Rio Genil near Moraleda and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Out bird in the fog and then later a bit of sun, last for a few days.

Ebird List for the Rio Genil near Moraleda.

Ebird List for the Lucerne Fields.

 

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

I started by heading for the Moraleda area, the fog was quite thick, so I decided to stop at Bar El Cruz where I had a coffee and some breakfast, I then popped down to the River, where I parked I was pleased to see a good many spikes of Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina) including at least 4 spikes of the var. flavescens.

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

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Bird wise I picked up Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), a Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), 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), Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

The destruction along the Genil after the storm at the end of January.

I had only gone a very short way along the track when my path was blocked by a lot of downed trees which had been felled by the Storm at the end of January, this meant that my walk was very short indeed.

I returned to the car and went back to Huéotr and did some food shopping in Mercodona and popped to the Car place as the one headlight was not right, after just a few minutes one of the mechanics had sorted it and by the time I came out the fog had cleared enough for me to do a walk-up along the Lucerne Fields.

Steaming fields around Huétor.

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica).

After parking by the Walnut Trees and walked out to the Gate, on the way out I saw a few new species for the day including Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), 6x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) including a fine looking ♂ which spent its time chasing the 5 ♀ a round the Lucerne, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), 3x Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), 2x Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Almond Tree (Prunus dulcis) blossom.

Around the gate I found a Small White (Pieris rapae) x1, Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) croaking from the irrigation channel, Almond Tree (Prunus dulcis) blossom, Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), White Wallrocket (Diplotaxis erucoides), Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Eruca (Eruca sativa), Nonea vesicaria and Fumaria officinalis (Common Fumitory).

♂ Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius).

♂ Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius).

As I walked back towards the car I picked up the ♂ Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) flying into its favourite perch, by this time the sun was out, so along with the distance and the unexpected heat haze the photos are garbage but act as proof of life.

I reached the car and then headed back to the house where I caught up with a few more jobs before chilling later.