Granada Province, Spain.

Some Orchid hunting with friends, Kiersten and Anne.

 

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

I started the day by visiting a spot near to the A92 where I checked an area of abandoned Almond trees for Orchids and was pleased to find a good number of the locally rare Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora) with about 50 or so of the 200 / 300 spikes in flower, at least 4 or 5 spikes of Dark Spider (Ophrys incubacea), Mirror (Ophrys speculum) x5, Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea) x14, these four species were the first of the year for me and I also found good numbers of Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina) which I have seen in a few spots and a couple of over with Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Common Stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium).

Also saw Bellis microcephala, Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Common Stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus) my first of the year, Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) x2, House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

After having a good mooch around I returned to the car and headed to spot where I was meeting Kiersten and Anne but on the way I was held up for a while as there had been a nasty head-on accident which didn't look pleasant, after 20 minutes or so the Guardia allowed us to pass by going into the edge of the field.

 Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

 Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

 Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

My best side.

New rule for next time Kiersten, warn required so I can pull my gut in a tad please 😀😀😀😀

I got to the spot a few minutes late and found Kiersten and Anne were already there and checking a nice patch of Italian Man Orchids (Orchis Italica), once we got our kit together we went for a nice walk through an area of Pine woodlands finding lots more Italian Man along with a lot of Somber Bee, Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera) including a very smart Hypochromatica spike, Giant Orchid (Himanthoglossum Robertiana), Fan-lipped, Mirror and a nice patch of Ophrys x juanamarii the hybrid between Ophrys lupercalis × O. tenthredinifera which Kiersten found last year.

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis) ????????

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis) ????????

We also saw what looked like it could be a large, robust spike of Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis)  but it didn't look quite right.

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglossum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglossum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglossum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglossum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglossum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglossum Robertiana).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina) var. flavescens.

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina) var. flavescens.

During the walk we also saw Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Tassel Hyacinth (Muscari comosum), Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Iberian Brown Hare (Liebre ibérica / Lepus granatensis), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Long-tailed (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), European Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus) and Great Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Eurasian Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Ophrys x juanamarii (Ophrys lupercalis × O. tenthredinifera).

Ophrys x juanamarii (Ophrys lupercalis × O. tenthredinifera).

Ophrys x juanamarii (Ophrys lupercalis × O. tenthredinifera).

Ophrys x juanamarii (Ophrys lupercalis × O. tenthredinifera).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).

Iberian Brown Hare (Liebre ibérica / Lepus granatensis).

We returned to the cars and went just up the road to a spot where we had some lunch and then headed off to the north going back to the spot where I had been earlier, on the way we picked up a Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

Southern Red Bartsia (Parentucellia latifolia).

Shrubby Gromwell (Lithodora fruticosa).

We reached the next spot where we saw the same species as I did earlier in the Morning and as the light was somewhat better now photos were easier, I added Shrubby Gromwell (Lithodora fruticosa) and Southern Red Bartsia (Parentucellia latifolia).

Once we had done what we wanted at this spot we said our goodbyes and headed off, on my way home I called in at Balsa de Regidor, as I arrived I found a Ladder Snake (Culebra de Escalera / Etaphe scalaris) which was sat right in the road and knowing what often happens when the locals see a snake I took some photos before moving it onto the verge, which it wasn't happy about but I hoped it would be safer there.

Ladder Snake (Culebra de Escalera / Etaphe scalaris).

Ladder Snake (Culebra de Escalera / Etaphe scalaris).

Ladder Snake (Culebra de Escalera / Etaphe scalaris).

On the pool I picked up Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Eurasian Blackcap and Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) before I headed home and waited for a builder (Lee) to come and give me a price for the repairs to my roof.