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Saturday, 2 November 2024

La Línea--Parque Princesa Sofía, Parque del Torrejón, Palmones--Paseo Marítimo, Cadiz Province, Spain.

A day with Ricky and Derek rarity hunting and general birding in the afternoon.
Ebird list for Parque Princesa Sofía.
Ebird list for Parque del Torrejón.
Ebird list for Palmones--Paseo Marítimo.

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica).
Over night Derek and I both heard the local Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco) calling and then at 06:30 we started off down to La Linea and met Ricky who kindly invited us up to his place for breakfast where we caught up with his wife Sonia as well.
Little Bunting (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla).
After a very nice breakfast the three of us headed down the coast road to the Parque Princesa Sofía which is a well known rarity hot spot and started the search for the Red-flanked Bluetail (Ruiseñor Coliazul / Tarsiger cyanurus) but even though the three of us searched hard along with a good number of other birders it was not seen again unfortunately.
Little Bunting (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla).
However after a while Derek found a stunning looking Little Bunting (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla) but I got there too late and the bird had flown so I went back to my search and after a short while I relocated the Little Bunting about a 100m away from where Derek had seen it and it was seen a few more times that day.
Yellow-browed Warbler (Mosquitero Bilistado / Phylloscopus inornatus).
We also went to another part of the Parque where we searched for and found a very smart
Yellow-browed Warbler (Mosquitero Bilistado / Phylloscopus inornatus) which fed high up in the tree tops with several Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
Yellow-browed Warbler (Mosquitero Bilistado / Phylloscopus inornatus).
Other species seen during our wondering around the park included 2 regular roosting Tawny Owls, Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), European Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), a Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) which I missed, Black (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna) x1, Monarch (Danaus plexippus) x1 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x6.
Tawny Owls (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco).
At around 14:30 we headed back Ricky's where the lovey Sonia had done us some lunch, on the way there we drove along the coast road seen a good number of Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) and a couple of Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis).
Tawny Owls (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco).
It didn't take long to eat as we were all hungry and then later we headed out to do some more birding which took us to the area known as Parque del Torrejón, on the way we say a Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and when we arrived we parked at the entrance as the sign said there was no access to unauthorized  person but as we walked to go to the hide we found a car and three people drinking, playing loud music and by the state of them doing some extra sampling.
Monarch (Danaus plexippus).
We checked the area, scanning the salt marshes from gaps in the bushes where we found Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), a single Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), 3x Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), a distant Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Eurasian Crag Martin, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Song Thrush, European Robin, European Stonechat, Common Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).
African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna).
Our final stop of the day was over on the other side of the Rio where we walked along the Palmones Paseo Marítimo but as the tide was still a tad high we didn't see big numbers of birds but we did find
Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiático / Haematopus ostralegus), Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei), Sandwich Tern, Eurasian Spoonbill, Grey Heron and Western Marsh Harrier.
By now the we were losing the light so we headed back to Ricky's and dropped him off and then headed back to John's at Alcalá de los Gazules.

Friday, 1 November 2024

La Janda, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Down to Malaga and then off West.
Ebird List for La Janda / Main Canal.
Ebird List for Rio Celemin area.

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
I started the day by driving down to meet friend Derek before we headed off West for a few days birding, on my way through to the Motorway I checked the fields just before I reached the town and found 14 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and 30 odd Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).
Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
Monarch (Danaus plexippus).
I reached Derek's and we swap my kit into his motor and we headed off down the coast around Algeciras to Tarifa and then up to Tahivilla where we stopped for a coffee and Tostarda, on this stretch of the trip we saw Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Spotless (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) x3, Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
The flooded main Canal and fields.
We stopped at a bar in the village of Tahivilla but we think it has unfortunately changed hands and it was not as good or clean as we remembered it, after our coffee we went just up the road and entered La Janda area at the Southern end of the track, on the track down to the canal we saw Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Buzzard, Western Cattle Egret, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), a small flock of House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), lots of White Storks, Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and the first of a few hundred Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii).
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
We turned left and spent quite a while birding the next section of the site which took us along the Canal Secundario, at the southern end it was fairly dry but further along the track towards and including the crossing point it was flooded.
Black Stork (Cigüena Negra / Ciconia nigra).
Black Stork (Cigüena Negra / Ciconia nigra).
As we drove along we added Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), 1500+ Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Common Kestrel, Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis).
Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
Out on one of the wetter area there were huge numbers of birds feeding including around 300 Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), masses of Starlings, half of which were Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and 2 Black Stork (Cigüena Negra / Ciconia nigra) which came flying up the channel and then across the fields behind us.
Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
We continued on and parked again, this time we got our main target bird the Atlas Long-legged Buzzard (Busardo Moro / Buteo rufinus) as well as Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), Eurasian Crag Martin, European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), an unexpected late Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Common Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger) x1, Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) x15+, Monarch (Danaus plexippus) x1, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x5, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
Eurasian Spoonbills (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).
Eurasian Spoonbills (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).
White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava).

