Back out into the field with Graham.
Ebird List for El Temple.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMFHeG7K9C2D3tdfE5npWN5wbPGPP87JqhdVSz0RMUcmrb69If4VDcrsOjUONp2VNd6YThdTiO-CJR3xTx7c7xcv9GlSOSCJndVCyCpoedbiWyHCEQ-P5_IFZ_H4hsScBmrX4QTGPyDssQ7r3oeYZ2OGQTAOB8Duf_4di4lw2h9a_W-TiX3xfqnlk/w640-h360/25th-April-23-9.jpg) |
Just a little bit of snow left on the Hill.
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I was up and around earlier than planned so I did a few bits and as I did I saw and heard
Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and several extremely noisy
Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhultXt6RxAAjVEcVMYo2GIPok8b5N373Y7yyDV1js5jKOq3eobNnVOa5riQwurIEqTzuiJnylrcR5NnatIbC0G3zrOf6zP0HJZE1RL7lHfnDyB9KuK92zPhhigIloGOIdKj60J9fHFrj3czI_lHxFSND56vO1wFK3bID1IgtP6FPEfTOs01kmOCA81/w640-h588/25th-April-23-6.jpg) |
Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).
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I met Graham up at the Cortijo and after we had breakfast we headed out to Moraleda and then out on to the fields where we had good views of a
Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) which sat nicely in the early morning sun,
Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata),
Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and
Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla),
Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei),
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) heard only,
Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMcKu-SfYEfgJ7Xk-UiyAWjdpSy8HirFb5JZx2OnJnmER2prie_d1Q3MRUV4EDz3R_yy4Uauk7panz7YcFJLv3OTlSCPN4snrzBBVnJGEWw2gc4Qq_IXpYdXALvA_lNBjvI9kg-I8yqwJssCxrci3TCfj0TuhDVIvRxTI6H4ujPrxxKAuZFJ8yQbs/w640-h482/25th-April-23-7.jpg) |
Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) immature.
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We dropped down off the very dusty, dry fields and into the Cacín Valley where we parked in amongst the Pines and had a walk across the road to a spot where we could scan the slopes over the valley, whilst there we saw and heard
Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus),
Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus),
Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea),
Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla),
Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater),
Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia),
Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus),
Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3cl-ax_b0PpAIHGMfM6BpO3HHvBIYiF-6FfDuEWCDnjJusTzqEZ5sjJnwPQr3g9QnGyiIxHWXUbvptG5gJle4iX2YhLNHLJDoIhGiPQBDdHj8x9HHd9V5ZnXTwXkDgI4s9r3wzVRR5AUf1l_ZED-VjLsUd7k9wdq97qZiLjafzVzmYnPa4Mapr3M/w640-h580/25th-April-23-3.jpg) |
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus / Bisbita Gorgirrojo). |
A little further down the valley we stopped again and checked the more mixed woodland out
Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula),
Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes),
Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus),
Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), a drumming
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and a soaring
Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaUJINjR0dAd77XmXftJL3kzSuPSq143I9MkxHjfwR0FaNA8RDLUeaLS-gCv4ZoE7WdVM_J6uib8TjWNDQ6WiQOyCyLXwQoIw4V24xQ2t4FxxW3FffMe549RIv9b_yokUWYKhgq95j9YGdVU08yKBBFVnh9dWZ6F2vE3zNf7sq0bUpQAUv6SkyxPk/w640-h536/25th-April-23-1.jpg) |
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus / Bisbita Gorgirrojo). |
Just up the road we made another stop over looking the Contra Embalse, the water level was quite a lot higher than on my last visit but there was still a single
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina),
Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos),
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra),
Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus),
Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) heard only,
Little Grebe (Zampullín Común /
Tachybaptus ruficollis), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and
Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti),
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata),
Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra),
Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica),
Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris),
Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus),
Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and
Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-ToTvDcvKLo-0wYP0oI5xSsVtXJ8nNbE3SDCqF5iqM32TO8mnG5pGLXzP7qk1XapOufDWd9ATMcVDuZF4DjMOk9VxY_TXvvr-7M4ETVBfD-rO2o_1KGM2wDAZL9RCZUc7ImOByLKzMbYIHMLsJayWx1TAAHyFtvztH9_NEYgikc2BzM_Lpv-j4OZ/w640-h536/25th-April-23-2.jpg) |
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus / Bisbita Gorgirrojo). |
We drove further down the valley and tried to get down to the gorge but there was a large digger blocking the road so we turned around and went into the village for a coffee adding
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and then up on to the ridge and to the watch point.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcf6WGk00-c5U6vi2rFDrPQmYTo710KTrt1VP_EdTcIMMG8pPB3F3QLx69mHqo3aVeL2JpBMScNUjUAKjaniHc6OUvJjGQkmXAvELOiATWh0Icfckuvg3QUnXOnNzH3qRHX9NNMWU9Sx_kb0vCVjMawOp-OvXS_b2TeRg2iK-lNf7p6hCOi9lVF4s/w640-h510/25th-April-23-4.jpg) |
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus / Bisbita Gorgirrojo). |
We spent sometime scanning the ridges picking up several more
Short-toed, a couple of
Booted (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) and a single Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).While we were there I got a phone call from friend Juan Perez but the signal at the spot was really bad so I could not pick it up until quite a way down the road towards and then I saw that he had found a flock of 5 summer plumage Red-throated Pipit (
Anthus cervinus / Bisbita Gorgirrojo) and the spot was only just up the road, so after getting a sandwich to take away we made our way to the area and with the directions received we were soon watching the superb
Pipit.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji04jVdo1r6ajSBQ_rQYYs6YAGJIyPaj5nhtHVkWhgIYfSc6umd0_H_Z_WmVLIP2A9qcAF6ntjOn0KYfAdNDKG2--HQ2iFYZr_2gq6Uv9Yss6A1NxVJH4lbX2s9-tx0C-2NNO4s4menuMaUpFcFgQQls4f_glLRe7WrpY_E7As2lA_KdzR3pTscubq/w616-h640/25th-April-23-5.jpg) |
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus / Bisbita Gorgirrojo). |
At first there was just one but after watching this stunning bird for a couple of minutes the other four suddenly came into view and walked past us but unfortunately they were always behind a chain-link fence in a private area.
After the birds had all walked passed we dropped down to the nearby ruin where we had good views of a pair of
Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) before sitting in the shade to eat our sandwich before heading out along several more tracks, as we went we saw
Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra),
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) but little else.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTr5AAf_b2QOzAZSlDyo9gnhGXglsr8H3BFeyVdqHaEvXBrrWVDofe_mxV8hIVWGCiZe8xJs_zCHgi8kaoFmF_wUq3Seq8YkVzWCRNHctakdWxo6kUw51q58CoBHXxqReTP_YUAuXNGXzZ-SJLf19ORWnoI9tw9wrej9V8ys16QOY_mW0pRo23rcd/w640-h478/25th-April-23-8.jpg) |
Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus). |
By now it was getting extremely hot so we decided to head off the fields to have a look at a nearby Cortijo for some Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) but not before having to change another tyre after getting a second puncture in two days, once we reached the Cortijo we had views of both male and female Lesser Kestrels before heading into the city where I dropped Graham as close to his hotel as I could.
I returned home via the tyre Guys again but this time I was not so lucky as it was a new tyre not a repair, them's the breaks.