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Sunday, 16 February 2025

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A very quick check in on the wintering Cranes.
Ebird List.
 
After getting a few jobs done at home I popped into the Fields to see if the Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) were still around and as soon as I got there I found them at the far end of the ploughed areas.

Saturday, 15 February 2025

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A quick check on the Lucerne Fields.
Ebird List.
 
Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

After having a very nice get together with a few local Brits, Jan, Gary, Catherine and Michael I popped to Loja to collect a friend of the bus from Malaga and then dropped her over to Moraleda before returning to the Fields for a walk.
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) male.
As I walked I saw Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), the 2 regular Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), 50 odd Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava) and Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) amongst others.
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
I only recorded a single butterfly which was a 
Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri). 
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).
European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).
European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 14th Feb 25.
15W Actinic on the terrace, +4
3 Moth of 3 Species.
Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.
 
7694 Agriopis bajaria.

6496 Evergestis isatidalis x1, 7694 Agriopis bajaria x1 and 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x1. 
10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart).

Friday, 14 February 2025

Huétor Fields, El Temple, the Cacín Valley and Balsa de Regidor, Granada Province, Spain.

Out around the patch with friends Barbara and Derek Etherton.
Ebird List for Huétor Fields.
Ebird List for El Temple.
Ebird List for GR-3310, Ventas de Huelma.
Ebird List for Contraembalse de los Bermejales.
Ebird List for the Pines.
Ebird List for Moraleda Crags.
Ebird List for Balsa de Regidor.

Most of the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
We started by having breakfast in the bar at Combustibles Gómez and the popping to a nearby spot where we started the list with Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
From here we went up to the Lucerne Fields and parked at my usual spot and then drove slowly around to the walnut trees, from the parking we saw the wintering Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) heard only, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
We headed off down toward the A92 picking up a single Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) on the way, we then made our way out to the El Temple area nearer to Granada where we drove the tracks finding Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) x2, Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Calandra Lark (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Bath White (Pontia daplidice) and the first of 2 Vagrant Emperors (Anax ephippiger).
Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
We moved on towards the Cacín Valley, on the way we stopped amongst the massive Net Zero at any cost to the environment Solar Panel Farms but the number of raptors seen in this areas since the disturbance has dropped drastically and we only managed a couple of Common Kestrels and a distant Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) along with another calling Iberian Green Woodpecker, Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
We moved on and our next stop was up at the Contraembalse de Bermejalis but the water level was very low and there were very few birds so we only managed to find Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and around by the Dam we added Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).
European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).
Up the road we stopped in the Pines finding a couple of Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla) and up at the crags near Moraleda we found Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).
We started to head back to Huétor but called in at the Balsa de Regidor finding a single Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), 60 odd Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata)and a Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).
We headed back to the fields for one last look to see if the Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) had dropped in during the day but they hadn't so we went back to Barbara and Dereks car and then headed off after a good days birding.

Thursday, 13 February 2025

Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

A short walk and a little while by the Puddle.
Ebird List.
 
Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).
After getting a few tasked done I went for a walk to see if any more Orchid species were in flower yet up on Hacho, I parked next to the Puddle and did a short walk around a part of the lower loop but only found Giant (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) and Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis) in flower along with masses of Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia), Common Daisy (Bellis perennis), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) and Wall Pennywort (Umbilicus rupestris).
Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros).
Bird wise I saw Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).
Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).
I also had a least 2x Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x3, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x2 and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x1.
Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).
I got back to the car and sat there for a short while seeing what came into the puddle, first birds coming in were a pair of Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Eurasian Siskin (Jilguero Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) x2M, Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus) and Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada).
Eurasian Siskin (Jilguero Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

Wednesday, 12 February 2025

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Just a quick visit to the Lucerne Fields.
Ebird List.
 
4 well hidden Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
I popped down to the fields for a quick check around the Lucerne fields where I picked up 4x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) there could well have been loads more but they are getting harder to see in the browned off Lucerne.
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus), immature on the left and adult to the right.
Other Species included the 2x
Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) which have regularly visited the fields all winter, Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Western Dappled (Euchloe crameri) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 11th Feb 25.
15W Actinic on the terrace, +4
11 Moth of 6 Species.
Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.
 
7926 Semiaspilates ochrearia (Yellow Belle).

6496 Evergestis isatidalis x6, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x1, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, 7926 Semiaspilates ochrearia (Yellow Belle) x1, 8328 Nebula ibericata x1 and 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x1.
8328 Nebula ibericata.


 

9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow).

