East towards Granada, near Moaleda and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Out Orchid hunting at a couple of sites and a walk with Paqui again later.

Ebird List for the fields.

 

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

I started the day by driving out to a spot in the direction of Granada, once I was on site I soon found 7 spikes of the uncommon Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea) which were stunning, I also found Mirror (Ophrys speculum), Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera), Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata), Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Small-fruit Pheasant's-eye (Adonis microcarpa) and Roemeria sicula.

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Also seen were Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris). 

Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta).

Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta).

Back down the hill I spotted again where I had been with friends last year looking for the Lady Orchids in the wrong place finding several some spikes of the Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and several Painted Lady's (Vanessa cardui).

Small-fruit Pheasant's-eye (Adonis microcarpa).

Roemeria sicula.

Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus).

Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus).

I moved on but went up the hill and the slightly longer route back to the A92, on the way I saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus). 

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

I reached the motorway and then went to a site near Moraleda to check in on the Dark Spider (Ophrys incubacea) and Bumble-bee Orchids (Ophrys bombyliflora) which were both nicely in flower along with good numbers of Mirror and Yellow Bee.

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

Around this spot I also recorded Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Eurasian (Urraca Común / Pica pica) and Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus)  Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

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

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

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

Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).

I went home for a while and then went down to the field at around 18:00 to see how the Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) were going on, I was surprise how bad the Calima had got between getting home and now but I persisted even though I could feel the dust in my eyes and taste it.

The Sun through the Calima.

I arrived to find the Monty's were quite active and after a few scans I sorted out that there were at least 6♀ and 5♂ birds in the area as well as Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and at least 8+ Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) ♂.

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) ♂.

Back at the car I sat down near the end of the migrant fence picking up a couple of year list birds, a ♀ Whinchat (Tarabilla Norteña / Saxicola rubetra) and a Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis).

At around 19:30 Paqui arrived, we again had a walk out to the gate and back, it might be my imagination but I think we used the translators a little less tonight, mostly because Paqui forgot her phone and mine wouldn't work 😃😃😃😃 but we still managed to chat and laugh before heading home.