North to Sierra Morena, Andújar, Jaén Province, Spain.

The first day of a trip to search for the Lynx.

Ebird List for Área recreativa del Encinarejo.

Rio Jándula up stream.

I set the alarm early and as I loaded the car I started the trip list off with a calling Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) in the Olives around the house, once I was sorted I set off and a couple of hours later I pulled into the Área recreativa del Encinarejo where I walked / hobbled down to the river as my back was still giving me a great deal of Stick.

As I walked and stood on the bridge I saw Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Rio Jándula down stream.

After a while friends Barbara and Derek Etherton arrived and at that same moment the target Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) started to call from the top of a dead part of a tall Eucalyptus tree before flying to a smaller lower tree on the opposite side of the road giving us nice views.

We again spent some time checking the area and added White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) x2, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), a single Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and a fly over Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

We returned to the car and drove up to the far end of the river near the Presa de El Encinarejo where we spent a while stood on the bridge scanning the river finding Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Several plant species were also seen including Eruca (Eruca sativa), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Hoop-petticoat Daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium), Angel's tears Narcissus (Narcissus triandus), Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla) and a Gagea species.

Gagea species.

We headed back towards Los Pinos and then out to towards the Lynx area but only as far as a a double Firebreak where we had a very quick scan before a band of very heavy rain came through and we gave up and headed for La Caracola.

Later more friends arrived, Kiersten, Richard and Anne and we had a couple of beers before we had a meal and a bit of Red Wine.