Huétor Fields and Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Down on the fields for a walk and then a drink with Friends / Neighbors in the afternoon.

Ebird List.

 

I started the morning with a walk along the Lucerne fields, interesting species included Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), the first returning Eurasian Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) of the winter, Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra). 

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) ♀.

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) ♀.

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) ♀.

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) ♀.

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) ♂.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Later in the day I went up the road to have a chat and some cider with friends Jan and Garry, whilst chatting we saw the immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos), Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) x1♂, Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) x1♂, Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x1♂ and Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x2♂.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Some weather close by but missed us unfortunately as we need the rain.

 

Looking to the NE.

I spent the day catching up with a few Jobs and putting the Terrace away ready for the winter, later in the day there were storms on either side of the house, we got nothing rain wise but a bit of drizzle. 

Out to the NE again a little later as it brightened up again.

Well, that was very disappointing.

Zapata, Rio Guadalhorce near Cártama, Rio Casarabonela and Laguna Dulce, Malaga Province, Spain.

A final day out with Lynn and Steve down in Malaga Province.

Ebird List for Zapata.

Ebird List for Rio Guadalhorce near Cártama. 

Ebird List for Laguna Dulce.

 

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

I started by picking up Lynn and Steve, then we started the day with Breakfast in Restaurante Paneque Rosario before driving down to Malaga and through the Airport to the Rio Guadalhorce at Zapata, we checked the area between the river crossing and the upper ford.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

Near the lower crossing we started the list with Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Blue / Common (Anax imperator) x1♂ and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) x1♂, Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis) and Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium).

Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium).

Further up stream we added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and an unexpected European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).

Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x1♀ teneral.

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) ♀.

As we checked this area we also saw Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) x1♂ x1♀, more Lesser Emperors x1♂ and 1♀, Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x1, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x10+, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x1♂ and x1♀, False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolinus) x1, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolinus).

False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolinus).

We returned to the car and headed across country to the spot where the Rio Grande and the Rio Guadalhorce meet but apart from a few pools further up stream the Rio Grande was dry and the Guadalhorce had heavy machinery working in it but we still did a walk down stream away from the works and found Little Ringed Plover, Common and Green Sandpiper, Great Cormorant, Little and Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba), Grey Heron, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling, Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Common Waxbill, Grey and White Wagtail.

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) a slightly more mature ♀.

Along the river we also saw good numbers of Dragons which included Lesser Emperor x2♂, Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x5♂, Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) x2♂, Red-veined Darter x10+,  Scarlet Darter x5♂ x1♀ and Orange-winged Dropwing x10+.

Looking down stream along the Rio Guadalhorce.

We returned to the car and then went a little further north to the Arroyo de Casarabonela, a site that used to be one of our favourite site but as with so many wildlife places in Andalusia it was totally degraded and basically dead, however we did find Western Willow Spreadwing (Chalcolestes viridis) x2, Epaulet Skimmer x4♂ and Red-veined Darter x4.

The site was so bad that we quickly decided to push on back towards Lynn and Steve's base but went via the longer northern route making a quick stop at Laguna Dulce on the way, here we saw a single Blue / Common Emperor x1♂, Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Kestrel, Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Barn Swallow, House (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

We headed back to Lynn and Steve's site where I said goodbye to them until we catch up again, either here (most Likely or in Cornwall. 

Embalse de Bermejalis, Rio Fornes in Sierras de Tejeda, Contra-embalse de Cacín and Presa de Contra-embalse de Cacín, Granada Province, Spain.

Another trip to one of our favourite site in the Province.

 

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Lynn and Steve again came up to Huétor and I met them on the car park near Mercodona and we headed out to the south via Moreleda and on down to the Embalse de Bermejalis where we parked next to the large inflow channel in the NW corner of the Reservoir.

Looking back up the Channel.

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

False Mallow / Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolina / alceae).

As we walked towards the shore of the Embalse following the channel we saw Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x1♀, Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x1, False Mallow / Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolina / alceae) x1, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x3, Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Looking out onto the Embalse.

Domestic type Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

At the bottom of the channel and as we walked around the margins a short way we recorded Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) x2, Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) x1, Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora) x1, some domestic type Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), 2x Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and a Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Lynn and Steve at the Embalse.

On the way back to and at the car we added several Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum) x4♂ and 1♀, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris).

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) and Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) exuvia.

Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) exuvia.

We dropped down the Eastern side of the lake and went around to the Rio Fornes in Sierras de Tejeda where we checked out a nice section of the river, as we walked we found Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1♂ and Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) x1♂ near the car and a ♂ Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum) on the river along with the exuviae of Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea), Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) and Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene).

Erica terminalis.

Before we went under the bridge we also saw Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea) and Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) and Erica terminalis.

Western Willow Spreadwing (Chalcolestes viridis).

Western Willow Spreadwing (Chalcolestes viridis).

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum).

On the far side of the bridge we picked up Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) x2♂, Western Willow Spreadwing (Chalcolestes viridis) x6, Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) x4, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x2, Small White (Pieris rapae) x3, European Hornet (Vespa crabro), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Throatwort (Trachelium caeruleum), Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and Small Fleabane (Pulicaria vulgaris).

Throatwort (Trachelium caeruleum).

Rio Fornes.

Searching for Dragons.

We returned to the car and headed back North and called in at the Contra-embalse de Cacín on the way where we saw Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti).

We headed back to Huétor and we headed to our homes for the night, as I lay in bed later I could hear both Little (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) calling.