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Thursday 16 December 2021

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Another walk along the Lucerne Fields to the Walnut trees.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I parked and went for a walk along the side of the Lucerne fields but only as far as the two Walnut trees as it was piggin freezing and I could not feel my fingers by the time I reach the Walnuts.
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).

Highlights were 21x Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and 20 or so Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) around the Walnut trees.

Monday 13 December 2021

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Back on the Patch.
Ebird List.

6x Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
I was tired after yesterdays drive but wanted to go and see what has been happening on the fields, I parked at my usual spot and walked the track between the Arroyo and the Lucerne fields, one of the first things I saw were 6x Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) right at the far side of the fields near the Olives whch was a good record and the bigest flock to settle here so far. 
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

After a few minutes I heard the birds calling and they had taken off as a tractor had flushed them and they flew off west towards Granada along the Genil Valley. 
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Other species seen included Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x11, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) x38, Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).
Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).
The full list is on Ebird via the link at the top of the post.

Sunday 12 December 2021

Lagunas de Fuente de Nava, Palencia Province and driving South Home, Spain.

Travelling back home for a few days. 
Ebird List.

Horrible very low light shots of some of the Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).
I set off early to spend a few days at home as Santi and Howard were travelling South tomorrow for Hospital appointments, first of all I went pretty much due west to visit the Lagunas de Fuente de Nava reserve to see what Geese I could find.
I arrived just before light but had four Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) feeding in the car park, I walked out to the screens right at the start of the track where I could hear lots of Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) but they were out of sight behind the reeds.
As the light got better the Geese and Cranes started to fly out to feed so I scanned flocks as they left and after sifting through a good number I had a single Barnical Goose (Barnacla Cariblanca / Branta leucopsis) fly out with the one group which was a new species for my Spanish list but I could not find either of the two Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis) which had been reported in the week.
Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).
I walked up towards the tower hide which give a great view over the pools but again it was closed for some reason, even so I still found a 4x
Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda), 8x Great Egrets (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) out on the fields to the right of the track along with quite a few White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and numbers of Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).
Other species seen as I walked this track included Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) and back at the car another 10x Great Bustards on the fields there.
I decided to head off south and had an uneventful drive home.