Balsa de Regidor, Rio Genil East and the Lucerne Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning's birding on a sunny but cool day in a brisk breeze.

Ebird List for Balsa de Regidor.

Ebird List for Rio Genil East.

Ebird List for the Lucerne Fields.

 

Looking south down the Balsa.

I popped down to Huétor first thing as I need a few bits from Mercodona, later I made my way out to Balsa de Regidor where there were good numbers of hirundines, the commonest being Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), along with Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum).

The other end of the Balsa.

On the water there we Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina) ♂♀.

Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina) ♂.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

In the air and around the margins of the pool there were Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis). 

A very muddy Rio Genil, still taking away large amounts of topsoil.

Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki).

Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki).

Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus).

One of three Bats seen out feeding along the Genil road.

My next stop was along the side of the Rio Genil to the east of the bridge into Huétor, as I walked I added Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus). 

Sierra Nevada off in the Distance.

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Water still flowing into the Arroyo from the flooded fields.

I returned to the car and then went up through town and out to the Lucerne fields where I parked at the Walnut Trees and walked right up along the Arroyo Vilano to the point where the farmers had dammed the water, during this walk new species included Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) x2, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), a ♀ Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), just my second Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) for the patch, this time it was a white bird, probably a ♂ and a Comma (Polygonia c-album) which was my 3rd butterfly species of the year.

Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) ♂ probably.

Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata).

I returned to the house and spent the rest of the day sorting old clothes and doing some batch cooking. 

Mollina and Fuente de Piedra, Malaga Province, Spain.

A nice morning out with friends Jan and Garry.

 

Jan, Garry and I headed off to the West and over to Mollina where we went to the Saydo Hotel to have a look at the "English Market" as I wanted to drop off some bags of clothes to a Palliative care Charity there.

A few of the Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

We had a quick look around the stalls and then had a coffee before moving on to the Flamingo Lake at Fuente de Piedra, we parked and walked up to the Mirador via the steps up to the Visitor's Centre, once we were on the far side of the building we could view the full main Lagoon and the large number of Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), a week or so I had been there when we only saw around 50 so it was great to see several 1000 birds.

At the Mirador we bumped into Barbara and Derek Etherton and another birder with them Bob, from here we also saw Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba). 

Here we also met Álvaro Peral from Wild Andalucia and an American Lady he was guiding, after a chat Jan, Garry and I headed around to the back hide overlooking the Laguneto del Pueblo where we picked up Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) before we said goodbye to Barbara, Derek and Bob and walked back around towards the car via the lower track.

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and ♀ Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).

♀ Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).

On our way back we saw a nice ♀ Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa) x5 and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi). 

Once back at the car, we headed for Huétor and then had a nice Lunch in Café-Bar Las Tres Calles (thanks Jan and Garry) before returning to the house. 

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 17th February 2026.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +5.

3 Moth of 2 Species.

Any corrections, PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.

Licence from Junta de Andalucia.

 

Sunrise over Sierra Nevada.

6496 Evergestis isatidalis x2 and 9676 Xylocampa areola (Early Grey) x1.

Montes de Málaga - Lagar de Torrijos in Malaga Province and Cerro Hacho in Granada Province, Spain.

A morning woodland birding with Friends Barbara and Derek Etherton and an afternoon visit to the local Hill.

Ebird List for Montes de Malaga.

Ebird List for Hacho.

 

Looking out from our view point.

I was up early and on my way to meet Barbara and Derek at the Visitor Centre in Montes de Malaga by 06:20, I arrived at 07:45 to see Barbara and Derek were already there, we stood at the side of the Lagar de Torrijos, Ecomuseo for around 1.5 hours and had views of Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), European Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and the 3 main species we were looking for Hawfinch (Picogordo Común / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) both ♂♀ were seen, Common Crossbills (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and a good number of Eurasian Siskin (Jilguero Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) most of which were heard as the flew over but we had good views of a couple of ♂ birds in some conifers above us.

Checking the Merlin App.

After we had seen all we thought we would in the area we decided to try and drive a loop but it was blocked after a little way as there were trees down after the storms.

We returned to the Centre and then headed for Colmenar and then to Bar Cafetería El Asturiano on a nearby industrial area.

European Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus).

European Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus).

Once we had finished our coffee and breakfast Barbara and Derek headed back towards the coast and I headed back to Loja, on the way I saw Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica) and European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus).

Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) ♀.

I came off the motorway at Loja and then went up to Cerro Hacho where I parked just off the main road and walked the south facing bank up to the quarry and the part of the way around the loop, as I did this I added Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) to the day list.

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

As well as the birds I saw Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica), Giant (Himanthoglossum Robertiana) and Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) and Common Whitlowgrass (Erophila verna).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglossum Robertiana).

Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).

Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).

Common Whitlowgrass (Erophila verna).

I returned to the car and on my way back to the house I stopped to get a photo of the Sierra Nevada and I also picked up a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Sierra Nevada.

Looking East, back towards the house.

Contraembalse de Bermejalis, Granada Province, Spain.

Nearly 3 hours wandering around an almost empty reservoir.

Ebird List for the Contraembalse.

 

Looking North up the Valley.

I waited for it to warm up a tad and then had a drive down to the Contraembalse de Bermejalis for a walk, I parked near the southern end of the now almost completely empty Reservoir, the only water was from the Rio Cacín which flows in the southern end and out at the Dam.

Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Along the Rio I picked up Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) x3, Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) x2, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x5 and around the margins and in the reeds Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Narrow-leafed Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia).

In the air, surrounding fields and woods I added Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), the first of at least 9x Western Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) but I think there were at least a couple more, 2x Northern Ravens (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a singing ♂ Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus).

Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis).

I walked down the road to the south checking the trees and reed beds, here I saw and heard Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) ♀, Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) ♂, Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

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

I walked back up towards the car and then onwards past it towards the bridge over the Cacín, on the way Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Cymbalaria-leaved Speedwell (Veronica cymbalaria) and White Wallrocket (Diplotaxis erucoides) were all seen.

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

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

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

Down by the bridge I spent a while checking the stuff flitting through the trees and added Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Eurasian Siskin (Jilguero Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

Looking South up the Valley.

On the walk back towards the car I took the track down to the to of the dam as far as the gates, here there was a very skanky looking pool of water with 3x Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), 7x Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and a Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

Looking South up the Valley.

On the walk back up to the road and on to the car, Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus) and Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea) bought the list for the site up to a nice round 50.

After noticing that the electric was off at the house from feedback from the security system I headed straight back instead of calling in at another couple of places, when I got there I found that the fuse board had flicked off and that the fuse for the lights would not come back on, just one more bit of stress to add to the list after all the rain.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 14th February 2026.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +1.5.

1 Moth of 1 Species.

Any corrections, PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.

Licence from Junta de Andalucia.

 

It was clear overnight and cold, so I was surprised to find anything. Just a single 10226 Cerastis faceta x1. 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A look around the Lucerne Fields after getting some Logs.

Ebird List for the Fields.

 

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

After sorting a few bits at the house, I popped up to Bobadilla and picked up a boot full of Logs and then unloaded them back at home.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Later I went down to the Fields and did a short walk along the Lucerne fields finding Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x10, just the one Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Once I got back home, I started the clean-up inside the house after the recent very heavy rains and winds.