Cerro, Hacho and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Local patch once more.

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) hypocromatic.

I drove up to Hacho and had a walk from the Puddle down hill via the Pine woodlands where I found quite a lot of flowering spikes of Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) including a couple of hypocromatic spikes. 

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) hypocromatic.

In the same area I found quite a few Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and in the trees above me several species of bird including Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

As I walked lower down towards the road I found Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).

I walked back up the south facing slope finding Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Erophila verna, Amethyst Toadflax (Linaria amethystea), Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) and Mallow-leaved Storksbill (Erodium malacoides).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I got back to the and drove down to the fields and did my usual walk along the Lucerne fields and then on along the road to the junction where I turned around, as I walked out I did not see anything of great interest but on the way back I notice 3 campo dogs on the far side of the fields which came across to the area where I usually see the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and flushed up 9 birds which I had not seen on the way out.

Two of the dogs.

As the fields were badly flooded back in November the farmer did not havest the Lucerne which has made finding the Bustards very difficult.

Huétor Fields, Cerro Hacho and local Olive fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Out on the patch after a Physio appointment in Huétor.

Ebird List for the Fields.

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

After visiting Rafa so that he could inflict pain on my back I went out for a walk along the Arroyo Vilano, I parked at my usual spot  and walked the Lucerne Fields and then took the track along the Arroyo as far as the Railway bridge, highlights were my first Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) of the year, 2x Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) and Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

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

I returned to the car and drove up to Hacho where I went for a walk along the lower slopes and then around the lower loop where I saw a few butterflies and Orchids including Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x1, Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) x1, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x1, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x4, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x2, Small (Pieris rapae) x2, Large White (Pieris brassicae) x1 and Somber Bee (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and Giant Orchids (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Birds included Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Last walk of the day was through the Olives at the back of the house where I checked the area for butterflies but it was quite and I only found a few Clouded Yellows x7, Southern Brown Argus x5, Small Heath x1, Small Copper x1 and Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x1.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

On the bird front I only noted a Little Owl, Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Iberian Magpie and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

El Temple, Granada Province, Spain.

Early afternoon on the field and then the evening watch a Harrier Roost with Beatriz, Juan and Chika.

Ebird List for the time at the roost.

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), one of twenty seen during the day.

I set off early to El Temple where I was going to meet Juan later to check an area which looked good as a raptor roost, I was there several hours early so I spent some time driving and walking the tracks.

Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).

I entered the site on a track from Chimeneas and parked on the side of the main track and had a walk out across an area of fields on another track where I had good numbers of Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), calling but unseen Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) and the first of 16x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).

On the weedy fields there were large numbers of Butterflies, most were Bath Whites (Pontia daplidice) but there were also some Clouded Yellows (Colias croceus), Small Whites (Pieris rapae) and a few Southern Blues (Polyommatus celina).

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I dropped down into the valley and took to the tracks on the other side towards Ventas de Huelma where I saw the first of several Great Spotted Cuckoo's after only hearing them earlier, a tractor had run over a good number of Pine Processionary Moth Caterpillar's (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) and two birds were down on the ground feeding on them giving me some good views.

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

In this area I also saw Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Large White (Pieris brassicae) and Rabbits (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I went for a drive into Ventas and had a late lunch before going back into El Temple and out to the Oil Pits where I had a Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I moved to the meeting point but I was still early so I scanned the fields there seeing another couple of Little Bustards which were flushed by a female Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a female Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Juan, Beatriz and Chika arrived and we went to the point where we were gong to watch for roosting birds, unfortunately we were looking into the sun for a lot of the time but still managed to see 6 Hen Harriers (3 males and 3 females), 5x Marsh Harriers, 3x Black-winged Kites, a calling Long-eared (Búho Chico / Asio otus) and several Little Owls and just before it was too dark to see anything the female Merlin flew across. For a full list follow the Link in the title. 

Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) Female.

Near Motril, El Temple, Cacín Valley and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Trying to catching up with one I had missed a few weeks ago but with the same results.

Buzzard Species.

I drove down to the coast and having some breakfast before driving up to the fruit tree covered slopes above the town where I had tried to find a Long-legged Buzzard (Busardo Moro / Buteo rufinus) I had miss with Friends Juan and Beatriz on my last visit. 

I arrived at 08.20 and scanned the Pylons but could not find the bird so I walked along the road towards Motril seeing Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and down on the fields below there were several Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

I walked back towards the car and on one of the Pylons I found a Buzzard which looked the part but different to the bird which had been seen in the area, before I could get conclusive views it flew off straight into the sun.

I walked back arond to the area over the ridge in the direction the bird had flown but all I found was a  Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) so I again left with out a LLB but I did see Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Hollow Stemmed Asphodel (Asphodelus fistulosus) and Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum).

I waited around until 11.30 but the bird did not show up so I headed back home via El Temple area where I added Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) on my way through to the main area which was quiet but I did add Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra)  and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

I drove over the ridge from Ventas de Huelma to Cacín and down into the valley seeing Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

I drove up the Valley to the Contra-Embalse where I parked and scanned the water seeing good numbers of Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

As I drove further up the valley and out onto the fields near Moreleda I saw Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

My last stop of the day was on the fields where I walked the bank of the Arroyo Vilano, new species were Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), my first Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) of the year, Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

During the day I also saw Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small (Pieris rapae), Large (Pieris brassicae) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice). 

Cerro Hacho and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Around the local patch.

Ebird List for Hacho.

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) in amongst the Almond Blossom.

After an early appointment at the Doc's in Loja I went birding and I started off by parking by the puddle then going for a walk around the lower loop of Hacho, on the way I saw the first of many Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Male.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Female.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Female.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Female.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

I returned to the car and parked it up by the Puddle were I again waited to see what arrived and I soon had a couple of Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and the regular Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris).

Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) Female.

Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) Female.

I finished off at the puddle as it went quiet and went for a walk along the Arroyo but when I arrived I was saddened but not surprised to see that the water had stopped flowing, I parked and walked the track and road down as far as the Railway bridge.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

Main species seen were the immature Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) which has been around for a while but I suspect it will be on its way soon when the remaining pools dry up, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) x3, Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) as well as Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

After dark I went out for a walk near the house and I could hear at least 8 Little Owls, 2x Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) and Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) were calling continuously.

Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).