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Saturday 11 February 2023

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk out to the Railway along the Arroyo Vilano.
Ebird List.

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) male.
I parked at the normal spot and followed the Arroyo down to the Railway bridge and back again, High lights were 9x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 34x Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), 60 or so Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), 2x Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and a fine male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) male.

 

Friday 10 February 2023

Northern Fuente de Piedra, Navahermosa area and Southern end of Fuente de Piedra, Malaga Province, Spain.

Out for a days birding with Friends Barbara, Derek and Andy Patterson.
Ebird List for Fuente Centro de Visitantes.
Ebird List for Calle Campillos, Fuente de Piedra.
Ebird List for Navahermosa.
Ebird List for Fuente South.

Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris).
I met up with Barbara, Derek and Andy in Bar Panymá in Fuente de Piedra, on the way I picked up Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) on the way.
Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris).

After we had Coffee and some breakfast we headed to the reserve and checked the fields just after we turned into the entrance where we found Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), lots of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) probably around a 1000 birds, more Jackdaws, Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
On the entrance road pool we had 30 or so
Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and a single immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).
We parked near the visitor's center and then walked out onto the boardwalk between the pools, species seen included
Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), 14x House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), 1x Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), 5x Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), more Spanish Sparrows, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).
We walked around the lower track and up to the Mirador, on the way we picked up Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).
Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) x3.
We walked up to the Mirador where we saw a few more Greater Flamingo's and Shelducks before we walked around to the Observatorio El Laguneto, here we picked up White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and a single Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
We walked back to the car and went to check another spot near the railway line but only added Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and 2x Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
Our next stop was at Campiña de Navahermosa, a site that was new for me and it produced some good birds including 18x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 11x Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), 7x Iberian Grey Shrikes (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), 2x Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), 3x Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and 8x Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) mixed in with larger numbers of Spotless
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
We headed back towards Fuente and went around the Southern route to the Mirador de las Latas, on the way we saw Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), 340 odd Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) and at the Mirador we scanned a flock of 250ish Greater Flamingo's and found a single Lesser Flamingo (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor) mixed in with them.
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
We returned to the car and went back around to Fuente and had another Coffee before we headed off.
Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Thursday 9 February 2023

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of new species for the year on the Patch.
Ebird List for the Huétor fields.
Ebird List for Cerro Hacho.

Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).
I did a few jobs at home but once the light was good enough I headed down to the parking spot and walked along the edge of the Arroyo and almost the first species seen was a Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) which flushed up from right under my feet and within a second or two a couple of the large commoner Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) lifted, all three birds circled around me and dropped down into the Lucerne fields.
Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).
A few meters further on a Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) flew up but quickly dropped back down onto the larger of the pools in the arroyo, I stood for a while and waited to see what else would come out of the vegetation and I soon added Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and several Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).
Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).
I moved away from the water up onto the usual higher track and walked the Lucerne fields, between here and the Poplar Plantation I saw Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), 14x Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), 3x Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) x60+, Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra). 
Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).
Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
I cut across to the river and walked back up the arroyo and to the car again, on the way I added Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).
Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) male.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) male.

Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) male.

Later in the day I went up to Cerro Hacho where I parked by the puddle and set up the camera and waited to see what turned up, species included Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).


Wednesday 8 February 2023

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

A nice days birding with Jenny and John Wainwright, shame the weather didn't play nice.

I had some breakfast down in Huétor before picking friends Jenny and John up in Salar and we went up on to Sierra from their end, as we drove up through the Olives we came to an area of Gorse scrub where we started the list off with a smart male Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) along with several Blackcaps (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis).
We continued on up adding Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
Iberian Grey Shrikes (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis).
Once up on the tops we picked up the first of several Iberian Grey Shrikes (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) as well as Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and several Rabbits (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).
Three-leaved Crocus (Colchicum triphyllum).
We went up over the top and around to Charca Negro and then out to the far Hawthorn area but at this point the weather started to deteriorate but we continued, on the way we saw lots of Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) and a few just about open Three-leaved Crocus (Colchicum triphyllum), we also Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).
Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).
We didn't find any of the wished for Ring Ouzels (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) or Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris) but did get a fly through Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) before we decide to make our way down to lower levels hoping the weather.
Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).
On the way down we stopped in the Pine Woodlands and found Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and down by the side of the motorway we found a few spikes of Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).
On our way back to Jenny and John's we picked up a couple of Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Common Magpies (Urraca / Pica pica).

Tuesday 7 February 2023

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A short walk between the showers.
Ebird List.

Birds of note today were Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) year tick 155, Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) x3.

Monday 6 February 2023

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Yet again I walked the patch.
Ebird List.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) one of three.
Nothing unusual, 13x Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Sunday 5 February 2023

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around the patch again.
Ebird List.

I did the usual walk, high lights were Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).