IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE BLOG ON A PHONE PLEASE CHANGE TO WEB VIEW AT BOTTOM OF PAGE AS IT WILL LOOK BETTER, THANKS MICK.

Saturday 6 May 2023

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 5th May 23.
Garden Light, min +12. 
 
5652 Hypsopygia costalis (Gold Triangle).
1655 Ethmia bipunctella x7, 3029 Dysspastus fallax x34, 3757 Sophronia humerella x2, 5578 Lamoria anella x3, 5624 Bostra obsoletalis x53, 5652 Hypsopygia costalis (Gold Triangle) x1, 5742 Etiella zinckenella x2, 5755 Alophia combustella x1, 5864 Acrobasis obliqua x2, 6145 Ematheudes punctella x1, 6551 Udea numeralis x2, 6690 Palpita vitrealis x1, 
6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth).
6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth) x1, 7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x2, 7765 Peribatodes ilicaria (Lydd Beauty) x2, 8186 Idaea degeneraria (Portland Ribbon Wave) x6, 8246 Orthonama obstipata (The Gem) x1, 8509 Eupithecia cenaureata (Lime-speck Pug) x1, 9097 Acontia trabealis x1, 9128 Odice pergrata x1, 9367 Heliothis peltigera (Bordered Straw) x1, 9425 Caradrina proxima x1, 9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x5, 9435 / 6 Caradrina noctivaga / flavirena x2, 9454 Hoplodrina ambigua (Vine's Rustic) x2, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x4, 10493 Eilema caniola (Hoary Footman) x1 and 10535 Utetheisa pulchella (Crimson Speckled) x1.
6145 Ematheudes punctella.

9128 Odice pergrata.

Depressaria species / Agg ??????

5742 Etiella zinckenella.

10535 Crimson Speckled (Utetheisa pulchella).

Scythris species / Agg ??????

9097 Acontia trabealis.

6690 Palpita vitrealis.

7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).

5755 Alophia combustella.

3757 Sophronia humerella.

9425 Caradrina proxima.

 

Friday 5 May 2023

Marina de la Deuquesa, Malaga Province, Spain.

The meeting of two brothers.

Bob and John.
Mom, John and I set off for the coast and then down to the far end of Malaga Province where John was going to Surprise his brother who he had not seen for a while.
With the aid of messenger Val, Bob's wife and I managed to arrange things and it all worked nicely as Bob hadn't got a clue which showed well when John walked up to him.
Val and my Mom.
We spent a very nice few hours in one of the bars in the port before heading back home.

Thursday 4 May 2023

Granada City, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around the City.


We spent the morning having a nice walk around a busy city center, it was great to see so many tourists visiting this wonderful City.
We started by having a look around a few shops, the Cathedral and then had an Ice-cream at my favorite place on the via de Colon, Heladería Los Italianos.
We then walked up into Plaza Nueva and de Santa Anna and then walked back down to Plaza de Bib-rambla where we had a coffee in Cafetería / Churrería / Pizzería Alhambra  before heading back to the car and home.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 3rd May 23.
Garden Light, min +8.8
 
6830 Acherontia atropos (Death's Head Hawkmoth).
0469 Crassicornella agenjoi x1, 2944 Apatema mediopallidum x1, 3029 Dysspastus fallax x6, 3036 Stibaromacha ratella x1, 3498 Mirificarma eburnella x1, 3757 Sophronia humerella x2, 5578 Lamoria anella x2, 5624 Bostra obsoletalis x78, 6113 Ephestia parisitella x1, 6551 Udea numeralis x1, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x1, 6830 Acherontia atropos (Death's Head Hawkmoth) x1, 7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x2, 7765 Peribatodes ilicaria (Lydd Beauty) x1, 7926 Aspitates ochrearia (Yellow Belle) x1, 8111 Idaea laevigata x1, 8145 Idaea manicaria x2, 8186 Idaea degeneraria (Portland Ribbon Wave) x4, 8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug) x1, 8965 Tyta luctuosa (Four-spotted Moth) x1,  9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x1, 9367 Heliothis peltigera (Bordered Straw) x2, 9425 Caradrina proxima x1, 9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x11, 9454 Hoplodrina ambigua (Vine's Rustic) x2, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x4, 10003 Mythimna vitellina (The Delicate) x1, 10343 Shuttle Shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) x1 and 10528b Coscinia chysocephala x1.
?????????????

0469 Crassicornella agenjoi.

10003 Mythimna vitellina (The Delicate).

9454 Hoplodrina ambigua (Vine's Rustic).

7765 Peribatodes ilicaria (Lydd Beauty).

8965 Tyta luctuosa (Four-spotted Moth).

6113 Ephestia parisitella.

????????????

8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug).

2944 Apatema mediopallidum.?????????

??????????????

Symmoca species ??????????

8111 Idaea laevigata.

 

Wednesday 3 May 2023

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A few hours sat on the terrace with Mom and John.
Ebird List.

John and Mom up on the terrace.

After a trip into Loja we decided to spend the afternoon up on the terrace relaxing and as we did just that I saw several species including a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), as well as an immature Golden (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos), a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and a more surprising male Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) which flew close to us and landed in a pine a couple of houses down the hill.

Sunday 30 April 2023

Huétor Fields and near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around the fields and then sometime in the garden.
Ebird List for the Fields.
Ebird List for the Terrace.

I was up and about early and working in the accommodation and garden by 07:30, I got quiet a bit done before I heard a group of calls I recognized as Gull-billed Terns (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica) but I couldn't see a single bird so I jumped into the car as fast as I could get my bin's and drove down to the fields as I thought it was likely to be the spot they are going to pass through.
I was down there in a couple of minutes and my guess was correct as I found 26 Terns feeding over the cereal fields at the far end of the spot but they were soon away SE and out of sight.
As I was there I had a walk along the track to the far end of the Lucerne Fields, on the way I picked up the calling male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) and then a second flock of 16 Gull-billed Terns which went pretty much straight through and off in the sam direction as the other birds.
As I walked I picked up a group of Raptors gaining height up out of the far Olives which I soon sorted out as my first Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus) of the year and as I was watching these beauties gaining height I noticed two more distant raptors passing west which turned out to be Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Other species included Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).
I returned home and got a few more bits done before I retreated to the terrace, which turned out to be a bad idea as the Olive Pollen was extremely bad this afternoon due to the wind.
While I was up there I did see Montagu's x2 and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) female, Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) pale morph x2, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) x2.