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Saturday 26 October 2024

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

An afternoon walk around the cold windy Fields.
Ebird List for the fields.
 
I did a short walk to the walnut trees and then along the Arroyo to the bridge and then left to the Crossroads and then Left again and back to the car.
I didn't see anything of great interest which was mostly down to it being much colder and windier than recently.
Only thing of note was a small increase in Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and a single Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) x1.

Friday 25 October 2024

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

Up on my favourate hill with two good friends.
Ebird List for the hill. 

Looking out West.
I started my day list at the house with a calling Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) before heading off to Riofrio where I was meeting Derek Etherton and Andy Patterson for some birding up on my favourate bit of mountain but not before we had some breakfast in Venta Riofrío.
Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).
We drove up to the Abades Service area where I left my car and jumped in with Derek and Andy and we headed off to the Lower Quarry where we parked and spent a while seeing European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus). 
Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).
As we drove up through the Pine woods we made another stop when we heard several 
Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) but even though they were fairly close we couldn't find them but we did see Autumn Squill (Scilla autumnalis), Southern Autumn Crocus (Crocus serotinus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) and Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla).
Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis).
Looking back towards the Crags.
Some of the many noisy unpleasant, useless windmills.
We continued on up along the crags and out onto the tops, on the way we saw Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), the first of a dozen or so Black Wheatears (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) and several Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
Out on the tops we made our way slowly over towards Charca del Negro, as we proceeded on we had Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Curruca undata), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), a couple of Northern Wheatears (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Bath White (Pontia daplidice) 2, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x2 and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x16.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly again, not in order in the Photo.
Watching the first three Northern Wheatears (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).
Out passed Charca del Negro we saw several more Crag Martins which we managed to get some photos of the Derek came up with the bird of the day when he found an Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris) and then a second bird flew over us calling.
Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).
Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
In the same area we also saw White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and then down in the Hawthorn we picked up the first of around 18+ Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus).
Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus).
Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus).
Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus).
We continued on a short way up onto the next ridge where we had a Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) pass us by twice, several more Red Admirals and then on the way back down we had a couple of Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica) and another Red Squirrel before we reached my car and after say goodbye we went on out way.
Southern Autumn Crocus (Crocus serotinus).
Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).
Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).
Andy doing the Birdie Dance.
Some incoming weather.

Thursday 24 October 2024

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

An afternoon walk around the Fields and then down town.
Ebird List for the Lucerne Fields.
Ebird List for Town Fields.
 
Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
I caught up with several jobs at the house during the morning then went down to my normal parking spot and then walked up stream to the pool and then after walking back to the car I continued on to the Walnut trees before returning to the car.
Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
During the walk I saw Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
Other species seen included 10535 Crimson Speckled (Utetheisa pulchella) x12+, Bath (Pontia daplidice) x3, Small (Pieris rapae) x45+ and Large White (Pieris brassicae) x4, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x4, Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) x2, Lang's Short-tailed (Leptotes pirithous) x2 and Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus) x1 and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x1.
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).
On my way down to the town I popped into the fields before I got there and found 30 odd Eurasian Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and a dozen Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) before going into the Garage bar for a coffee before heading back home.
European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 23rd Oct 24.
15W Actinic on the terrace, +12
Moths of 27 Species.
Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.
 
9716 Trigonophora flammea (Flame Brocade).
1426 Prays oleae x1, 1655 Ethmia bipunctella x3, 3822 Anarsia lineatella x1, 3842 Dichomeris acuminatus x1, 4432 Oxypteron schawerdai  x3, 5875 Apomyelois ceratoniae (Locust Bean Moth) x1, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x3, 6531 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty Dot Pearl) x1, 6690a Palpita vitrealis x5, 7598 Perigune convergata x1, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, 8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal) x3, 8256 Xanthorhoe fluctuata (Garden Carpet) x1, 8328 Nebula ibericata x1,  
1426 Prays oleae.
4432 Oxypteron schawerdai.
Oxypteron Species ??????
7598 Perigune convergata.
8576 Eupithecia unedonata x1, 9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled) x1, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x12, 9591 Agrochola lunosa (Lunar Underwing) x37, 9621 Episema grueneri x4, 9628 Leucochlaena oditis (Beautiful Gothic) x5, 9648 Aporophyla chioleuca x1,  9653 Aporophyla canescens x1, 9716 Trigonophora flammea (Flame Brocade) x1, 9724 Polymixis lichenea (Feathered Ranunculus) x1, 10096 Noctua pronuba (Large Yellow Underwing) x1, 10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic) x4, 10215 Xestia kermesina x4, 
9653 Aporophyla canescens.

