Rio de San Pedro, near Marismas de Cetinar Puerto Real, Near Grazalema, Cadiz Province and Indiana in Malaga Province, Spain

Back out on to the Salt Pans and then up into the Mountains.

Marismas de Cetina.

Today was my last day with good friends Pam and John, after breakfast we left the hotel and went just down the road to a spot which over looks the Rio de San Pedro, around the hotel and on our way to the first spot we saw House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Marismas de Cetina.

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

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

We arrived at the Rio where we saw quite a few Little Terns (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and heard only Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

As there weren't many species around we moved on and went to the Saltpans at Marismas de Cetinar, on the way in we saw Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and once through the gates we added Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn Swallow, Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Mediterranean / Lesser Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens).

Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Slender-billed (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta) male.

Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta) male.

As we walked back to the car we had a couple of males and a female Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta) which come in close but are always difficult to get a decent photograph and a African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna).

Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii).

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) Male.

We left the site and started to make our way towards Pam and Johns hotel, we took the fast roads as far as Arcos del la Frontera but after we called in at the Supermarket we took to the minor roads to El Bosque and then on to Grazalema, between the two villages we made a couple of stops, the first at Fuente del Descansadero where we had a short walk along the Arroyo Descansadero where we found Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) and Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii). 

Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius).

Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

A bit further on, as we were driving towards Grazalema, I saw a large butterfly out of the corner of my eye and instantly recognized it as a Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) so we pulled in and after a short walk back down the road we got nice views of this great butterfly as well as a Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) Male.

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) Male.

Our final stop before the Hotel was at the Rio Guadiaro near Indiana, on a rocky stretch I was very pleased to find a Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus), Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) x3, quite a few Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Orange-winged (Trithemis kirbyi) x4 and Violet Dropwings (Trithemis annulata) as well as Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus).

We returned to the car and made our way to the Hotel Cortijo Las Piletas where I said goodbye to Pam and John after a really nice visit and then I drove home.