Arroyo de las Cañas in Malaga Province, Castell de ferro in Granada Province and Cabo de Gata saltpans in Almeria Province, Spain.

First days Butterfly hunting with Friends Karen and Robert from the UK.

Ebird List for Arroyo de las Cañas.

 

Lesser Yellowlegs (Archibebe Patigualdo Chico /Tringa flavipes).

I started the day by driving down to the rather uninspiring, extremely smelly, unpleasant spot that seems to attract a good number of birds called Arroyo de las Cañas, I was hoping to see the long staying Lesser Yellowlegs (Archibebe Patigualdo Chico /Tringa flavipes) before I went to pick up Karen and Robert from the airport.

Lesser Yellowlegs (Archibebe Patigualdo Chico /Tringa flavipes).

Lesser Yellowlegs (Archibebe Patigualdo Chico /Tringa flavipes).

Lesser Yellowlegs (Archibebe Patigualdo Chico /Tringa flavipes).

Lesser Yellowlegs (Archibebe Patigualdo Chico /Tringa flavipes).

I parked and walked up stream along the channel into the better flow of slightly cleaner water, on the way I started with Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) some of which had good numbers of ducklings as did the single Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) I saw which had 10 in tow.

Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

Other species seen included Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and further up than expected I had nice views of the smart looking  Lesser Yellowlegs.

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

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

Other species included Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Marbled Ducklings (Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

It was great to see Karen and Robert again and I was looking forward to seeing some butterflies with them, our first stop was east along the coast over the border in Granada Province at Castell de Ferro.

Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

We parked and walked around the site, on the way up we saw Monk Parakeet, Yellow-legged Gull, Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Serin, Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Martin, Collared Dove, Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Crimson Speckled (Utetheisa pulchella), Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x2, Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) x3, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x3 and at the very least 5 Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore) which were all males.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

We continued on along the coast towards our Hotel in Cabo de Gata but called in at the hide seeing Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

We checked in at the hotel and later had a meal there and turned in.