Loja Wildlife, Granada Province, Spain.: 2026-03-01

Wednesday, 4 March 2026

Huétor Fields and Rio Genil East and West, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk along the Lucerne Fields and then both ways along the Rio Genil.

Ebird List for the Fields.
Ebird List for the Rio Genil West.
Ebird List for the Rio Genil East.

Arroyo Vilano from the parking spot.

I started the day with a walk down along the Lucerne fields, I arrived and found that Paqui had also decided to have a walk and was already further up the track near to the gate, as I walked I could see the usual pair of Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), 2x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica).

The Sun was trying hard but failing to get through the Calima.

and it's still not breaking through.

I met Paqui coming back towards her car, we spent a while chatting, as we did it started to rain a bit and because we have quite a heavy Calima at the time it rained sand.

Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

After a while Paqui continued on to her car and I walked as far as the gate, on the way I added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) ♂.

After turning around I walked back towards the car but scanned the fields to check the branch that is the regular perch for the ♂ Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) which too my surprise it was sat there but not for long as it flew up chasing a Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and then headed off to the west.

Looking across toward the Merlin Perch.

I also picked up Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis) and Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis).

Blooming Almond Trees (Prunus dulcis) with a Clima background.

I reached the car again, Paqui was still there taking some photo's so we chatted again or to be honest the translators were put to work, Paqui then headed off and I made my way around town to the Western side of the bridge over the Rio Genil where I parked and walked.

Eurasian PendulineTit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) ♂.

New species for the day included Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), at least 3 Eurasian Penduline (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) 2♂ and 1♀, Long-tailed (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), White Wallrocket (Diplotaxis erucoides) and Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus).

Once I was back at the car I had a quick look out along the Eastern side of the bridge adding a nice ♂ Hawfinch (Picogordo Común / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) before I headed off home.

Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Tuesday, 3 March 2026

Rio Genil East and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Out and about on the locally adding a new species to my patch list.

Ebird List for the Rio Genil East.

Ebird List for the Lucerne Fields.

The Rio Genil, still carrying masses of topsoil.

I started by parking near the bridge over the Genil in Huétor and then walk out to the east for around 1.5kms, during the outward walk I recorded Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Hawfinch (Picogordo Común / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris).

Common Woodpigeons (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

After a short way I stopped by a group of dead Poplars for a while, here I heard but didn't see a Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), my first Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea) which was calling from the top of a dead tree about 100m along the Rio, Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Long-tailed (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Hawfinch (Picogordo Común / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes).

I continued on and made another stop by the river where I picked up a Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and off to my east a bit further along the valley I picked up two large birds soaring together, the first was an immature Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) so I fully expected the second bird to be the same however it turned out to be an even more unexpected White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

White Wallrocket (Diplotaxis erucoides).

I turned around at this point and returned to the car adding Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), White Wallrocket (Diplotaxis erucoides) and Musk Stork's-bill (Erodium moschatum).

Musk Stork's-bill (Erodium moschatum).

I got back to the car and headed up to the Lucerne fields where my parking spot by the Walnut trees was taken by a tractor, so I continued on around to my normal parking spot up near the gates and I walked back towards the Walnuts.

Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica).

White Wallrocket (Diplotaxis erucoides).

New species seen here were Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), the pair of Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x2, Small White (Pieris rapae) x6, Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), White Wallrocket, Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis) and Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica).

Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 2nd March 2026.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +8.

4 Moths of 4 Species.

Any corrections, PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.

Licence from Junta de Andalucia.

8059 Scopula marginepunctata (Mullein Wave).

8059 Scopula marginepunctata (Mullein Wave) x1, 8256 Xanthorhoe fluctuata (Garden Carpet) x1, 8944 Autophila dilucida x1 and 9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark) x1.

9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark).

8944 Autophila dilucida.

Sunday, 1 March 2026

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A met with a friend and then a walk along the Arroyo Vilano.

Ebird List for the Fields.

The Arroyo Vilano, still with a good flow.

I drove down to the Walnut trees and parked, I then walked a short walk so that I could scan the Lucerne area of the fields where I could see a couple of Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) in the Arroyo, a ♂ Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), the pair of Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), the first of 3 Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and several singing Corn Buntings (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

The Lucerne fields.

After a little while friend Paqui arrived, we again chatted about cameras and I showed her the very basics of how to use the set-up I was lending her until she decides what system she wants for herself, once that was done she very kindly gave me some Olive Oil and a couple more bits which I am looking forward to trying.

Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis).

Paqui wasn't able to do a walk today so I said goodbye to her and then walked out as far as the spot where the Arroyo used to be dammed before turning around and retracing my steps back to the car, during this part of the walk I saw 7x Little Bustards, Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), House (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Cone Headed Grasshopper (Truxalis nasuta).

Other species seen included Cone Headed Grasshopper (Truxalis nasuta), Andaluz Storksbill (Erodium primulaceum), Cymbalaria-leaved Speedwell (Veronica cymbalaria), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) leaves and Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum).