Sierra de Morena, Andujar, Jaen Province, Spain.

Back out looking for the Lynx again.

Ebird List for Área recreativa del Encinarejo area, 22 Species.

Ebird List for Presa del Encinarejo, 24 Species.

Ebird List for La Lancha, 29 Species.

The view from Mirador del Peregrino.

Chamila, Manuel and I were up and out early and after getting a coffee at Restaurante El Rancho headed down to the Rio Jándula, we made a stop at the Mirador del Peregrino seeing Meadow Saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata), Common Stork's-bill (Erodium ciconium), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Heading along the river just as the fog was lifting.

We continued on down to the river and parked up at the Área recreativa and walked down to the river, on the way we heard the drumming and calling of a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) but only got the briefest of views as it flew away.

Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea).

In the same area we also recorded Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and several Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Looking up the Rio Jándula from the lower bridge.

We moved on up to the far end of the track and went out on to the bridge, after a few minutes there was a swirl in the river and we briefly saw the Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra) which then swam under the bridge and all the way down to the next large pool before surfacing.

Looking down stream from the bridge.

Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus).

Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus).

Whilst we were stood there and walked around the area we also recorded Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Branched Asphodel (Asphodelus ramosus), Snake's Head Fritillary (Fritillaria  lusitanica), Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca), Narrow-leaved Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius), Tassel Hyacinth (Leopoldia comosa), Spanish Bluebell (Scilla hispanica), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina) and a Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

Narrow-leaved Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius).

Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas).

Snake's Head Fritillary (Fritillaria  lusitanica).

Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina).

We returned to the car and then headed for the La Lancha area again, on the way in we saw Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Red (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) and Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama).

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

We arrived and we set up in one of the watch points and scanned the surrounding areas, whilst we were there we saw Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Cinereous / European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus), Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti), a good sized flock of Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) which were moving North, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Cuckoo, Hobby, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Iberian  Magpie, Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Bath (Pontia daplidice) x4, Western Dappled (Euchloe crameri) x25+ and Small White (Pieris rapae) x5, Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) x2, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x1, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x4, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x3, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x1, Common Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) x3 and Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x30+.

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Later we returned to the car and started to make our way off the site and went for another meal in the nearby bar where we heard a Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco) calling before we turned in.

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) passing over head.

 

Sierra de Morena, Andujar, Jaen Province, Spain.

A nice day Lynx hunting with friends Chamila and Manuel.

Ebird List, 45 Species.

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

I left home early and reached the Los Pinos just before 08.00 where we all went in to the bar for some breakfast before heading out onto the main area for the Lynx, on the way out we started the list off with Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Gum Cistus (Cistus ladanifer).

Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus).

Our first stop was at a double firebreak where heard a singing Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and heard a distant Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus) which was the first of the year for us all.

Morning Fog.

Clearing fog.

and the fogs cleared.

In this area we also added Angel's tears Narcissus (Narcissus triandus), Ramping (Fumaria capreolata) and Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Grey-leaved (Cistus albidus) and Gum Cistus (Cistus ladanifer), Eruca (Eruca sativa), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis) and Iberian Milk-vetch (Astragalus lusitanicus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

We moved on out to the main area and set ourselves up at one of the shelters, we spent several hours here scanning the area for the Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina) but as hard as we tried we only managed a few Red (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) and Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small White (Pieris rapae), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes), Common Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

Cinereous / European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus).

We also so recorded Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Cinereous / European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus), Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and a male Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) which flew straight through and off to the North.

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Other bird species included Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Western Subalpine (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Champagne Orchid (Orchis champagneuxii).

Champagne Orchid (Orchis champagneuxii).

Mid afternoon we decided to head along the road and down to the dam, on the way down we found Champagne Orchid (Orchis champagneuxii), Brown Bluebell (Dipcadi serotinum), Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), Spanish Bluebell (Scilla hispanica), Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Tassel Hyacinth (Leopoldia comosa), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), Palmate Anemone (Anemone palmata), the feather leaves of Giant Fennel (Ferula communis), Red (Silene dioica) and White Campion (Silene latifolia) and Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Just before we reached the bottom of the road near the dam we saw a group of Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica) walk off and once we had parked we notice some of the smaller females had settled in the sun and allowed us to get some photo's.

