Cabo de Gata in Almeria, Sierra de Huétor and near Torreón de Albolote in Granada Province, Spain.

Moving out West through Granada to Antequera.

Ebird List for Hotel Blanca Brisa, Cabo de Gata.

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).

We woke to cloud and a bit of light rain, I had cleared my room and was doing a bit of birding outside in the hotel car park when I was surprised to see a Pied Crow (Cuervo Pío / Corvus albus) fly over with a couple of Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), unfortunately it continued on and I didn't get the chance to take any photo's.

Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) a very tatty individual.

I contacted Garry Pearson a local birder and he told me that it had been around for a while and was unringed, extremely mobile and difficult to track down so I was very pleased to connect with it.

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Karen and Rob came out but missed the bird unfortunately, we loaded up and started the drive across to Antequera but instead of going along the coast we went up north and via Sierra de Huétor, on the way we saw Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) x3, Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

We pulled off the A92 at Venta del Molinillo where we had a walk up along the Arroyo de Prado Negro where we found Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Butterflies included Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x4, Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x8, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x8, Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x2, Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) x3, Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) x2, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x11, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x7, Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) x3, Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) x6, Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines) x9, Small (Pieris rapae) x14, Large (Pieris brassicae) x2 and Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) x2 and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x5. 

Sisymbrella aspera.

Sisymbrella aspera.

Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina).

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

We started to walk back to the car, as we went we saw Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula), Sisymbrella aspera, Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis),  Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa), Southern Red Bartsia (Parentucellia latifolia), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata), Tassel Hyacinth (Leopoldia comosa), Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Stinking Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) and Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).

Barton's Orchid (Dactylorhiza insularis).

Barton's Orchid (Dactylorhiza insularis).

Barton's Orchid (Dactylorhiza insularis).

We moved a few KM up the road to Los Mimbres where we saw several spikes of some Orchids including Barton's  (Dactylorhiza insularis), Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea) and Orchis cazorlensis.

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

As we walked around the Pine Woodlands we also saw Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina) x1, Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) x1, Clouded Yellow x4, Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x3, Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) x2, Adonis vernalis, Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys), False Sainfoin (Vicia onobrychioides), 

Orchis cazorlensis.

Orchis cazorlensis.

Orchis cazorlensis.

Orchis cazorlensis.

Orchis cazorlensis.

Orchis cazorlensis.

We continued on towards Granada and visited another spot just to the north of the city near to Embalse de Cubillas, we parked and wandered around the grassland area near the Picnic area and then went up the main track and checked out a couple more interesting looking butterfly spots, we found Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), a few Small Whites, Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens), Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense) but not a great deal else unfortunately.

A full looking Embalse de Cubillas near Granada.

Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens).

Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense).