Loja Wildlife, Granada Province, Spain.: Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Sunday 27 February 2022

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Two visits to the Fields looking for the Penduline Tit.

Ebird List, 35 species on the morning visit.

Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) moulting Male.

I got up did a few bits and then headed down to the Arroyo where I had seen the Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) yesterday and as soon as I arrived I was sure I heard the bird but could not find it, I walked up and down the stretch of the Rio where there were spikes of Reed Mace.

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) male.

As I walked I did see Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata). For the full list check Ebird link above.

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Later I drove back to the same spot and again walked the Arroyo hoping that the sun might have bought the Penduline Tit out to feed, however I didn't find it and parked by a rather smelly looking puddle and sat in there to see what arrived.

The smelly puddle in the Arroyo Vilano.

Almost straight away I saw a nice male Bluethroat on the pool edge and whilst I was there I counted 5 birds in total, 4 males and a female. This probably explains why the first male was so aggressive and chased all the other birds of any species away.

Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) moulting Male.

At one point just before I drove home the Male popped up from the pool to the reeds next to the car and spent a full 10 minutes preening and singing some short phrases and took no notice of my presence or the shutter rattling like a machine gun.