Riofrio and Cerro Hacho, Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

Coffee with a Friend and then some Birds, Orchids and Butterflies.

Ebird List for Riofrio.

Ebird List for Hacho.

 

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

I popped down town first and then went over to Riofrio where I sat by the river for a while as I was a bit early to meet friend Pat, whilst there I saw or heard Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) as tall as my inside leg.

I went and picked up Pat and we dropped back into Riofrio where we had a coffee before I took her into Loja where she had an appointment, I then popped to Loja Hospital to arrange a couple of appointments before going for a walk around on Cerro Hacho, I parked at the junction halfway up to the top car park and then walked the left hand bank.

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina) var. flavescens.

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

As I walked I saw the first of at least 250 spikes of Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) at least 3 spikes were over 85cm tall, on the same bank I also saw Fan-lipped (Anacamptis collina) x25+ and var. flavescens x3, Somber Bee (Ophrys lupercalis) x140+, Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis) x130+, Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica) x2, Palmate Anemone (Anemone palmata), Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus), Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata), Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum) and Snake's Head Fritillary (Fritillaria  lusitanica).

Snake's Head Fritillary (Fritillaria  lusitanica).

Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus).

Looking back down the track.

Looking up the bank.

In the Pines I picked up Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Long-tailed (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and European Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and lots of Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).

Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis).

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Just below the top car park I dropped down off the bank and walked back down the track, on the way I found a couple of Western Dappled Whites (Euchloe crameri) x2 one of which was sat nicely, a single Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis) x1 which remained up in the tops of the Oak Trees, Large (Pieris brassicae) x1 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x2, Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) x1, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x1, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x8, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x1, Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Curruca undata), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis) ????

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis) ??????

Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).

Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).

I returned to the car and dropped off my top clothing layers as it was getting hot before I went for a walk around part of the lower loop, on the way out I saw Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), 2 male Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Conical (Neotinea conica) and Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera). 

Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros).

Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina).

On the way back to the car I was pleased to see a couple of Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina) x2, Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) x1 and at least 8x Provence Hairstreaks (Tomares ballus) including a mating pair.

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus) female.

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).

Back at the car I scanned the quarry finding a male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) before it started to rain and I headed home picking up Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).