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Thursday 21 April 2022

Sierra de Loja and Ventas del Raya, Granada Province and Fuente de Piedra, Malaga Provnce.

Out and about with Steve.

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) with the full face patch.

After a totally none wildlife day yesterday in Granada City it was back to our more natural habitat for Steve and I and we started by heading up into the Sierra de Loja, heading over to the far side where we were hoping to get some shots of the newly arrived Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) but after get a sighting near the start of the track to the Mirador Sierra Gorda we didn't see it again.
Another Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica)but with just the bandit mask.
On the way up to the start of the Mirador we did see Black-eared (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), Black (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).
Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).
We sat in the car for a while along the track to the mirador as the wind was quite strong and it was piggin cold at ust +3, we didn't see the Rock Thrush again but we did see several cold looking Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) sat up on rocks between the snow as well as Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) female.
Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius).
We dropped back down to the lower track and tried to get to the crags below the Mirador but before we got there the track started to get dodgy so we turned around, before doing this we added Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
On our way back down the hill we picked up Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes) x1, Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea), Wild Peony (Paeonia broteri), Iris Subbiflora and Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis).
Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) 2CY Male.
Our next stop was along the western side of the Sierra where we checked some fodder crop fields for Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) and we were pleased to find several birds even though most of the area was covered in grazing sheep. 
Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) 2CY Male.
Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) 2CY Male.
In the sam area we also saw
Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).
Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus).
Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
We spent quite a time trying to get some photo's of the Harriers before moving on West to Fuente de Piedra, we started of by parking next to the road on the way in and checking the Kestrel tower where there was a very nice Barn Owl (Lechuza Común / Tyto alba) roosting.
Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).
Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).
On the roadside entrance pool we had good views of several new species for the day including Whiskered (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus) and Gull-billed Terns (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Slender-billed (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) away on the Chimney in the town.
Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris).
Lesser Flamingo's (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor) x4.
We parked and had a walk along the boardwalk but only added Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) before wlking along the lower track to the Mirador below the big Oak where we scanned the main Lagoon finding four Lesser Flamingo's (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna).
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

From the mirador we walked around to the three hides by the freshwater pools seeing Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) x1, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x2, Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x3, Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), a very smart male Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) before we returned to the car and headed back to the house.

Tuesday 19 April 2022

Sierra de Loja, Moraleda Fields and Balsa de Regidor, Granada Province, Spain.

A day birding with friends around the local patch.
Ebird List for Sierra de Loja, 49 species. 
Ebird List for Moraleda Fields, 33 Species.
Ebird List for Balsa de Regidor 23 Species.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
I met Barbara, Derek and Moez at the Abades service area off the A92 at Loja and after a bit of breakfast we headed off up the hill. We went fairly quickly over to the furthest point that we planned to go picking up Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) before we left the Pine woodlands.
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
Along the crags Moez had a Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) fly into a cave on one of the cliffs and whilst we tried to relocate it we added Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and out on the tops Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), a nice male Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), a female Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), the first of 5 Spectacled Warblers (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata), Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica), and Wild Peony (Paeonia broteri), Iris Subbiflora and Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis).
Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca).
Out along the far crags we had a walk and after a while had distant but nice views of a displaying male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) along with Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and in the Hawthorn scrub we added a singing male Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis), a male and female Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), an immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and on the way back down a couple of Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Our last stop on the hill was along the track to the middle Quarry where we saw
Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes) x2, Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea), Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata), Common stork's bill (Erodium ciconium), Ramping Fumitory (Fumaria capreolata), Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), Viola dementria and Tassel Hyacinth (Leopoldia comosa).
Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).
We returned to the motorway and then drove towards Granada and then out onto the fields near to Moraleda, things started well when we found
Greater Short-toed Larks  (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), a female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), 7x Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), 2x  Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) before we reached the Cortijo ruin.
Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) after a bath in a puddle.
Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris).
We dropped down onto the lower fields hearing a calling
Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) along with two Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), a female Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis), our second Golden Eagle of the day, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).
Woodchat Shrikes (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
Our last stop was at Balsa de Regidor on the Northern side of the !92 where we parked and had a walk along the Northern shore picking up Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum), Stripe-necked Terrapins (Mauremys leprosa) and Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) before heading back to my car and then home.

Sunday 17 April 2022

Alhama Gorge, Alhama de Granada, Granada Province, Spain.

A new mammal species for my Granada list.

Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra).
We all headed out south and parked by the Pantaneta de Alhama and scanned the pool from the Observatorio de aves where I was over the moon to see my first live Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra) in Granada hunting along the far shore.
Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra).
On the water and around the margin there were several Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius).

Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Other species seen along the walk were Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).
Mediterranean Spurge (Euphorbia characias).
Butterflies included Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes) x6, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x2, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x1, Large White (Pieris brassicae) x3 and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x4.
Sarcocapnos enneaphylla.
Linaria aeruginea.
Wild flowers seen were Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea), Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata), Mediterranean Spurge (Euphorbia characias), Sarcocapnos enneaphylla and Linaria aeruginea