Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

A stroll around the lower slopes of Hacho.

 

Silver Sage (Salvia argentea).

I parked under one of the Almonds near the near the start of the main track where I soon found quite a few spies of Silver Sage (Salvia argentea) and on the North facing slope nearby a plant I had been checking on waiting for it to flower called Dictamnus hispanicus.

Dictamnus hispanicus.

Dictamnus hispanicus.

I have only found the one small bush of this species but guess there must be more around, when the flowers have passed the seed heads look just like star anise.

Xeranthemum inapertum.

Proctenius cf luteus.

Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris).

Armeria villosa.

I continued walking the Northern Slopes finding Xeranthemum inapertum, Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris), Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Red Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea), Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum), Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Birds on this first section of my walk included Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), a calling Scops Owl (Autillo Europeo / Otus scops) which was further up the hill on the Pines, Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus).

Common Snapdragon (Antirrhinum litigiosum).

Linum jimenezii.

Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa).

Linaria tristris.

I dropped down off the slope and walked up the main track towards the top of the quarry finding three spikes of Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia), Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa), Linum jimenezii, Common Snapdragon (Antirrhinum litigiosum), Linaria tristris, Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis) and Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus).

Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba).

Meadow Browns (Maniola jurtina).

I took the low track at the quarry and then did the usual loop around to the far side of the quarry where I turned around and came back.

Panoptes Blues (Pseudophilotes panoptes).

Panoptes Blues (Pseudophilotes panoptes).

On the way I saw several nice species of butterfly on the Thyme plants, there were several Panoptes Blues (Pseudophilotes panoptes), lots more Spanish Gatekeepers, a couple of mating Meadow Browns (Maniola jurtina), Southern (Polyommatus celina) and Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii).

Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) male.

Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) male possibly Krodeli.

Further on I had normal looking Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) as well as a aberrant variation possibly Krodeli which was a very different looking insect.

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto) female.

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto) female.

Continuing on around the loop I found Small (Thymelicus sylvestris), Red-underwing (Spialia sertorius) and Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

Cleonia lusitanica.

Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra).

There was a pair of Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) which were scolding me as I walked and I soon found out why when the whole family of 7 flew across the track and off into the scrub, also heard and seen were Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

5742 Etiella zinckenella.

Ruby-tailed Wasp species.

Ruby-tailed Wasp species.

I turned around and worked my way back to the car, on the way adding Cleonia lusitanica, 5742 Etiella zinckenella, a very smart Ruby-tailed Wasp species, Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

A cracking days birding with some good friends up my favorite mountain.

 

Watching a nice male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).

I met Barbara, Barbara, Derek, Gerry and Micky at abades service area and after a coffee we headed up the Sierra, on the lower track we started things off with Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and then at the lowest of the Quarries Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes) female.

We continued on adding Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) by the goat buildings and then we continued on up to the next quarry picking up Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis), Tassel Hyacinth (Leopoldia comosa), more Mistle Thrushes  and heard Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).

Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini).

We parked at the quarry and walked around the area finding Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and the a very nice migrating Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).

As we walked down the track we had a few butterfly species including loads of Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

We also had a few wildflowers which included Brown Bluebell (Dipcadi serotinum), Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus), the seed heads of the Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum), Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys) and way up the hill a couple of spikes of Pyramidal Orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).

As we walked back up the track towards the car we added  Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Spectacled (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata) Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and right up on top of the cliffs a single Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).

We got back in the cars and drove up through the Pines, along the crags and out on to the tops and on our way out to the far crags we saw Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Black (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Black-eared Wheatears (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus).

We reached the far crags and started to scan the tops looking for the Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) and after a little while we had a nice male and a female on the crags before the Hawthorn trees and after spending quite a while watching these birds we went on to a small wood of the Hawthorns picking up Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans), a soaring Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), a pair of Woodchat Shrikes (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) which were flycatching from one of the bushes and we also heard a Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus).

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

We turned around and had some lunch below the crags picking up Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and just down the track we stopped at Charca del Negro seeing a very smart male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and Sharp-ribbed Salamander (Pleurodeles waltl).

We dropped back down the hill just making a quick stop at the turning point to make sure that Micky saw the Bonelli's Warbler he had missed earlier. Thanks to you all for a great day and your company.

Arroyo Vilano, Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Looking for a few Dragonflies on the patch.

 

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) male.

I had a walk out over the Olive groves past the farm at the far end and down onto the Arroyo, on the way I had Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) male.

I also had Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Common Vetch (Vicia sativa), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Ornithogalum narbonense and Prickly Poppy (Papaver argenone).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) male.

I walked down stream towards the fields finding Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) male.

I started to find more Dragons  as I dropped down stream which included at least 5x male Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus), 6x male Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum), 3x male Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), 2x male Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) and 1x Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii).

Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii).

I returned to the bridge and then went up stream a short way where I added 2x male Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) as well as Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Rush Loosestrife (Lythrum junceum) and Small Fleabane (Pulicaria vulgaris).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Count.

 

9350 Synthymia fixa (The Gold Wing).

I again put the trap out on the lower terrace and as the over night temperature stayed up around +17 there were quite a few bits in the box and all were released alive after being photographed.

4592 Cacoecimorpha pronubana.

Species included 1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth), 1655 Ethmia bipunctella x5, 3029 Dysspastus fallax x2, 3498 Mirificarma eburnella x2, 4592 Cacoecimorpha pronubana x1, 4855 Epinotia thapsiana x3, 5578 Lamoria anella x6, 5589 Galleria mellonella (Wax Moth), 5864 Acrobasis obliqua x1, 6700 Dolicharthria punctalis x4, 6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth) x5, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, 8186 Idaea degeneraria (Portland Ribbon Wave) x2, 8433 Philereme transversata x1, 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x3, 9128 Odice pergrata x1, 9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled) x2, 9350 Synthymia fixa (The Gold Wing) x1, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x1, 9454 Hoplodrina ambigua (Vine's Rustic) x5, 9569 Agrochola lota (Red-line Quaker) x1, 10096 Noctua pronuba (Large Yellow Underwing) x1, 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x1 and 10493 Eilema caniola (Hoary Footman) x6. 

9569 Agrochola lota (Red-line Quaker).

6700 Dolicharthria punctalis. (ID Martin Honey).

3498 Mirificarma eburnella.

8433 Philereme transversata. (ID Juan José Guerrero Fernández).

10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth).

9128 Odice pergrata.

5615 Synaphe lorquinalis. (ID Francisco Morente).

9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled).

5589 Galleria mellonella (Wax Moth).

8088 Idaea litigiosaria probably.

5578 Lamoria anella.

Nycteola species.

5864 Acrobasis obliqua.