Presa del Jándula.

Rio de Jándula.

We crossed the dam and walked into the tunnel and out the other side where we saw another Ibex as well as Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), a nice male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Pantano del Jándula.

We went back up the hill and made our way back to the view point where we again settled in for the rest of the afternoon adding Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) and Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) before heading back to the accommodation and then later going out for a meal.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

An interesting walk around the fields.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields, Species 37.

Dawn from the terrace.

I parked near the Walnut trees and then walked back up stream to the usual parking point and then just a short way further on but it got too muddy to continue.

The Arroyo Vilano with a good flow.

I returned to the car and then went on passed to the junction and then turned right and then right again back along the Arroyo to the car.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Along the first part of the walk I heard a Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and saw a nice male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) in the Lucerne fields and as I walked I added Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) x2, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and a small flock of Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

The female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

On the way back and down as far as the junction I added Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

I turned right and then right again along the arroyo, as I walked I picked up a second Common Quail but this time I got good flight views when it came up out of a crop field and flew passed me.

The Lucerne fields.

Other species seen were Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and as I reached the car I saw a newly arrived female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) which came in high and then toured the fields before landing out of sight in one of the crop fields.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 13th March 24.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +6.5.

 

1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth).

1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth) x1, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x1, 7533 Stegania trimaculata (Dorset Cream Wave) x1, 7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, 8951 Autophila cataphanes x1, 9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark) x2, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x1, 10343 Agrotis puta puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x11.

6496 Evergestis isatidalis.

8951 Autophila cataphanes.

7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).

9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark).

9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow).

 

Zapata, Rio Grande, Coin and Sierra de Mijas, Malaga Province, Spain.

A morning with friends Barbara and Derek and then some Orchid Hunting.

Ebird List for Zapata, 45 Species.

Ebird List for Rio Grande, 39 Species.

Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon).

I met Barbara and Derek near Zapata and we went down to their local patch and did some birding, on the drive in to the site we saw a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon).

At the first spot by the weir we added to the list with Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba). 

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Next we crossed the lower Weir and parked just a little bit further up stream where Derek and I went for a short walk and added Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 4 more Little Grebes, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Next we checked out a rather smelly concrete storm drain, we saw a flock of 20 odd Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) and a Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

A practice for the Malaga Crash combine, 3x major foams and an RIV involved.

Our final stop was on the reed filled river near the end of Malaga Ariport Runway where we spent a while checking the crossing point where the reeds have been cleared and found Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), my first Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) of the year, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and a couple of Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon).

Rio Grande.

On the way off the site we saw Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), a single Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) before we headed to Restaurante El Tardón, I think that was the right place for breakfast.

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

Later we headed out to the Rio Grande and did a drive east to where it meets the Rio Guadalhorce and then back west as far as the large pipe bridge and then back, new species seen on the drive included Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Meadow (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), 6x Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and a couple of noisy Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) 1 of 6.

I said goodbye to Barbara and Derek and headed up to a quarry site near Coin where I was looking for some Orchids, I found several spike of the uncommon Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla) but little else so I moved on to Refugio de Jaunar area where I was looking for the very local Ophrys alpujata, I found 2 spikes, a single Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica) and several groups of Narcissus cuatrecasasii.

Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).

Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).

Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).

Other species seen there included Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Narcissus cuatrecasasii.

Ophrys alpujata.

Ophrys alpujata.

Ophrys alpujata.

Ophrys alpujata.

Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

Again I moved on and stopped briefly at a spot on the way to Sierra de Mijas but saw nothing new, I parked at the start of the track and walked an area I have walked many times and found several good species of Orchid which included Fan-lipped (Anacamptis collina), Pink Butterfly (Orchis papilionacea), Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera), Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys Scolopax) as well as a couple of interesting Hybrids Ophrys x Peltieri and Ophrys x castroviejoi.

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys Scolopax).

Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys Scolopax).

Other species were Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium) and Andaluz Storksbill (Erodium primulaceum).

Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium).

Ophrys x castroviejoi.

Ophrys x castroviejoi.

Ophrys x Peltieri.

Ophrys x Peltieri.

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).