Sierra de Huétor, Granada Province, Spain.

A nice stroll in the hills looking for insects and birds.

Pam and John, Day Four.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) Male.

We all headed out to the east and into the mountains to the North West of Granada, our first stop was along the Arroyo de Prado Negro near El Molinillo in the Sierra de Huétor NP.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) Male.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) female.

Southern Damselflies (Coenagrion mercuriale) copulating.

Southern Damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale) female.

On the way we saw Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

Small White (Pieris rapae).

We parked and had a walk along the stream up as far as a disused dam bank where there was quite a big group of Poplar trees, on the way we saw lots of the beautiful Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) x100+ which lived up to its name well, several Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) x4, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1, Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) x1, Common Blue (Enallagma cyathinerum) x12 and Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) x5.

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Butterflies were thin on the ground but we still managed to find Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x7, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x8, Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi) x18, Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) x6, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) and Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii).

Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii).

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).

Bird wise we saw and heard Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).

Salvia phlomoides subsp. boissieri ?????

Linum jimenezii subsp. jimenezii.

Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense).

Our next stop was at the Café Bar Restaurante La Mora just off the A92 where we had some lunch and a drink before heading up to a spot just off the exit for Los Mimbres where we parked and walked along the main track and then on to a broom and scrub covered area between the Pine woods finding Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychlorus) x1, Clouded Yellow x3, Cleopatra x2, Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini) x2, Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora) x1 and Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans).

Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator).

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) Female.

It was by now getting a tad warm so we retreated to the house for the rest of the afternoon and then went up on to the terrace for a meal later.

Jardín Botánico Hoya de Pedraza, Sierra Nevada, Granada Province, Spain.

A night of trapping in Jardín Botánico Hoya de Pedraza. 

Ebird List for Gardens.

Checking one of the traps.

Before Dave and I went off to check the two traps he had put out we had a look at the sheet trap, whilst we were doing this I could hear at least 4 calling European Nightjars (Chotacabras Europeo / Caprimulgus europaeus) and a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

8705 Cerura iberica.

6853 Hyles euphorbiae (Spurge Hawk-moth).

10597 Arctia tigrina.

10600b Arctia angelica.

Once we were back from checking the two traps we all got stuck into the first three of the traps set at the Botanical Gardens, species recorded included 3115 Ramphis ibericus x2, 4370 Tortrix viridana (Green Oak Tortrix) x2, 6698 Pyrausta pellicalis x18, 6853 Hyles euphorbiae (Spurge Hawk-moth) x1, 8180 Idaea ostrinaria x2, 8356 Thera obeliscata (Grey Pine Carpet) x3, 8620 Aplocera plagiata (Treble-bar) x3, 8705 Cerura iberica x1, 8760 Harpyia milhauseri (Tawny Prominent) x1, 9300 Metopoceras albarracina x38, 9936 Luteohadena andalusica x12, 9944 Hadena albimacula (White Spot) x4, 10314 Dichagyris forcipula x21, 10437a Nola infantula (Jersey Black Arches) x3, 10597 Arctia tigrina x5 and 10600b Arctia angelica x12.

8760 Harpyia milhauseri (Tawny Prominent).

Thanks to all of the group for the great time and company, special thanks to Dave Grundy for the help with the Identifications.

8620 Aplocera plagiata (Treble-bar).

8356 Thera obeliscata.

3115 Ramphis ibericus.

9300 Metopoceras albarracina.

9944 Hadena albimacula (White Spot).

10437a Nola infantula (Jersey Black Arches).

10314 Dichagyris forcipula.

10314 Dichagyris forcipula.

8180 Idaea ostrinaria.

4370 Tortrix viridana (Green Oak Tortrix).

Rhyacionia species.

9936 Luteohadena andalusica.

6698 Pyrausta pellicalis.

Collado de Las Sabinas, Sierra Nevada, Granada Province, Spain.

Mothing in the Sierra Nevada.

Part One.

Ebird List for the Collado de Las Sabinas.

 

Dawn at 2100 meters.

Whilst the others headed up to somewhere above 3000m Dave and I headed up to a point around 2100m where we checked the two traps he had put out yesterday and they produced some crackers, see below.

Nevada Bush-cricket (Pycnogaster inermis).

Whist there I also picked up a few bird species including a calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and a year tick Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris). 

6570 Loxostege tessellalis.

6570 Loxostege tessellalis.

Moths included 5840 Pima leucoloma x Lots, 6570 Loxostege tessellalis x2, 9296 Recophora cantener x1, 9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x2, 9754 Apamea arabs x1, 9954 Hadena tephroleuca x1, 9984 Hadena clara x1, 10097 Noctua orbona (Lunar Yellow Underwing) and 10150 Standfussiana dalmata x1 several of which were new for me. 

Working on the trap.

Dave with his head in the ID Book.

Also seen in the trap was a male Nevada Bush-cricket (Pycnogaster inermis).

10150 Standfussiana dalmata.

10097 Noctua orbona (Lunar Yellow Underwing).

9296 Recophora cantener.

9954 Hadena tephroleuca.

10097 Noctua orbona (Lunar Yellow Underwing).

9984 Hadena clara.

9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow).

10097 Noctua orbona (Lunar Yellow Underwing).

9754 Apamea arabs.

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9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow).

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5840 Pima leucoloma.