Huétor Fields and Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

Down on the local patch for a cool winter walk.

Ebird List for the fields.

Ebird List for Hacho.

Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia).

Steve and I headed down to the Arroyo and parked, unfortunately the arroyo was again dry as the irrigation water had been turned off, worryingly this is the first winter I have known it to stay dry with no natural flow.

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

We walked the route out to the railway bridge and back, the more interesting species were 5x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) lifer for Steve, 12x Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia), 80 odd Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), the first Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) of the year, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), 23 Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), first patch Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) of the year and Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Small White (Pieris rapae).

During the walk we also saw 3x Green-Striped Whites (Euchloe belemia) and singles of Small White (Pieris rapae), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Later after having some lunch we went up to Hacho to have a look at the puddle, we arrived and found that John and Jenny Wainwright were already there but the kindly let up park up and adjusted the cars so we could all see the spot.

Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Whilst we sat there waiting we had Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus)  and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and a noisy Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

 

 

 

 

Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).

After a while we decided that the birds were not going to play so we went and had a look at the flowering Somber Bee (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and Giant Orchids (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) including the hypochrimic spike.

Steve photographing the Giant Orchids (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).