Retamar and Torre Garcia, Almeria, Province, Spain.

A lovely day out with Paqui out East in Almeria.

 

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

Paqui and I were off early so we were soon down on the coast at Retamar where we had some breakfast before going and checking a couple of very spiny Ziziphus spina-christi bushes where we found at least 30 Common Tiger Blues (Tarucus theophrastus) as well as Large (Pieris brassicae) x1 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x2, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x2, African Grass (Zizeeria knysna) and Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) x2, Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) x1 and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x4.

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

Common Tiger Blue (Tarucus theophrastus).

I also saw Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).

Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).

African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna).

African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

We returned to the car and then headed out to Torre Garcia where we spent the rest of the day swimming in the beautifully clean water.

Looking towards Retamar.

Looking South to the Salt Pans and the Lighthouse.

Whilst here we saw Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and a good number of Barn Swallows which were all heading south towards the lighthouse, early migrants heading South ?????

Unfortunately not unbelievable or even surprising, a very small amount of what had been dumped.

About to have a moan.

This spot is stunning with amazingly clean water which was obviously very popular over the weekend with other people as the amount of rubbish, filth and garbage that was left behind by these selfish, inconsiderate, lazy, uneducated, assholes was disgraceful. Whinging done.