Outskirts of Granada and Padul, Granada Province.

A windy days birding.

Padul.

I started off by taking Jayne into the City where she was hoping to do some patchwork matterial shopping. I then went back out to Aki where I met Juan before we headed just a short way down the Motorway where we were looking for a trio of exotic birds (thankfully not the sort that hang around on the industral estate nearby). We arrived and walked out to an area of unharvested Maize, on the way we heard a couple of Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) which flew in and started to feed in a small orchard stuffed full of unpicked Persimmon trees.

Juan and Chika in the main hide.

Also in this area we saw Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris). We continued along the track and found a sizable flock of Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) which were feeding in in the maize along with around 10 Red Avadavats (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava). We then move around to another viewing point where we hoped to find our last target species Black-rumped Waxbill which Juan had seen several times over the last few weeks but this time we were unlucky but we did see Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

Chika.

We then made our way back to the car, on the way we had another flock of Monks which number ten along with White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

We then went down the motorway to the Padul wetlands where we made our way around to the far hide along side the main lake where we ate the sandwich that Juan had made us but had to hide against the back wall out of what was a very strong cold wind that lashed across the lake. On the water there we a few Northern Shovelers (Cuchara Común / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and  Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and in the reeds there was a single Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea). We then did a slow drive around the reserve on the way we saw Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Sierra Nevada from Padul.

We then went had a coffee in a local bar before walking out on the board walk to the hide in the centre of the reserve, on the way we saw a couple of Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), along with dozens of Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), a single Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallingao gallinago), Reed Bunting ( Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea). From the hide we picked my only year tick of the day a male Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) which was sat in the bottom of a tree out in the water. Also seen here were more Eurasian Coots, Common Moorhen and a single Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis). We then started our walk back seeing a Fox on the way back to the car.

I dropped Juan back at Aki and then went and met Jayne up in the city and then we went back to home, on the way I saw a small flock of Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and single Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which was perched on a road side telegraph pole.

Archidona and Trabuco, Malaga Province.

A bit of business and some birds.

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

The day started by taking Jayne over to here craft group meeting in Trabuco before I headed for Arroyo Marin for a bit of birding before a meeting up in Archidona. Along the Arroyo the birds were thin on the ground but they included Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
I then made my way up in to Archidona where I had a coffee before meeting David and Myles who run the very smart Almohalla 51 guest house right in the centre of the town. After a good meeting I headed up to the Convento de Las Monjas Mínimas on the hill above the town where I added Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) to the year list along with Blue Rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).
My next stop was in the very windy and wet hills above Trabuco, I spent some time in the pine woods where I saw Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba). After an hour or so I was fed up with the wind so I headed down to the town and then waited for Jayne in the town before heading home.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

Birding in the rain !!!

Juan Perez and his wife Beatriz arrived at our for this weeks intercambio, the weather was not great but Juan and I still went out on to the fields for a couple of hours birding. We started along the river behind the bar where we saw the first of six Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) in the 2 Km stretch of water we covered. In the same area we recorded Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallingao gallinago).
We continued on along the river on a couple of farm tracks until we reached the dead end at the railway, along here we picked up Brambling (Pizón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).
We then retraced our way back onto the tarmac and headed towards Huétor and spent some time scanning the fields from the railway bridge but it was fairly quiet due to the rain and wind. Further around the loop a stop was made at the fields where the Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) are usually found in their day time roost. The last few counts had been on the very low side so I was pleased when we found over two hundred birds on site but this is still only around 25% of the usual number seen during past winters.
Here we also saw Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) before moving around to the fields on the Loja side of the town. In a very browned off looking Lucurne field we saw around 35 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which flew a short way and landed back into cover, I am sure that the main flock was also in there somewhere but the crop was just at the right height to hide them very well. Again we moved on adding a Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) to the list on our way back around to the river, here Juan picked up the male Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) sitting in one of the large pylons but that was about it. By now the weather had got so bad that we made out way back up to the house.

Travelling to and at Rio Velez, Granada and Malaga Provinces.

A windy walk along the Rio Velez.

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Jayne and I set off from home heading for the coast at Torre del Mar which is almost directly south of us. We drove down to Huétor over the fields where I had views of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) which appear to have increased in number over the last few days, Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki). On the short stretch of motorway between we had more Azure-wings crossing between Poplar plantation and a couple of Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) sat in fog shrouded roadside trees. We came off the A92 and went through Salar and headed for Alhama de Granada, the first 10 KM of this were bird free due to thick fog but as soon as we broke free of this we started to see large numbers of Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and Spotless Starlings. At KM 20ish we turned right and headed towards Venta de Zafarraya, again along here we saw loads of Iberian Magpies, Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and once out on the agricultural fields Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis).