We reached the crossing point where we had planned to take the track over to the Benalup side of the area but the bridge was flooded and as we couldn't see what was under the water Derek decided we would continue on along the main track and go to the other side of the area via Benalup and come in from the top end.
The flooded Bridge.
More of the flooded fields.
As we drove to the end of the track we didn't add anything new but on the drive around to the other entrance we saw
Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) before taking to the tracks again and dropping down towards the Rio Celemin, on the way we saw the first of 2 Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) and lots of Western Cattle Egret.
Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).
We parked near the bridge over the Canal Celemin and walked down to the Rio and back again, during the walk we saw and heard Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Iberian Brown Hare (Liebre ibérica / Lepus granatensis) and quite a few Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) which were crossing the road.
Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus).
We decided that due to the wind getting stronger and the amount of flooding it wouldn't be worth waiting to see if any Owl species showed so we headed to Alcalá de los Gazules where we stayed at friend John's house and later went out to eat down in town, during the evening the plans for tomorrow were sorted and then they changed when the news of a
Red-flanked Bluetail (Ruiseñor Coliazul / Tarsiger cyanurus) broke and it was just down the road from Ricky's place so we decided that we would head there instead of Brazo del Este.

Thursday, 31 October 2024

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

An afternoon walk along the Arroyo Vilano and then a visit to the Curlew and Bustard fields.
Ebird List for the Lucerne fields. 

Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and in the back ground some of the Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
After a morning of getting some jobs done I went down town for some shopping and for a walk along the Arroyo de Vilano but started from the Walnut trees and then followed the Arroyo down the track passing the road bridge and on down to the Railway line.
During this part of the walk I saw Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and Eurasian Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).
At the far end of the walk I spent a while sat on the side of the track checking out a reed filled abandoned field which was next to a strip that had just been ploughed, her I saw lots more Corn Buntings, Eurasian Collared Doves, Iberian  Magpies along with Common Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) as well as Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x1, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x1, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x5, Small White (Pieris rapae) x8. 
I then asked a farmer if I could walk the edge of the Asparagus fields over to the road, on the way I saw 3 Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) before I reached the road and the I headed back to the crossroads passing the Poplar Plantation and then back to the Walnut trees.
During the section I added Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) x2 and a single Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x1.
I dropped down to the fields nearer to town and checked to see if there were any birds there and I found 30 odd Eurasian Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), at least 12 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and a single Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus). 
I popped into the garage and hoovered the inside of the car before returning to the house and catching up with a few more bits between so light showers.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 30th Oct 24.
15W Actinic on the terrace, +13
112 Moths of  30 Species.
Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.
 
9723 Polymixis argillaceago New for the Garden.

9723 Polymixis argillaceago New for the Garden.

1426 Prays oleae x1, 1655 Ethmia bipunctella x11, 4432 Oxypteron schawerdai  x4, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x3, 6524 Hydriris ornatalis x1, 6531 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty Dot Pearl) x1, 6690a Palpita vitrealis x4, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x2, 7882 Charissa mucidarius x1, 8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal) x3, 8256 Xanthorhoe fluctuata (Garden Carpet) x1, 8328 Nebula ibericata x3, 8576 Eupithecia unedonata x3, 9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y) x1, 9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled) x1, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x10, 
4432 Oxypteron schawerdai.

6531 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty Dot Pearl).

9591 Agrochola lunosa (Lunar Underwing) x23, 9621 Episema grueneri x2, 9628 Leucochlaena oditis (Beautiful Gothic) x3, 9648 Aporophyla chioleuca x3,  9651 Aporophyla nigra (Black Rustic) x2, 9723 Polymixis argillaceago x1 New for the Garden, 9724 Polymixis lichenea (Feathered Ranunculus) x1, 9743a Mniotype occidentalis x3, 10096 Noctua pronuba (Large Yellow Underwing) x1, 
8328 Nebula ibericata.

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8576 Eupithecia unedonata.

10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic) x6, 10326 Eucoptocnemis optabilis x14, 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x2, 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x2 and 10535 Crimson Speckled (Utetheisa pulchella) x2.
9621 Episema grueneri.

9743a Mniotype occidentalis.

9743a Mniotype occidentalis.

9724 Polymixis lichenea (Feathered Ranunculus).

9648 Aporophyla chioleuca.

9591 Agrochola lunosa (Lunar Underwing).