9591 Agrochola lunosa (Lunar Underwing).

9591 Agrochola lunosa (Lunar Underwing).

9724 Polymixis lichenea (Feathered Ranunculus).

10326 Eucoptocnemis optabilis x20, 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x6, 10347 Agrotis trux x6 and 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x3.
10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic).
8576 Eupithecia unedonata.
9648 Aporophyla chioleuca.
10347 Agrotis trux.
3842 Dichomeris acuminatus.
10347 Agrotis trux.
8256 Xanthorhoe fluctuata (Garden Carpet).
9621 Episema grueneri.
10096 Noctua pronuba (Large Yellow Underwing).

Wednesday 23 October 2024

El Temple, Cacín Valley and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A 4 Eagle days birding with Alexandra and Agana.
 
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
We started out on the edge of the El Temple area at a semi-derelict Cortijo and started the day list with Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
We pushed on out onto the main part of El Temple and headed along the main road making several stops picking up Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Calandra Lark (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
We left the main road and did a couple of the tracks seeing Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x8 and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x4.
We returned to the main road and then crossed to the tracks on the opposite side and made our way to Ventas de Huelma, on the way we found Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Bath (Pontia daplidice) x4 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x15, a fast flying Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) x1, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and 2x Western Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).
We stopped for coffee and then crossed the newly constructed SOLAR DESERT, we stopped twice, firstly on the roadside where we saw an immature Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), at the halfway point we spent some time scanning the sky and ridges for raptors and with the help of Alexandra's eyes which were very keen we saw 6x Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), a dark morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and an adult Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) but in the whole area there was a drastic drop in ground birds.
We continued on to the village of Cacín and the went south along the Valley to the Puente del rio Cacín where we parked on the far side of the gorge and quickly found several Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore) x7, heard Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and saw Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).
Further down the valley we stopped by some large rocks and we were pleased to see one of the birds Agana wanted to see a male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), we continued on and parked above the gorge and scanned the cliffs finding several Eurasian Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) x4 which were my first of the Autumn.
We headed back North along the valley, on the way we had two Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) fly across in front of us, an adult looking Short-toed Snake Eagle which soared above the gorge and a repeat performance by the Blue-rock Thrush.
 We drove up to the Contra-embalse de Bermejalis and with the scope we found Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) x6, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and just as we were about to move on I picked up a large raptor off in the distance up the valley which turned out to be a Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) our fourth eagle species of the day and as we watched it a second bird arrived and they had a short interaction before splitting up again.
We also saw Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x3, Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) x2 and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
  We again continued up the valley and made another stop in the pine trees where we were hoping to see the filth Eagle species of the day but we didn't manage it, however we did see a pair of circling Northern Goshawks (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) one of which went up high and joined a passing Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), heard Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and whilst  Agana dropped into the Olives to see what he could find I saw a small flock of Long-tailed Tits (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus) which also held Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla) but only heard them both.
Our final stop in the Cacín Valley was at the crags below Moreleda, at the first lay-by we only saw a few Eurasian Crag Martins but further down towards the main A-402 we made a fast stop when I saw a Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) drop off a large rock but we didn't relocate it again unfortunately, however we did find a second Blue-rock Thrush  and nice male Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica) chilling up on the cliffs.
At our first stop of the day out on the fields to the North of Huétor Tajar we managed just some distant heat haze affected views of a couple of Eurasian Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), they were distant due to there being quite a bit of work going on out on the Fields so we moved on fairly quickly to the Lucerne fields where we parked at my usual spot and spent a while scanning the fields before driving slowly out of the area, whilst here we added Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops) which was only seen by myself unfortunately, Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) which were only heard, Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).
On our way back to Granada we finished the list off with a Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) at Balsa del Regidor and a couple of Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and the motorway, it was great to catch up with Agana and Alexandra and to enjoy 70 or so species in total.

Tuesday 22 October 2024

Huétor Fields and Riofrio, Granada Province, Spain.

Down on the patch with Beth before going for a Coffee and a Chat with a friend.
Ebird List for the Fields.
 
The sunrises over Sierra Nevada.
Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
I started the day by getting a few jobs done and the headed down to the fields where I met Beth for a walk along the Lucerne fields where we saw Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), the first Eurasian Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) of the autumn, a late Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
As we walked we also saw Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x5, Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) x1 and Small White (Pieris rapae) 18 before Beth headed off to meet her sister's and I went to Riofrio where I met up with friend Pat and we had Coffee, Tostrada and a chat before I went and had lunch with Beth in Loja. 
Later I went back home via the garage where I washed and cleaned the car.
European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) female.
European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) female.