Punta del Santo and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Birding down the Coast with Juan Perez, Olivia (from the USA) and Manolo Marsilio.

Ebird List for Punta de Santo.

 

Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda) heading West.

I drove down to a spot Juan had discovered near to Charca Suarea were we were going to do some sea watching, I arrived early and set the scope up on a wooden walkway / bridge and soon had the first of several Razorbills (Alca Común / Alca torda) heading West along with good numbers of Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).

Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda).

About 10 minutes before Juan arrived I had a Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) also heading West and it was in pursuit of a juvenile Kittiwake (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla), not a common bird in these waters.

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Juan arrived followed by Olivia and then Manolo and we continued to count the passage, seeing more Balearic Shearwaters, Northern Gannets, another Great Skua, 2x Arctic Skua's (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).

Other none marine species were Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and 2x Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) and a Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Olivia left and Juan, Manolo and I went for a walk over the road to view the pools on the golf course and found Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

We next had a walk along the beach as part of the dead seabird survey but it was good news today as we found none, as we walked we saw over 100 more Balearic Shearwaters, Razorbills and Northern Gannets.

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) Immature.

Before I headed off home we met Beatriz and checked the Golf Course Pools with the same results, on my way home I called in at the Fields near Huétor where I saw the Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) along with Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) as well as Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

At the end of the day.

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

I had spent most of the day trying to sort out a Laptop problem, so I went for a late walk just as the sun was setting and the only bird of note was the Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which was out looking for a late snack in the fading light.

El Temple and Huétor Field, Granada Province, Spain

Some birding before and after an appointment in Granada City.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

I got out early and dropped down the Cacín Valley after getting some breakfast in Bar El Cruce, my first stop was at the Contra-embalse de Cacín and as I pulled up I noted 14+ Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) up against the Reeds along with several Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and a small Crake species, I was looking straight into the sun so I could not be sure which species it was but suspect it was a Spotted (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), peeping over a roof top.

Before I got a good enough view all the birds on the patch of mud flushed off when a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) flew in, so I walked into a better spot where I could see more clearly but the Crake did not show again.

Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) El Temple.

During the hour I did however see Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae),  Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

After a while I walked along the shore to another view point adding Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Long-eared Owls (Búho Chico / Asio otus).

Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).

I dropped futher south along the valley and then I took the road from Cacín to Ventas de Huelma and as I drove I added Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Rock (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I went through Ventas and out on to El Temple and I soon found the 1st of a couple of Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) which was in a line of Almond trees, just a short way along the track I saw a second Cuckoo fly into a Pine tree so I stopped and waited for it to reappear, after around 10 minutes I suddenly looked at the lowest of the branches in the next tree where I saw a Long-eared Owls (Búho Chico / Asio otus) perched with a second bird just above it. I could see the birds were aware I was there so I took one quick shot and drove off.

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

As I drove along the tracks towards Granada I saw a couple of Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) on some ruins, House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), a very nice Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and way off in the distance a soaring Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).

I reached Granada early and was pleased to get in for my appointment slightly early and I was quickly on my way home after getting some Logs in Bobadilla. I decided to have a walk along the Lucerne fields and along the Arroyo to the Railway Bridge finding another Black-winged Kite, Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x1, Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), the immature Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and a Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) which is a species that is alway a good find down here.

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Cerro Hacho and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Out and about at both ends of the Local Patch.

Ebird List for the Fields.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum).

I drove up to the puddle on the lower loop of Hacho where I parked and went for a short walk up into the Almond Trees where I spent a while watching a Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) which was necturingat the Almond flowers.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum).

In the same area I saw lots of Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

I returned to my car and set up the camera and waited to see what came in for a drink but it was fairly quiet but I did see 7 Bramblings (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Siskins (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

As things were quiet I decided to head down to the fields and get some steps in, I walked the Lucerne fields and the followed the Arroyo's Northern bank as far as the railway Line.

Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Highlights were Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x11, Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) x1 Immature, Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) x6, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) x3, Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) and Clouded Yellows (Colias croceus) and Small Whites (Pieris rapae).

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Olive Groves, La Fabrica, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk through the Olive Groves after a good morning in the Garden.

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

I had a good time in the garden cleaning up the fallen leaves and sorting out the pool, later I walked out towards the road up to Montifrio through the Olive Groves. 

As I walked I saw and heard Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

On the way round I also saw Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Cerro Hacho and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A visit to the Puddle and then a walk with Juan Perez around the Fields at Huétor.

Ebird List for Hacho.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

Bramblings (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).

I started by Going for a walk around the high loop which goes from the upper Car Park over the top of Hacho and down the Zig-zag track on the Northern side, as I walked I saw Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia), the leaf rosettes of Man Orchids (Orchis anthropophora), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and a couple of Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Female.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

I got back to the car and dropped back to the lower Car Park where I set up by the puddle again and almost straight away there were good numbers of Finches and Buntings, which included 4x Bramblings (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), 15+ Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Male.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Male.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Female.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Male.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) Male.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) Male.

Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) Female.

Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) Male.

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Other species included Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos),  Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and as usual a couple of Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) Male.

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Later in the day I met up with Juan Perez to have a look around the fields so that he could catch up with a couple of species for year list, so we parked by the Lucerne Fields and started off with a Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) which is a bit of a local rarity and Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

We got into the car and drove around the fields looking for the immature Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) which had been around for a few days but we did not find it, however we did see Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

We parked along the Lucerne fields and walked back towards the bar, as we walked Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) x3, Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x1 and Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and in the other direction from the car Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), a Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) x2.