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

We then drove through what Bob Wright of the Axarquia bird group has call the Magpie woods where Jayne picked up a cracking female Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) which was flying along side the car but it disappeared off behind the Oaks before I managed to stop. We then went through Zafarraya and then down the bendy road to Torre del Mar where I dropped Jayne in the town and went to the Rio Velez for a couple of hours birding. As I got the I met a Spanish chap from the Medio Ambiente who had his scope set up and was just about to start birding but stopped me from driving around the corner and into some very deep mud which was left behind from a storm a few weeks ago. I reversed back up the track and parked on the main road before meeting up with Spanish birder again and we made our way along the river, our first find was a Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) which was my first summer visiting species of the year. We also saw Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), singing Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea). We made our way out on to the beach were there were good numbers of winter plumaged Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), at least 3 Kentish Plovers (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and a Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

I then spent some time scanning out to sea where there were loads of Gulls including Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and along with these there were also Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and at least 25 Common Scoters (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) in two small flocks. The chap from the Medio Ambiente then had to go so I had another look at the large fresh water beach pool but added nothing new to the list so I also then started to make my way back up towards the car. Just as I was about to leave the beach I turned to have one last check over the sea and immediately picked up a very big Gull flying towards me along the tide water line from the west. Straight away I suspected it was and adult Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlantico / Larus marinus), this was confirmed when the bird fly right passed giving me some nice views of the head and bill along side three Lesser Black-backs just for comparison.

Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Well pleased with just my second sighting of this species I made my way back along the river and had a quick look out on the fields on my way. Here I picked up Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus). During the day I also picked up several species of Butterfly including Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Small White (Artogeia rapae) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria). I then picked Jayne up from Torre and we went to the shopping center nearby, I was very surprised how quiet it was considering it was the start of the sales. After a bit of shopping we headed towards home, on the way I added Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius).

Cabo Sacratif, Motril Fish Port, Charca del Suarez and Near Moraleda, Granada Province.

A day of Birds, Butterflies and the first Orchids of the year.

 

Sun rise from Cabo Sacratif.

Juan Pérez Contreras and I travelled down to Cabo Sacratif where we carried out the RAM sea bird survey for January, it was a cracking morning with a very nice sun rise through about the only cloud in the sky. 

It was a shame that the birds were not as good, we did however record a few Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and a small Skua species which was just to distant to be identified fully but was probably a dark phase Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) and we were quite surprised not to see a single Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) during the survey.

Ophrys forestieri (one of the fusca group).

Other species seen during the time on the rock were Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) at sea, whilst on dry land we recorded Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Dartford (Curruca Rabilargo / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris). 

We decided to take the short cut down the hill from the sea watch point and on the way we found a dozen or so spikes of Ophrys forestieri (one of the fusca group) growing in amongst the scrub where the invasive Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae) had not yet smothered.

Our next stop was at the Motril fish port but as with the last visit the place was very busy with the loading of the Morocco bound ferry which meant the Gulls were fragmented and most were inside a newly fenced area which meant we could only check the species and not the rings numbers. 

Whilst there we did however add Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) before heading off to Charca via a coffee and loo stop in a bar on the way.

Ophrys forestieri (one of the fusca group).

We enter the site from the main port road and went through the Agricultural area on the way, along here we had a couple of small flocks of the naturalized Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), Several wintering Common Reed Buntings ( Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba). 

We entered the reserve and started by going anti-clockwise to the first hide where a couple of chaps were working on the reed screens and were making quite a bit of noise doing it so we did not think much would be seen.

Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).

As soon as we got into the hide we were proved wrong when a cracking male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) was seen hoping around on the far shore, it was in great plumage with a bright blue throat, white spot and lot of red below. 

Also on this pool we located Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita). 

We then moved on to the next hide passed the willow scrub area where we saw two adult Black-crowned Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) which took some finding amongst the tangle of branches.

Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

In the next hide we soon had Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) heard only, Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina) and Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Anas clypeata) on the day list. 

We again moved around to another hide, on the way a confiding female Common Kestrel sat nicely for Juan and my cameras. 

Once in the hide year ticks started to be seen straight away, these included Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Eurasian Wigeon (Silbón Europeo / Anas penelope) and a female Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

Other species seen from here included a well hidden Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadorna tadorna), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto). 

Again we continued on but this time it was back to the second hide where we were still hoping to get a view of the reported Baillon's Crake (Pollueta chica / Porzana pusilla) which was still about after its spring arrival. 

