still great to see.

Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

Shrubby Plantain (Plantago sempervirens).

In the same area we also had Common Dog Violet (Viola riviniana), Angular Solomon's-seal (Polygonatum odoratum), a Monkshood (Aconitum) species which was still only in leaf, Stinking Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) and Paeonia coriacea.

Dwarf Snapdragon (Chaenorhinum villosum).

Madwort (Alyssum serpyllifolium).

Onosma tricerosperma subsp. granatensis.

We took a different route back down the hill as the scrub on the way up had been a bit thick but this turned out to be not one of my best ideas and turned in to a bit of a hard route but eventually we reached the track again and returned to the car, on the way we did see Polygala boissieri, Early Purple (Orchis mascula) and Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica) and Shrubby Plantain (Plantago sempervirens).

Pheasants eye (Adonis annua).

Violet Horned Poppy (Roemeria hybrida).

Corn buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis).

We returned to the car and then dropped back down towards Cumbres Verdes but stopped on the way to check a spot where we found Onosma tricerosperma subsp. granatensis, Madwort (Alyssum serpyllifolium), Dwarf Snapdragon (Chaenorhinum villosum) and Roadside Toadflax (Linaria aeruginea).

African Mustard (Malcolmia africana).

Biscutella species needing a name ????????

Weed Silene (Silene conoidea).

Further along the track back down we stopped by a cereal field and checked arable weeds finding Pheasants eye (Adonis annua), Violet Horned Poppy (Roemeria hybrida), Corn buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis), African Mustard (Malcolmia africana), Weed Silene (Silene conoidea), Scrophularia canina, Linaria hirta as well as a couple of species that need names.

Linaria hirta.

Another stop was made just down the road were we walked up into the Pine woodland were we found several spike of Dense-flowered (Neotinea maculata) and more spikes of Early Purple Orchids (Orchis mascula).

Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus).

Cercopis intermedia.

At a point  after the bar on the way down we made a roadside stop finding Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata), Cercopis intermedia, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Dense-flowered Orchid (Neotinea maculata).

Dense-flowered Orchid (Neotinea maculata).

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula).

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula).

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula).

We also saw lots of French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas), many of which had the Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina americana) on the flower heads. 

Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina americana).

Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina americana).

Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina americana).

In the same area we found Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis) and Salvia Cistus (Cistus salviifolius).

Salvia Cistus (Cistus salviifolius).

 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Dodging the showers.

 

Water in the Arroyo again.

It rained all morning and it was quite heavy at times so I stayed in catching up with a few bits around the house. During the afternoon it cleared for nearly 2 hours before the storms returned but during this time I managed to get a walk in around the Lucienne fields.

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

I parked at the mid point as the track from the ford to the normal parking spot was extremely muddy, yesterday the ford had been completely dry but I was not surprised to see it flowing again as we have had a lot of rain in the few hours.

Convolvulus arvensis.

Convolvulus meonanthus.

I walked along the Lucerne fields first and then when it got muddy I turned around and walked back to the car, on the way I found Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) male.

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I turned around and on the way back I picked up Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Squirting Cucumber (Ecballium elaterium).

Malva nicaeensis????????

In the few sunny periods I counted over a 100 Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies as well as several Small Whites (Pieris rapae) and Clouded Yellows (Colias croceus).

Common Vetch (Vicia sativa).

I passed the car and the continued out to the Mesia road spending a while photographing the wild flowers along the verge which included Convolvulus arvensis, Convolvulus meonanthus, Squirting Cucumber (Ecballium elaterium), Malva nicaeensis???????? Common Vetch (Vicia sativa), Hoary Cress (Lepidium draba), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum), Ornithogalum narbonense, Few flowered Fumitory (Fumaria vaillantii), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) and Common Knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare).

???????????

Few flowered Fumitory (Fumaria vaillantii).

As I walked this stretch of the fields I also had Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and in the Poplar plantation a couple of singing Golden Orioles (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).  

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum).

Erucaria hispanica.

As I walked back to the car I found a couple of Cruciferae plants, one I think could be Erucaria hispanica but the other which is common I still cannot name and large patch of Corn buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis).

Corn buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis).

Corn buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis).

I returned to the car, on the way hearing a Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) which was singing from the far side of the Arroyo along with Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).