Casa Paco Playa, Torremolinos, Malaga Province, Spain.

A very nice Lunch at Casa Paco Playa to celebrate Andy's 80th birthday.

 

Andy and Lupe.

I drove down to Barbara and Derek's, where tech whiz Derek sorted a few problems out for me as I am getting even more of a techno-pillock as time goes on. 

Barbara and Derek.

We sat for a while and chatted about upcoming trips before heading down to Torremolinos to met Andy and Lupe at Casa Paco Playa, we had a couple of drinks, some really nice food whilst we chatted and enjoyed the good company.

Me, Barbara, Derek and Andy ( the birthday boy).

I dropped Barbara and Derek off home but not before calling in for an Ice cream in Alhaurín de la Torre, later I went for a walk just as the light was fading and heard several Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), at least 8 different Little (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and 2 Eurasian Eagle Owls (Búho Real / Bubo bubo).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A short walk around the Lucerne Fields and along the Arroyo.

Ebird List.

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

After a day of gardening and painting I went for a late walk on the fields, main species were Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) x2, Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) male, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and a single Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 23rd March 23.
Garden Light, min +7.

 

3765 Stomopteryx detersella.

3765 Stomopteryx detersella x1, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x2, 7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, 8328 Nebula ibericata x1, 8638 Lithostege griseata (Grey Carpet) x2, 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x1, 9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x3, 9435 Caradrina noctivaga x1, 9676 Xylocampa areola (Early Grey) x1, 10029 Mythimna sicula x1, 10226 Cerastis faceta x1, 10238 Peridroma saucia (Pearly Underwing) x2, 10343 Shuttle Shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) x5, 10437 Nola chlamitulalis (Jersey Black Arches) x1, 10493 Eilema caniola (Hoary Footman) and 10528b Coscinia chrysocephala x1.

6496 Evergestis isatidalis

8328 Nebula ibericata

8638 Lithostege griseata (Grey Carpet).

9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder).

9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow).

9435 Caradrina noctivaga

9676 Xylocampa areola (Early Grey).

10029 Mythimna sicula

10238 Peridroma saucia (Pearly Underwing).

10343 Shuttle Shaped Dart (Agrotis puta).

10437 Nola chlamitulalis (Jersey Black Arches).

10493 Eilema caniola (Hoary Footman).

10528b Coscinia chrysocephala.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Some more Summer arrivals.

Ebird List.

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

I popped down town first thing and had some breakfast with Belen in bar Florida and once she went to work I came back home and got on with pruning / murdering the Fig tree and then tidying up the one section of the garden.

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Later in the afternoon I went for a walk along the Lucerne fields, high lights were Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) 2 males and a female, Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), 2x Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x1 male, a Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) which is an uncommon species locally, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) x1, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) x4 and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) x4.

Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

During the walk I also saw 4x Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), 4x Western Dappled (Euchloe crameri), 1x Green-Striped (Euchloe belemia) and 2x Small White (Pieris rapae).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

 

Embalse de Cubillas, Granada Province, Spain.

A bit of Orchid hunting and then some more birding with Juan Pérez Contreras.

Ebird List.

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

I set off up towards Granada again but today I headed slight North of the City to the Embalse del Cubillas, to start with I went into the Pine Woodlands along the North West side.

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

I parked and spent a couple of hours searching for Orchids, I found four species, Somber Bee (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) x125+, Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera) x40+, Giant (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) x50+ and Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina) x1.

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

As I walked I saw and heard 2x Bonelli's Warblers (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) my first of the year, Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), a very noisy Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis), Iberian  (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

I headed back to the car and made my way around to the spot where I was going to meet Juan, I was a bit early but I still got the stool and the scope out and started scanning the lake, margins and the skies and after about half an hour uan Joined me and we started to build our way to 58 species, at this first spot we had 4x Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) not a species I see inland very often, Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) x6, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) x2, Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) x1, Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) x1, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) x1, Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) x5, Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) x3, Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and a single flyby Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and a Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

After while we move down to the point where the river comes in and again set up the stools and Scopes again and boosted the list with several new species for the day including a nice group of 12 Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) x9, Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) x4, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) x8, Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) x1, Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) x1 and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x3 all out on the water.

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and several Red-eared Terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans).

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and a Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

Around the margins and in the air we picked up a distant Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) x3, Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) x1, Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) x3, Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula). 

Red-eared Terrapins (Trachemys scripta elegans).

Other species seen included 2x Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), 8x Vagrant Emperors (Anax ephippiger) and lots of the problem invasive Red-eared Terrapins (Trachemys scripta elegans).

At around 13:30 we packed up and headed off home, on the way I made a quick stop off on the fields and saw the pair of Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) and the calling male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 21th March 23.
Garden Light, min +7.

 

5864 Acrobasis obliqua, thanks to Dave Grundy for help with ID.

Species seen  5864 Acrobasis obliqua x1, 7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x3, 8638 Lithostege griseata (Grey Carpet) x1, 8944 Autophila dilucida x1, 9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x1, 10029 Mythimna sicula x1, 10226 Cerastis faceta x1 and 10343 Shuttle Shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) x3.

7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).

8638 Lithostege griseata (Grey Carpet).

8944 Autophila dilucida, thanks to Dave Grundy for help with ID.

9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow).

10029 Mythimna sicula.

10226 Cerastis faceta.

10343 Shuttle Shaped Dart (Agrotis puta).

Humedal de Padul, Granada Province, Spain.

A mornings Birding with friend Juan Pérez Contreras.

Ebird List. 

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

I arrived at the meeting point at Restaurante Montesol and when Juan arrived we went for a walk around the Northen side of the main lake, first of all we went east and quicly found, what for me was bird of the day a very smart Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), in the same area we also recorded Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) as well as the first of several Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria) and Stripe-necked Terrapins (Mauremys leprosa).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

We turned around and walked back to our start point and the walked West along the Northern side, on the way we added Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) along with Small White (Pieris rapae), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x1 and a nice male Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Juan had to be off and I headed off towards the Cacín Valley but just as I was leaving my phone rang to say a delivery was going to arrive at my place during the afternoon so I headed home instead.

Moraleda de Zafayona, Granada Province, Spain.

A check on some interesting Orchids.

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

I popped down town for a few bits and to have some breakfast with Belen before heading along the Motorway to a spot near to Moraleda where there is a small area of disused Almonds which holds some interesting Orchid species but today the only ones in flower were 8 spikes of Fan-lipped Orchids (Anacamptis collina) and nearby a dozen or so Somber Bee Orchids (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and a few more Fan-lipped.

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Birds included my first Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) of the year along with Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).

The only butterfly seen was a single Small White (Pieris rapae).

Later I picked up friends Jan and Linda from their place, La Paz and we went out for a very nice bit of Lunch in Huétor, thanks to you both. 

I returned home and sat for a while letting things settle before going out for a walk around the Lucerne Fields and out to the Railway bridge along the Arroyo, high lights included 4x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) including the splendid looking male who obviously thought he looked splendid the way he was strutting around.

View out to Sierra Nevada from the Fields.

Other species included 2x Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), a single Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes), 5x Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), 1x Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and 1x Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).