We did not see it but did add a fly over Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus). 

1 o'clock soon came round so we had to leave the reserve, so we started our drive home and on the way had views of a soaring Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) alongside the motorway. 

I dropped Juan back at his car before starting off towards home via the fields near Moraleda, I made a quick circuit of the site but it was fairly quiet.

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

The only new birds for the day list were Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and nearer home I added both Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki). 

During the day which was generally sunny we saw a few species of Butterfly including Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

Rio Genil, Granada, Granada Province.

Searching for some Chinese quackers !

Jayne and I travelled up to Granada to visit Juan Perez and his wife Beatriz, on the way I saw Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Once at there apartment Juan and I again left Beatriz and Jayne to their language studies and went for a walk along the Rio Genil just up above the city where we were looking for a couple of male Mandarin Ducks (Pato Mandarin / Aix galericulata) which Juan had found a week or so earlier. We started our walk and soon had Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) on the list along with Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala). We reached a large concrete bridge with sluice gates built into it and picked up the first of the walks Dippers (Mirlo Acuático Europeo / Cinclus cinclus) which gave us some cracking views as it swam and dived in the water.
We continued on adding Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) but there was no sign of the Mandarin Duck. We eventually reached Pinos Genil and had views of at least two more Dippers as we approached the town.
We scanned the Rio from the town bridges with out success so we retraced our way back to the car and then back to Juan apartment, on the way we saw a couple of flocks of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) heading for the roost where Juan carries out a count each month.

El Faro and Guadalhorce, Malaga Province.

A day down on the coast.

Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima).

Jayne and I headed down to Fuengirola where Jayne went and did some shopping whilst I did a bit of birding near to El Faro light house. The target species were the regular wintering Purple Sandpipers (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima) that come here each year, there are just two or three birds and they can some times take some finding as today was to prove. I started by parking in the lay-by next to the large rock just along side the coastal motorway and walked west towards the lighthouse. The first bird seen was an immature male Blue-rock  Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) which was quite at home on the large rocky sea defenses along this first stretch.

Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

On the beach there were a few Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) turning over the tide line debris and amongst reed and wood flotsam on the rocks there were dozens of Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), a few White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and a couple of Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros). I continued on along the road side until I was just below the lighthouse with out seeing another wader and was just about to turn around when a Turnstone flew in and landed on a small flat rock. I scanned the rock and found that there were more waders there including a dozen or so more Turnstones and two of the target Purple Sandpipers (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima) all of which were roosting. Out on the sea there were quite a lot of Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo). I then walked back to the car and went to pick Jayne up. We did some shopping before heading back to Malaga where I disappeared again, this time to the river mouth at the Guadalhorce.

Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

As soon as I arrived I started to do a count of the Common Scoters (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) and by the time I had worked my way through them at least three time I had a total of 117 birds in around nine different groups. Out at sea I also recorded at least 2 Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and a Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) which came in very close to the beach and landed on the sea for a few minutes before moving off east. On the river there were a few winter plumage Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta). I then went and sat on one of the many benches along the top of the river defences, I spent the next hour or so scanning the reserve and the river. After not seeing any raptors all day I found the wintering Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) perched on one of the lower trees and whilst getting the scope on it a male Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) flew through my view and perched in a tree behind the Western Osprey. Next came two Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), a Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) and two Common Kestrels (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) all soaring up above the main pool.

View along the beach at Guadalhorce.

A female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) then came in from the right hand side which

gave me 6 species of raptor in less than 5 minutes. On the same side of the river as I was sat I saw Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

Sierra de Loja and Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A day in the hills and down on the fields.

Wild-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).

I started off by meeting Juan Perez at the Cortijo de Tajar hotel near the A92, on the way I started the day list off with House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis). We then headed off up the motorway past Loja to the Abades service area on the Granada bound side of the A92 where we met up with Bob Wright from the Axarquia Bird group before heading off up the Sierra. We started birding by the small disused quarry and quickly found Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula). We continued on up the hill to the larger disused quarry which was very cold as the sun had not got up above the crags.

Frozen pools at Charca del Negra.

On the gorse covered hill side we picked up three Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilargo / Sylvia undata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and a flock Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) which wheeled around over the tops noisily. Along the main track up passed the crags we saw loads more Choughs, a few Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and at the highest point of the track on the bend we had a single Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), at least 3 Black Wheatears (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), a male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

General shot from the Sierra.

