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Saturday 3 December 2022

Playa de Poniente and Charca Suarez, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of hours sea watch and then a visit to Charca.
Ebird List for Sea watch.
Ebird List for Charca.

Sun Rise on the beach.
I met Juan on the beach near Charca but a little nearer the Port than usual, during the couple of hours there we saw good numbers of Razorbills (Alca Común / Alca torda), numbers in the Med seem very high this winter but the numbers of corpse turning up on the beach is also very high, I hope this is just natural mortality due to the numbers and not something more sinister.
Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata).
Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).
We also had good numbers of Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), 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), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon).

Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon).

Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon).

Once we had finished the time on the beach we went into Charca Wetlands and did a loop of the hides, highlights were a cracking
Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon), Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) x3, Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) x2 immatures, a male Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus) which gave us brief flight views, Kingfishers (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) x2, Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Red-knobbed Coots (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) and at least 2 of the hybrids between the Red-knobbed and Eurasian Coots (Focha Común / Fulica atra) which showed a slight orange discoloration around the top of the shield and a blueish tip to the main bill.
Eurasian x Red-knobbed Coot (hybrid).

Eurasian x Red-knobbed Coot (hybrid).

During the walk around the reserve I also saw a single
Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) and a couple of Painted Lady's (Vanessa cardui), later we left the reserve and I said goodbye to Juan and Beatriz who had met us at the exit.

Friday 2 December 2022

Fuente de Piedra, Malaga Province and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

An early morning Spanish Lifer, 3rd in 8 days.
Ebird List for Fuente.
Ebird List for the Fields.

The Sun making getting views of the Phalarope even harder.
I met Barbara, Barbara, Derek and Jerry at the hide over looking the Laguneta where we had good but distant views of the Grey Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius) which was found by James Cookney a couple of days ago I think.
Grey Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius) before the sun came up.
Grey Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius) after the sun came up.
As we watched the bird we also saw
Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), a roost of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and lots of Rabbits (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).
The sun through the fog.


We walked back to the cars and we all headed off as we all needed to be back for different appointments, on the way back I went for a walk around the eastern side of the fields from Huétor before the log man arrived later in the afternoon, on the walk I saw Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) x2, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) x2, Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) x3, Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).

 

Thursday 1 December 2022

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk out to the Plantation on the Patch.
Ebird List.

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
I parked and walked the usual walk, highlights were 200+ Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), 4x Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x2, Small White (Pieris rapae) x3 and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x5.
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

 

Tuesday 29 November 2022

Padul Wetlands, Contra-embalse de Cacín and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A bit of a plastic Spanish lifer but a good looking bird.
Ebird List for Padul.
Ebird List for the Embalse.
Ebird List for the Fields.

3x Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata).
I started the day by meeting up with Juan at Restaurante Montesol, where I had a bit of breakfast before standing at the top of the bank until he arrived, seeing Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).
2x Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata).
We walked down to the left and scanned the lake from an open area where we were looking for the Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) Juan had seen previously, we stopped where we could see the water and found Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and a heard only Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus).
A little further along the track by some big fig trees we again scanned the lake, adding Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) before moving on further around the lake apssed the Visitors Centre.
Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
We went out on to a field which gave us a nice view with good light and not long after we arrived we picked up a fine male and two female Mandarin Ducks as they swam out from a point hidden from us and spent quite a while out in the open water feeding, here we also saw Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).
We walked back to the starting point and on along the boardwalks to the stinking stream, on the way we picked up Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), a calling but unseen Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and a couple of Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x3 and several Painted Lady's (Vanessa cardui) x2 and Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria) x6.
Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria).
We returned to our cars and I headed home via the Contra-Embalse de Cacín and the fields, at the Embalse I recorded Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe, Eurasian Coot, Common Moorhen, Water Rail, Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Grey Heron, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and a single late Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
I needed a proper walk so I parked on the track by the fields and went out to the Poplars and back, new species included Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Monday 28 November 2022

Near Huétor Tajar and Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Recording with Dave Grundy.
1x Actinic in the Garden and 4x LED up Hacho.
 
9522 Callopistria latreillei (Latreille's Latin).
We were up on Hacho and checking the traps by 08.00 and found more that expected with a few new species for me including 9522 Callopistria latreillei (Latreille's Latin), 9587 Agrochola meridionalis, 9721 Polymixis xanthomista (Black Banded) and 9714 Ammopolia witzenmanni.
9587 Agrochola meridionalis.
9721 Polymixis xanthomista (Black Banded).
9714 Ammopolia witzenmanni.

Other species included 7663 Colotois pennaria (Feathered Thorn), 8376 Colostygia multistrigaria olbiaria (Mottled Grey), 9684 Allophyes alfaroi, 9651 Aporophyla nigra (Black Rustic) and 9814 Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa) which was new for the garden.
7663 Colotois pennaria (Feathered Thorn).

8376 Colostygia multistrigaria olbiaria (Mottled Grey).

9684 Allophyes alfaroi.

9651 Aporophyla nigra (Black Rustic).

9814 Large Wainscot (Rhizedra lutosa).

 

Sunday 27 November 2022

Near Huétor Tajar and Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Recording.
1x Actinic and 1x LED.

9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark).

Dave and I started to check the two traps and as it had dropped down to just +3 we were not expecting too much but I was very happy to see 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x1, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, 9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark) x4, 9565 Agrochola lychnidis (Beaded Chestnut) x19 and 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x2. 
6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer).
7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).
uring the evening Dave and I went up to Cerro Hacho and put out 4 of his LED traps ready to be check tomorrow morning. 
9565 Agrochola lychnidis (Beaded Chestnut).
9565 Agrochola lychnidis (Beaded Chestnut).
9565 Agrochola lychnidis (Beaded Chestnut).
9565 Agrochola lychnidis (Beaded Chestnut).
9565 Agrochola lychnidis (Beaded Chestnut).
9565 Agrochola lychnidis (Beaded Chestnut).
9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark).

10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth).
A couple of the trap sites on Hacho, we picked as different habitats as possible in a small area.