Golf Los Moriscos, Golf Los Moriscos 2, Punta del Santo, Carca de Suarez, El Temple, Contraembalse de Bermejalis and Balsa de Regidor, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning on the Coast with Barbara, Sonia, Derek and Ricky, the afternoon inland Eagle Hunting and I finished the day with Friend Juan Perez watch a smart but escapee Mute Swan.

Ebird List for Golf Los Moriscos.   

Ebird List for Golf Los Moriscos 2. 

Ebird List for Punta del Santo.

Ebird List for Charca.

Ebird List for El Temple.

Ebird List for Contraembalse de Bermejalis.

Ebird List for Balsa del Regidor. 

 

I was off to the coast early and as it was a tad chilly I was pleased when the car started and the heater came on, not so good later when things warmed up down the coast, I arrived and it was still quite dark so I went for some breakfast in Restaurante Estrella Del Mar where I met up with Barbara and Derek, Sonia and Ricky for another bit of Birding.

Barnacle Geese (Barnacla Cariblanca / Branta leucopsis).

Barnacle Geese (Barnacla Cariblanca / Branta leucopsis).

We started just along the coast at Golf Los Moriscos where we soon found the two Barnacle Geese (Barnacla Cariblanca / Branta leucopsis) which had been around for a few days along with an Egyptian Goose (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Our next stop was just up the road at another part of the Golf Los Moriscos where there was another lake and a few new species including a rather unexpected Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris), as well as Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Mallard, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot, Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Little and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chiffchaff, Common (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and Spotless Starling, Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), House Sparrow and White Wagtail.

Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

We walked back towards the car but checked out a very large puddle on one of the make shift car parks at Punta del Santo where we found Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), 3x Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart, House Sparrow, Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail, Meadow (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius).

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

We also checked the rock sea wall and the sea on the way back to the cars adding Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).

The view from Laguna del Taraje.

Getting some shots of birds on Laguna del Taraje.

Our next stop was at Charca de Suarez where we pretty much did a clockwise walk around the reserve, we started at the southern end of Laguna del Taraje where we found Northern Shoveler, Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Mallard, Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Moorhen, Eurasian and Red-knobbed Coots (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) as well as the hybrid between the two species and Little Grebe.

Hybrid Red-knobbed (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) X Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

Hybrid Red-knobbed (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) X Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

♀ Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

We moved on around to the hide which overlooks the same pool from the other end, on the way we saw Spotless Starling, Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Serin, Black Redstart and just a White Wagtail from the hide as the light was bad.

Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).

Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).

From the hide on the Laguna Alamo Blanco we had a group of 4 Western Swamp-hens (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), 2 more Coot hybrids, a Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) which was flushed by the Swamp-hens and in the Tamarisks to the left of the hide 2 Eurasian Wrynecks (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).

Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).

Out behind the hide we had 2 Western Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) before we pushed on around to Laguna del Aneas, on the way we picked up Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Great Tit, Cetti's Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Waxbill, European Robin, Sardinian Warbler and a calling Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Eurasian Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus).

Once in the hide we found several new species for the day including Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Eurasian Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus), as well as Yellow-legged Gull, 3 more Greater Flamingo's, Grey Heron and several Stripe-necked Terrapins (Mauremys leprosa).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

♂ Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

♀ Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

♂ Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata).

We again moved on and spent a while checking what was on the northern end of Laguna del Trébol, as we scanned we found 5 Ferruginous Ducks (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) and several of the species already seen but here was no sign of the target Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon).

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata).

Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

The others all headed around to the hide which looks over the other end of the same pool but I decided to stay for a while but only managed to see a second Common Snipe before catching the up.

♂ Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

We moved on around to the last hide which overlooks the Laguna del Lirio but apart from another 2 Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) we didn't add anything so we made our way to the Exit and after saying our goodbyes I headed inland and the others went along the coast Gull watching with some success.

Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

I headed back north and then out onto the El Temple area, which for my Granada List proved to be a good idea as almost straight away I found a very nice Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) sat up on one of the taller pylons, unusually it was happy for me to watch it and take some photo's, I even got out of the car and set the scope up, it just watched me up until the point when a group of cyclist stopped to see what I was watching and he was off.

Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

On another pylon someways along the row I could see another large bird, so I packed the kit away and drove along the road and set up again, this time it was an immature Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti). 

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I then drove one or two of the tracks across to the Ventas de Huélma area, on the way picking up my first Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) of the year, Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Calandra (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Curruca undata), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), a very well-behaved Little Owl which sat nicely for me, as did a ♀ Common Kestrel but a Western Marsh Harrier that was quartering the fields stayed more distant.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

♀ Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

I left the El Temple are very happy with what I had seen and crossed the Solar Desert to the Cacín Valley as the once good area for Raptor's has now been ruined in the name of Green Power to reach net-zero at any cost to the wildlife and the environment.

Heading North up the Valley to the Contraembalse de Bermejalis I saw Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica),  Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra). 

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

I reached the Embalse and after parking I walked down to the margins and found Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Common Pochard, Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), 2 Common Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) which were new for the day and for the site for me, Common and Green Sandpiper, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Crag Martin and White Wagtail.

Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

I returned to the car and found that friend Juan Perez had messaged me to say that there was a Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) at Balsa del Rigedor so I made my way there as quickly as I could and I soon found Juan and the bird were both still there, great on both points.

We watched the bird for sometime and as it came in a little closer we were able to confirm that it was carrying a Green ring on it Left leg meaning that it is probably from a collection somewhere. 

Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) unfortunately with a ring.

Other species seen were Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Common Pochard, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Great Cormorant, Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Crag Martin, Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Cetti's Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Song Thrush, European Robin, House Sparrow, White Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch and European Serin.

After a while I said goodbye to Juan and headed home after a good days birding but feeling absolutly knackered.