Along the flatter areas in amongst the rock piles we added Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis). We went up passed Charca del Negra and the Goat Cave to the Hawthorn scrub a couple of KM on. Here we quickly located the first of around a dozen Ring Ouzels ( Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus). A little further on we stopped and scanned the bushes below a steep cliff where we saw large numbers of Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) feeding on the grass between the trees and us, Bob also had a sngle Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotraustes) but thedam thing dropped just as I got it in the scope. In the same area we also saw at least two Alpine Accentors (Accentor Alpino / Prunella modularis) which dropped down off the crags, Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Juan and Bob near the Ouzel spot.

We then drove back down the hill and took some shots of the masses of flowering Wild-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) on the way. We reached the service area and made our way to the fields at Huétor Tajar to find some of the species I had seen recently. We first went up over the railway from the small industrial area on the north of the town, along here we found a flock of Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis). Our next stop was on the side of the river where we had views of some of the 28 Stock Doves (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas) I had seen back in 2012, today we saw at least 18 birds. The first four were on the fields and later we saw a flock of 14 more birds up over the Olives. In this area we also saw singles of Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), a male was perched on a nearby pylon. We then went on along the arroyo and added Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

Stock Dove (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas).

Next we went on around to the Loja side of the town and in one of the larger Lucerne fields we found around 30 Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which were well hidden in amongst the crop. We continued on and picked up a few of the wintering Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris). Our last stop was on the arroyo on the far side of the Mesia road, here we added a single female Brambling (Pizón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) to the day list which was by now standing at 57 for me and I know that Bob and Juan had both seen species I had missed so the total was probably over 60.

Thanks Juan and Bob for a great day.

Laguna Herrera, Malaga Province.

A few more year ticks.

After having a look around the Garden centre on the Cordoba road out of Antequera we had a quick look at the lake near by called Laguna Herrera. The water levels were still very high which prevented us driving along the full lenght of the lake but we were able to get views over the flooded fields on the right hand side of the track from the bridge. The commonest species were Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), followed by Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Anas clypeata), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadorna tadorna) and at least a dozen or so Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina). In the surrounding fields singing Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) could be heard from all directions and over head both Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) passed over in mixed flocks with loads of Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis). On the main lagoon there were hundreds more Gulls, a couple of dozen Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), more Mallards and a few Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus). We then turned around and retraced our steps ack to the Cordoba road, on the way we added Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and a Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallingao gallinago) which was feeding out on the flooded road.

We then took a track off into the agricultural area to the south of the lake and soon had Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus). Right at the far end of this track nearer to Mollina we scanned some more flooded fields and picked up a small flock of Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), also along this stretch we saw Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros). It was quite suuny along this track and it had a verge that was covered in wildflowers which had good numbers of Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Small White (Artogeia rapae) butterflies feeding on them.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

New Years day walk with the Loja RBL.

Just 6 of us dragged our selves out for this walk but I was not surprised when I saw the weather fist thing. We started from near the bridge over the Rio Genil in Huétor Tájar and headed off anti-clockwise around the town until we turned right just after the duck bar and contined out into the fields to the east of the town. On this first stretch I picked up few species including House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and a small group of five Siskins (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) which were feeding in some Alder type trees near the duck bar. Out on the fields the commonest species were the Larks including Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis).
We then skirted a poplar plantation and coninued on along the banks of the Arroya del Vilano, the mud along here made walking a bit more intresting but the birds were quite good. The best were Brambling (Pizón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus). We then made our way back along the far bank and then onwards to Mesia where we had a coffee in one of the local bar. On the way we saw Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).
We had a lukewarm coffee in a bar which oviously ignores the no smoking ban as at least three chaps playing cards in the one room had them lit up. We continued on through the town and then on along the river to the bridge where we crossed and headed off into the campo back towards Huétor. On the return march we added Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos). We arrived back at the cars at about 14:00 and we all made our way home

What went on in 2012.

A review of my wildlife year.

Ophrys Tenthredinifera X O. Scolopax.

In general 2012 was a cracking year for new species and totals in general with one main exception to this being Orchids. After the extremely dry and cold winter, the numbers of plants were down by around 90% in a lot of sites, with some species just not flowering at all. 

Embalse de Iznajar was a classic example, in the summer of 2011 the number of plants was so high that to reach some spots you had no choice but to walk on the odd spike of another species or two but in 2012 there were virtually no plants with just a handful of the common species showing up and most of the rarer plants not bothering to flower at all !! 

