Osuna Area in Sevilla Province, Fuente de Piedra in Malaga Province, Spain.

Out in the very hot West plains of Osuna and then a call at Fuente de Piedra on the way back.

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

We were out quite early looking for birds today more than butterflies, on the way over to the Osuna area we saw Collared (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) Male.

Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) Male.

Once on site we drove the usual route along the railway line taking views from the brigdes along the road, as we did we saw Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Iberian Brown Hare (Liebre ibérica / Lepus granatensis),  Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) and Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica) from the first bridge and nearby tracks.

Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) Immature.

Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) Immature.

We crossed to the second bridge and took the track out onto the far fields where we added Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and a Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

The dry remains of the main Lagoon at Fuente.

We crossed the main road and checked a ruin where we had nice views of a colony of Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and at least 4x Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

An Escapee at Fuente.

We made our way to Lantejuela where we had a drink and some lunch before having a quick look at the pools neaby, we only managed a view of the one lagoon down the side of the locked hide but added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus),  Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).

Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).

We crossed the fields again and headed back to the Motorway and back east calling at Fuente on the way, here we checked the entrance road pool finding Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

We popped around to the Mirador where we had a view out over the almost completly dry main Lagoon, on the very small area of water in the western corner there were a few Greater Flamingo's, White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), several Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) and in the bushes below a cursing Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

Dómenes Sierra Martilla, Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

A Step back in Time.

Pam and John at the top of the Sierra.

Pam, John and I headed out to a spot not too far away at Sierra Martilla near to Ventorros de San José, on the way we saw House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

The View out to Sierra de Loja.

Some of the Graves hued straight out of the Limestone.

We parked and John and I went for a walk looking for Butterflies whilst Pam sat herself down and got the Paints out.

Dolmen's.

and another.

from a different Angle.

Butterflies were thin on the ground but we did manage to record Small White (Pieris rapae) x6, Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x9, Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x5, Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus) x3, Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x13, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x4, Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia) x1, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x3 and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x2.

Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

We also saw plenty of Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) including a recently fledged bird, European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

Later we dropped back towards the house calling in at Cerro Hacho for a short walk on the way picking up Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus), Iberian Scarce (Iphiclides feisthameli) and Common Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Sage (Muschampia proto) and Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon),  Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus).

Salvia argentea.

Linum tenue.

Other species included Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Salvia argentea and Linum tenue. 

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 22nd June 23.

Garden Light, min +19. 

5615 Synaphe lorquinalis x1, 5624 Bostra obsoletalis x3, 8145 Idaea manicaria x1, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x3 and 10238 Peridroma saucia (Pearly Underwing) x1.

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

An unexpected day up on my favorite hill.

One of my favorite views.

After a visit to Medio Ambiante to speak to them about a chance to visit a couple of spots up the Sierra to check on a colony of Geranium Argus (Eumedonia eumedon) which I found a few years ago but is now under intense pressure due to a massive over grazing problem over nearly the whole Sierra, Pam, John and I headed up the hill.

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).

On the way over there we started the list with Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

Anyway we were soon heading up the Sierra and out to the far side where the spots for the butterflies, on the way we picked up Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black-eared (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) and Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Rufous-tailed Rock (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) and Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).

We checked the spots for the Geranium Argus but found none at either site as they were totally destroyed and covered in sheep and goat poo, we struggled to find many insects at all but we did see small numbers of Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus), Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia).

Erodium cheilanthifolium.

Wild Peony (Paeonia broteri).

Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).

Sharp-ribbed Salamander (Pleurodeles waltl) Tadpole.

Other species included Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Sharp-ribbed Salamander (Pleurodeles waltl), Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Erodium cheilanthifolium, Common stork's bill (Erodium ciconium), Bitting Stonecrop (Sedum acre), Wild Peony (Paeonia broteri) and  Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria).

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini).

Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini).

Mollina, Fuente de Piedra and surroundings, Observatorio de buitres en Peñarrubia and Tajo del Molino o de los Molinos Teba, Malaga Province and Balsa de Regidor, Granada Province, Spain.

A chase around Malaga with John in the heat.

Ebird List for Balsa de Regidor.

Very young Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) on the side of one of the tracks.

John and I headed off west and made our first stop near to the town of Mollina where we were hoping to see the Rufous-tailed Sceub Robin (Alzacola / Cercotrichas galactotes) but we didn't have any luck, we did however see Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) at the first spot we tried.

Wild Carrot (Daucus carota).

Further around the site we caught up with Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Wild Carrot (Daucus carota), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa), Field (Convolvulus arvensis) and Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Small (Pieris rapae) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).

We moved on to Fuente de Piedra, on the pool along the entrance road we found Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro).

From the Mirador we found a few Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) on the very small area of water that is left along with several Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and a couple of Gull-billed Terns (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

Western Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna opaca).

Around at the first hide we found a few more species including Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) x1 in eclipses, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) male.

From the second hide we added Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope),Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Western Olivaceous Warbler

Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens).

 (Iduna opaca).

Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens).

We returned to the car and headed for Campillos but we went over the fields but we didn't add any thing to the list before we stopped for lunch, later we headed towards Teba and then took a track which I had accidentally taken before, as we drove we stopped at a couple of streams where we had Little Ringed Plover,  Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), lots more European Bee-eaters, Southern Skimmer, Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Antirrhinum boissieri.

We rejoined the main road to Malaga but turned off towards Teba where we stopped and scanned the cliffs but only managed to a couple of Great Crested Grebes (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) which were out on the Embalse.

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).

Further along the road we made our last stop of the day at the bridge over the Tajo del Molino and had views of Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) as well as Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Orange-winged (Trithemis kirbyi) and Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea). 

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

On the way back to the house we picked up Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and later whilst we were eating we had a Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus).

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

At around 20.00 I went towards Moraleda to check on the Egret roost at Balsa de Regidor, by the time I left at 22.30ish I had counted 113 Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and 1x Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), 1x Squacco (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) and 1x Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

Other interesting species were Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), 3 more Black-winged Stilt, Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).