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

Catching up with a few lifers and Western Pal ticks for Sue and Dave.

Sue and Dave, Day two.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

Ebird List for Chimeneas area.

Ebird List for El Temple.

Ebird List for El Temple 2.

Ebird List for West of Ventas de Huelma.

Ebird List for Cortijo Ochíchar.

Ebird List for above Cacín.

Ebird List for above Cacín 2.

Ebird List for Contraembalse de los Bermejales.

Ebird List for Moraleda Crags.

Ebird List for Laguna del Regidor.

Ebird List for Realenga de Agicampe.

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

We started the day with Breakfast up on the terrace and then dropped down onto the fields and walked out along the Lucerne fields as far as the Walnut Trees, on the way we saw European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

We moved on and headed for Chimeneas where we spent a while searching some of the many tracks around the site finding Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

A pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

We dropped down to the road which crosses the site where we were looking one of the main targets for Sue and Dave on the trip, on one of the ploughed fields Sue spotted a group of 11 winter plumage Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

As we crossed the rest of the site we picked up Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), 6x European Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), Booted Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe, Woodchat and Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) bird wise along with Small White (Pieris rapae) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

We moved on again and made our way to Bernardo Restaurante where we had a drink and some food before continuing on towards Cacín but called in at Arroyo de los Frailes after Sue picked up a stunning, huge female Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) sat in a dead tree along the line of the Arroyo.

Other species seen here included Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Squirting Cucumber (Ecballium elaterium) and Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) x2.

Not posed at all 😃😃😃😃 Dave's really like this when he's watching a Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Further along the road we stopped at a view point near Cortijo Ochíchar, as we scanned the skies and the ridges we picked up a pair of Golden Eagles (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos), another Short-toed Snake Eagle and Pallid Swifts.

On the way to Cacín we turned off to check out the Ghost town of La Zahora, as we drove there through the Almonds we picked up 5x Eurasian Stone Curlew but little else only adding Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris) and Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae). 

We dropped down into the valley and made our way up to the Contraembalse de los Bermejales, out on the water and around the margins we saw Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), a heard only Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and White Wagtails.

In the air we saw another Northern Goshawk, Booted Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Magpie, Barn Swallow and Western House Martin.

We continued on up the valley and made a couple of stops along the crags near Moraleda picking up a third Golden Eagle, 2 more Booted Eagles, Black Kite, a Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) as well as a few Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Western House Martin.

The immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

The immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Our last stop of the day was at the Laguna de Regidor where we were surprised to see an immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), as well as Mallard, Common Pochard, Little Grebe, Common Moorhen, Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Common Buzzard, Barn and Red-rumped Swallow, Spotless Starling and White Wagtails.

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica).

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica).

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica).

At the pool we also had Blue / Common (Anax imperator) x3 and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) x2, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x6, Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) x2, Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Down at 3 Calle's.

We returned to the house and chilled up on the Terrace for a while where we had the fourth Golden Eagle of the day before headed down to 3 Calles for a beer and some food. 

Malaga Airport, Malaga Province and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A trip down to Malaga Airport to pick up Sue and Dave who were flying in from Australia.

Sue and Dave, Day one.

Ebird List for the Fields. 

 

I started the day by doing a tad of gardening, painting, cleaning to get the place finished off ready for Sue and Dave who would be arriving later at Malaga from Doha which was a stop over on their way here from Adelaide in South Australia.

I had spent a few days birding with Sue and Dave whilst I was staying with Deb and Ian who had been over earlier in the year for 9 weeks and I was looking forward to showing them around southern Spain.

I drove down later than expected as there had been a 2 hour delay in Doha but picked them up at around 17:15 and we headed back up to the house. 

After settling in we popped down to the fields for a short walk seeing Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
We returned to the house and spent a very nice evening up on the terrace with a few drinks and some food.

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A before light trip down to Huétor.

 

I started the day by popping down to Huétor for a walk, as I drove down a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) flushed up off the road and I saw at least 5 Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) sat up on the roadside posts and wires.

On the walk I saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula cabrerae), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Mollina and Fuente de Piedra, Malaga Province, Spain.

Some birding with friends Barbara and Derek.

Ebird List for Mollina.

Ebird List for Fuente de Piedra.

 

I met Barbara and Derek on the outskirts of Mollina for some breakfast and a coffee at Restaurante Salida 138, we then headed to a nearby spot where we were hoping to see the extremely elusive Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin (Alzacola Rojizo / Cercotrichas galactotes) but unfortunately they remained as elusive as they had been on my last two visits and we didn't see any.

Iberian Brown Hare (Liebre ibérica / Lepus granatensis) disappearing at high speed.

However whilst there we did record Iberian Brown Hare (Liebre ibérica / Lepus granatensis), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) an immature, Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina).

Iberian Brown Hare (Liebre ibérica / Lepus granatensis).

After we gave the area a good go we decided to cut our loses and head for what was to turn out to be a productive but dry Fuente de Piedra, on the drive in we passed the dry roadside pool where we saw another 9 Eurasian Hoopoe, quite a few feeding Barn Swallows and at least 2 calling Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) which were over in the Olive groves nearer to the town. 
We parked and then walked on the lower track around to the Mirador, on the way we saw Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared and European Turtle Dove, Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Blackbird, House Sparrow and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops).

Up at the Mirador we scanned the main lagoon which was virtually dry except for the usual patch of water in the North East corner where we could see a good number of Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), a couple of Grey Heron's (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), a single Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa) and several Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

In the bushes and over head we added Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and Common Linnet.

We moved around to the Observatorio El Laguneto which looked quiet but as we sat there we picked up several new species including Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Marbled (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris) and White-headed Ducks (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Great Tit, Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and best species of the morning a fly through Spotted Redshank (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus).

Around at Observatorio de las Palomas we did rather well finding Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius) x3, Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta) x2, and several Western Olivaceous Warbler (Zarcero bereber / Iduna opaca).

Other species seen during the walk included Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x2, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x5, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and Rabbit.  

Our next stop was up in Fuente village where we went for a drink in bar Panymá, I then headed off home as I still had quite a few tasks to get done before some friends from Australia arrive on Friday, Barbara and Derek headed off to Laguna Dulce. 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A quick walk out from the Walnut tree.

Ebird List.

 

I went and did a walk around part of the loop near to the town before going out to the fields and parking near to the Walnut trees.

Species seen included 9 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and on part of the Lucerne field that was being irrigated there were a good number of Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) around 70 birds including a good number of immatures.