Town Fields, Rio Genil West, Town Fields and Lucerne Fields, Huetor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Out on the local patch with Juan Perez Contreras and José María González Cachinero. 

Ebird List for the Town Fields 1.

Ebird List for Rio Genil West.

Ebird List for the Town Fields 2.

Ebird List for the Lucerne Fields.

 

I started the day by checking the Town fields to see if the European Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) that I had seen yesterday were still there, as good friend Juan Perez was coming over to see them. 

I checked from the La Fabrica road but only found 20 or so Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina).

The Dog S**t Track and Irrigation Channel.

After moved around to the Dog S**t Track I walked out to the far end again, which was where I found a group of around 40 Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and at least 4 European Golden Plovers.

♂ Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

♂ Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

♂ Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

♂ Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

Other species seen along this track I had 3 nice ♂ Bluethroats (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) one of which sat nicely for the camera, Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Black Redstart, Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White Wagtail, European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

I had a chat with Juan, he told me that he was on his way and we were going to meet down by the Rio Genil first as a friend of his was also coming across, on my way I stopped off at the large puddle on the Fiesta Grounds parking area where I was surprised to see the 1st winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) was still there but it was being hassled by several Eurasian Magpies (Urraca Común / Pica pica).

1st winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

1st winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

1st winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

I arrived by the Genil and shortly after that José María arrived and a while later Juan got there but just a minute late as while we were waiting José picked up a ♂ Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) which I saw in flight twice and briefly as it sat on a dead branch before disappearing off along the Rio.

Once Juan was kitted up we walked West along the Rio, but we didn't see the Woodpecker again, however we did see Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart, Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin and Eurasian Siskin (Jilguero Lúgano / Carduelis spinus). 

Before we reached the end of the track José had to head back but Juan and I continued and picked up Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

We returned to the cars and then made our way up through town to the fields just to the North where we checked the normal fields, finding the Eurasian Stone Curlews and just a couple of hundred meters up the road we scanned some Asparagus strips where we found 8 European Golden Plovers, a couple of Northern Lapwings, more Eurasian Stone Curlew and a hunting Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

♀ Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius).

After a while we moved up to the Lucerne fields where we were pleased to see ♂♀ Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius), both Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which were seen to copulate on top of one of the large pylons, 6x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus canariensis).

Just before 14:00 Juaun headed off home and I returned to the house and got a few bits done then got the fire going again.