Near Charca de Suarez, Carchuna Beach and Charca de Suarez, Granada Province, Spain.

Butterflies, Beach and Birding.

Ebird List for near Charca.

Ebird List for Charca.

 

Monarch (Danaus plexippus).

Paqui and I headed down to the coast near Motril, we started by visiting a spot near Charca de Suarez where we looked for and found some nice species of butterflies, which included Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus) on its food plant Stranglewort (Cynanchum acutum), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) and Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Monarch (Danaus plexippus).

Monarch (Danaus plexippus).

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus).

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus).

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus).

As we walked around this site, we also saw European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus). 

Carchuna Beach.

We moved on to the beach at Carchuna where we spent a few hours chilling out and having a swim in the sea, whilst there we saw Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), 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), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis). 

Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

At around 17:30 we packed our kit up and headed to Charca de Suarez where we met Juan Perez, we spent the next 2 hours walking around the reserve calling in at most of the Hides.

Laguna de las Aneas.

Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera) ♀.

Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera) ♀.

Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) ♀.

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) ♀.

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) ♀.

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) ♀.

Birds seen included Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) along with the hybrid between the 2 species, Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus), Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Zitting Cisticola, Common Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Great Reed Warbler (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus), Western House Martin, Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), House Sparrow, European Greenfinch and European Goldfinch.

Laguna del Taraje.

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata).

Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus).

Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus).

Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus).

Other species seen as we walked included Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii), Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Monarch, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Wild Boar (Jabalí / Felis silvestris), Purple Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea), Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and Small Fleabane (Pulicaria vulgaris).

Monarch (Danaus plexippus).

We came back out of the reserve at 20:00 and then went for a coffee before heading back to Huétor.

The Sunset.

Venta del Molinillo, Arroyo de Prado Negro, Sierra de Huétor, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk along the River with Paqui looking for Butterflies and Dragons.

 

We set off early and, on the way, stopped for breakfast at Gasolinera Huetor Santillan, then continued to the Arroyo de Prado Negro.

Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

Around the parking area, we saw the first of a good number of Small Pincertails (Onychogomphus forcipatus) including several ♀♀ which were far happier to sit for the camera, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius) and Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♀.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♀.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂♂.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♀.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

As we walked up the valley and checked the meadows and the margins, as we walked we saw Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) x50+, Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) x1, Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) x2, and Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) x4 dragonfly wise.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Butterfly numbers were fairly good, we recorded Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) x2, Small (Pieris rapae) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x1, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x5, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x1, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x2, False Ilex (Satyrium esculi) x6 and Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris) x2, Lang's Short-tailed (Leptotes pirithous), Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus), Holly (Celastrina argiolus) x1, Adonis (Lysandra bellargus) x2, Southern (Polyommatus celina) x12+ and Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra albicans) x3, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x4, Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) x14+, Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora) x3, Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x3, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x3, Rock Grayling (Hipparchia alcyone) x2, Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) x30+ and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x3.

False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolinus).

Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris) .

Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra albicans) .

Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra albicans) .

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Other species included European Hornet (Vespa crabro), Carpentor Bee (Xylocopa violacea), Blue-winged (Oedipoda caerulescens) and Red-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda germanica), Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Spanish Oyster Thistle (Scolymos hispanicus), Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Iberian Green  (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), 

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).