Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.*

Up on the Terrace for a while.

Ebird List.

 

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

I did a few jobs before going up on the terrace for a late breakfast and to see if there was any passage but it was quiet and the only interesting species were Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Desembocadura del Guadalhorce, Malaga, Malaga Province, Spain.*

A mornings birding with some birders from my old area of the UK.

Ebird List for the Pools, 62 Species.

 

Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii).

I left early and was down at the site near Malaga where I met Matthew, Hannah and James, I met Matthew back in Albrighton when I was there for a year back in 2020 where he was a great help to Jayne and I.

We walked into the reserve, on the way we picked up Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii).

From the bridge on the way in we added Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and on the first part of the walk Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) were picked up.

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Once were on the reserve we headed for the hide overlooking Laguna Grande and really gave the day list a boost, starting with Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Little (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta) and an unexpected Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii) which James picked up in front of the hide. 

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

Other species included Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Gull-billed (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Little (Charrancito Común / Sternula albifrons) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), a few Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and a good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus). 

Eurasian Curlew (Zarapito Real / Numenius arquata).

We moved on to Laguna Escondida where we scanned the pool finding Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), a single male Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), a female White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) which was out the far side of the Motorway, Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Eurasian Curlew (Zarapito Real / Numenius arquata).

We walked on around to the far bank and visited the two hides over looking Laguna de la Casilla, Matthew picked out an immature Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera) and a flyby Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and the rest of us added Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

We continued on towards the sea, on del Rio Viejo and surroundings we saw Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina), a fine looking Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus) and a Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) which sat on a dead twig.

Eurasian Curlew (Zarapito Real / Numenius arquata) being mobbed by a Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Down at the Observatorio Espigón de Levante (Aves Marinas) and along the beach we didn't see anything new but had singles of both Little and Sandwich Tern, before heading back onto the reserve and making a second stop at Laguna Grande and finished the list off with 2x Wood Sandpipers (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) and a very unexpected Eurasian Curlew (Zarapito Real / Numenius arquata).

As we walked out our last new species was a smart almost full summer Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), once we reached the cars we went on to the nearby Industrial area and had a really nice menu del Dia in Restaurante El Fogón before we headed off, thanks to you all for a cracking morning.

Eurasian Curlew (Zarapito Real / Numenius arquata) and a Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Other species seen during the morning Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Red-veined (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), Blue-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens) and Common Chicory (Cichorium intybus).

I headed into the city for an appointment I had before heading back home.

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.*

A short walk around the fields before getting a bit of shopping.

Ebird List.

 

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

With my car up in Cuenca still I was luck that friends Christine and Wayne said I could borrow their car so I popped into the fields on my way down to Mercodona where I parked and walked the edge of the Lucerne fields down to the crossroads.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Interesting species included 13x Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 2x Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) all 13 birds.

I did a bit of shopping before heading home and then had some breakfast on the terrace where I picked up Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.*

Moth Records for the 6th Aug 24.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +23.5

23 Moths of 12 Species.

Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.

 

7814a Tephronia lhommaria.

1361 Zelleria oleastrella x1, 1722 Agonopterix subpropinquella x2, 4791 Lobesia botrana x1, 4855 Epinotia thapsiana x2, 5624 Bostra obsoletali x3, 5776 Psorosa mediterranella x1, 5875 Apomyelois ceratonnae x1, 6619 Uresiphita gilvata x1, 6690a Palpita vitrealis x8, 7504 Watsonalla uncinula (Spiny Hook-tip) x2, 7814a Tephronia lhommaria x1, 8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal) x1 and 8899 Clytie illunaris (Trent Double-stripe) x1.

4791 Lobesia botrana.

5875 Apomyelois ceratonnae.

5776 Psorosa mediterranella.???????

2923 Pterolonche albescens.???????

1722 Agonopterix subpropinquella.

Huétor Fields and Granada City, Granada Province, Spain.*

A bit of Birding before I dropped the Hire Car off.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Steve and I were heading down to see the mechanic and the out to Padul where we were meeting Steve's wife Elena so they could head home.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

On the way we made a quick visit to the fields where we were surprised to find a flock of 11 newly arrived Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) as well as Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala).

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

We popped to the Mechanic's and then made our way up to Granada and then down to Padul, on the way we saw a decent sized flock of Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) before we reached the meeting point where we had a coffee before Elena and Steve headed off and I went into the city and returned the car.

I then walked to the bus station from the train station and got a bus back to La Fabrica and walked home. 

Thanks to Steve for sending me some photo's over of the Little Bustards, happy to see some returning birds but very surprised how early they have arrived.

North towards Moscardón, Teruel, Spain.*

Well what a ******* nightmare !!!!

Stephen Powell and I were off heading North East towards Moscardón where we were going to spend a few days looking for butterflies including the rare Zapata's Ringlet (Erebia zapateri) and Southern Hermit (Chazara prieuri).

On the way we picked up Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Black (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Iberian  (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and at a lay-by where we stopped to stretch our legs we heard a couple of European Crested Tits (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus).

We continued on and had got to within 40km of the site we wanted to visit but this was when it all went wrong, the car lost power but then restarted, it happened again but the third time it didn't restart and we had to stop on the roadside and call the insurance company.

Once we got through on the assistance line everything went well, a young lady from the Grúas from Cañete arrived quickly and got the car loaded and took us back to there workshops. 

Whilst we were stuck on the roadside we did see a few butterflies 😀😀😀 including Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x1, Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis) x2, Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) x2 and Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) x1.

Unfortunately due to it being August all the Mechanic's were on holiday in the area so we had no choose but to leave the car there and go in a taxi to Cuenca railway station where we collected a hire car for 24 hours and then drove back south to my house.

I have now got to wait for the car to be transported back down here in the south before I can hopefully get it sorted but impressed with the insurance company as all was taken care of and we didn't need to pay anything out.

Once we reach Huétor we stopped off at the Chinese restaurant and had a meal which wasn't too bad but not as good as I remember it was the last time I went 6 years ago.