Tuesday, 11 February 2025

Los Palacios y Villafranca and Osuna in Sevilla Province, Fuente de Piedra in Malaga Province, Spain.

Out west twitching a Shrike Lifer (Spanish).
Ebird List for Los Palacios y Villafranca. 
Ebird List for Osuna.
 
The Shrike site.
I was on the road at around 05:45 and was on site at around 08:30, after parking I walked out to the area friend Ricky had given me and scanned the Juncus tussucks out in the field seeing several European Stonechats (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), in the air large numbers of Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) and in the bushes several Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).
From this first spot I couldn't find the target Isabelline Shrike (Lanius isabellinus / Alcaudón isabel) so I moved just a short way further along the track passed a stand of reeds and after just a couple of minutes had my first distant views of the Shrike, it was a good job Ricky had told me to take the scope as it was certainly needed for this bird but it did look very smart even at the distance.
Isabelline Shrike (Lanius isabellinus / Alcaudón isabel).
Isabelline Shrike (Lanius isabellinus / Alcaudón isabel).
As I spent the next 1.5 hours watching the bird I also saw Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus),  Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) heard only, Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei) in the Almonds behind me, Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), a surprise singing male Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small White (Pieris rapae) and a few Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).
Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
I moved around to the opposite side of the paddock and had slightly closer views of the Shrike but the light was nowhere near as good, even so I enjoyed the bird for another hour.
After seeing what I was pretty sure was a Laughing Dove (Tórtola senegalesa / Streptopelia senegalensis) fly passed and land in one of the Tamarsk trees back up near the river I turned the car around and went the short way up to check on it and soon found it sat in the densest part of the tree.
Another newly arrived migrant, John.
I then saw something I really hadn't expected, another birder who turned out to be friend John Cantelo, so I whizzed around to where he was, said hello and then we got brief but better views of the Dove before returning to the spot for the Shrike which John didn't know about, a bonus Spanish lifer for him as well.
We added a nice pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) before John went to try to see the Dove again and I headed off towards home via Osuna first and then a brief visit to Fuente de Piedra on the way.
Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).
I did the usual run around the fields viewing the area from the railway bridges, on the drive out to the point where I turned around I saw 
Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) under the Olives on the way in, Black (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax) and at the point near an deflect Cortijo with some large Eucalyptus trees where I turned around there we good numbers of Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and a few Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris).
Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris).
I started to make my way back to the motorway but decided to have a look from the one bridge and I was glad I did as I soon found 7 Great Bustards (Avutarda Euroasiática / Otis tarda) which appeared to have been disturbed from an area of Olives and flew out into the center of a ploughed area and landed.
Great Bustards (Avutarda Euroasiática / Otis tarda).
Great Bustards (Avutarda Euroasiática / Otis tarda).
As I drove around the loop I did I was surprised how much of this important area for the Bustards had been allowed to be put to intensive Olive fields, worrying as it is in the whole of Andalucia where they seem happy to destroy habitat with Olives or Solar panels.
Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and 3 Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).
Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and 3 Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).
I continued on and made a brief visit to Fuente de Piedra but I only checked the pools around the entrance road and boardwalk, it was fairly quiet but I did see more Black-winged Stilts and 3 Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa) but little else so I headed off home after a successful day.

Monday, 10 February 2025

Dog S**T Track and Lucerne Fields, Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of short walks around the patch.
Ebird List for Dog S**t Track.
Ebird List for Lucerne Fields.
 
Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
After a rough day yesterday and still not feeling too good I did two short walks, the first was out from the town along the main dog walking track which makes it a bit of an assault course but it was worth it.
Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) male.
On the way down there I picked up the two Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) which I regularly see at the bottom of the road, once I parked I walked from the town out as far as the railway line fence.
Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) female.
During the walk I picked up Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), 2x Bluethroats (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and others.
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
I returned to the car and popped into Mercodona and then made my way up to the top fields where I parked by the Walnut trees and walked around to my usual parking spot, on the way I saw 14 
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and a Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
I reached the parking spot and decided to continue on up stream a little way, as I reached the stand of White Poplars I saw the wintering flock of Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) which also held at least 3 Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).
Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and one of the Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) in the bottom left.
I turned around and walked back to the track instead of the river bed, just after going through the gates the two 
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) which have been wintering on the patch flew in over my head and flushed the Little Bustards.
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
As I walked back to the car I had a good sized flock of Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and 6x Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava) which were only the second flock I have seen on the fields.
Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).
Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava).
Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava).
I returned to the house and spent the rest of the day chilling.