Even with Juan Pérez Contrera's help I failed to see any new species but did add a couple of Hybrids to my list including a spike of Ophrys Tenthredinifera X O. Scolopax down near Mijas which was nice but even better was a spike of Ophrys Tenthredinifera X O. Picta found on the Andalucian Bird Society meeting at Sierra de Loja in Granada Province. Two more Orchid highlights for the year were seeing the very rare Ophrys Atlantica (Atlas Orchid) and Spiranthes Spiralis (Autumn Ladies Tresses) in Granada Province for the first time.

Rufous Bush Robin (Alzacola / Cerotrichas galactotes).

The birds were right at the other end of the scale, as I saw more species in 2012 than in any other year since arriving in Spain, reaching 251 by the end of December. 

New species seen during the year included Baillon's (Pollueta chica / Porzana pusilla) and Little Crakes (Polluela bastarda / porzana parva) both seen at Charca del Suarez during the spring Northward migration, Rufous Bush Robin (Alzacola / Cerotrichas galactotes) and Desert Wheatear (Collalba Desértica / Oenanthe deserti) a fine adult male and Eurasian Dotterel (Chorlito Carambolo / Eudromias morinellus) both seen down at Cabo de Gata. Eurasian Dotterel was added to my Granada Province list later in the year, other new Granada Province species included Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola), Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra), Iberian Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Ibérico / Phylloscopus ibericus), Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana), Eurasian Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) and a cracking immature Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial / Aguila adalberti).

Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe).

Butterflies were also seen in good numbers and by the end of the season I had identified over 90 species in 2012. July and August were by far the best and the Sierra Nevada was the place to see them, on a visit I made with Steve Powell and his wife Elana we had 50 species in a single day. 

Some of the new species we saw were Niobe (Fabriciana niobe), Dark-green (Speyeria aglaja) and Lesser Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia), Escher's Blue (Polyommatus escheri) and Mountain Argus (Aricia artaxerxer montensis). Other species which were new were Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe) and Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris) both of which were seen up in Andujar area whilst searching for the Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardina). 

Other interesting species seen included Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus), Spanish Brassey Ringlet (Erebia hisania), Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes), Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii) and Black Satyr (Satyrus actaea).

Pronged Clubtail (Gomphus graslinii).

Dragon and Damselflies also featured highly during the year with several new species being found, some of these records being new species for the sites and the Provinces, which is less surprising than it sounds as the coverage in this part of Andalusia has been quite thin. 

One of the better finds was a small number of Black Pennant (Selysiothemis nigra) dragonflies which were found at Laguna Chica on the Granada / Malaga borders. Also found at the same site were good numbers of Dainty Damselflies (Coenagrion scitulum) and Long Skimmers (Orthetrum trinacria) the latter was a new species for both Sue Eatock from Grazalema and Steve Jones over from Cornwall. 

I visited Sue over in Grazalema at the end of June where I added several more species to my Spanish list including a cracking Orange-spotted Emerald (Oxygastra curtisii) on the river in her garden. 

We visited several other sites, where I added Pronged Clubtail (Gomphus graslinii) and Orange Featherleg (Platycnemis acutipennis).

Natterjack Toad (Bufo calamita).

The Moth trap was also run on a regular basis and new species were added almost every night, these included Crassicornella agenjoi, Eastern Bordered Straw (Heliothis nubigera), Metopoceras felicina, Aplasta ononaria and Gnopharmia stevenaria. There is a lot more work to be done on the moths in this area, it is made harder by needing a permit to trap outside your own garden. 

This is difficult as the Spanish environmental authorities do not seem to want to make it easy to get one.

Mammals were as usual difficult to find, with just the regular species being seen. 

I only made a single trip up to Andujar area this year for the Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardina). But it was at the wrong time of the year (June) so I was not surprised when only one member of our group had views, although brief.

Amphibians are something that I do not see a lot of, so when Sue Eatock showed me a few species during our second visit of the year in November I was very pleased. 

We found several Natterjack Toads (Bufo calamita), lots of young Fire Salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) and Parsley Frog (Pelodytes punctatus) which we did not see but heard during some very wet and blustery weather.

Over all, I had a cracking year and look forward to 2013, not only for the species I will see but also for the fact that Granada Wildlife my new venture goes online offering Wildlife tours here in Western Granada Province.

All the very best to all and thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings, regards Mick.

Embalse de Bermejalis and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A cone collecting trip !!!!

After doing a few bits in Loja Jayne and I set off through Salar and made our way to the Pine woodlands which surround Embalse de Bermijalis, on the way we picked up a few species on the journey including Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).
We parked near the dam, Jayne immediately started searching for cones while I started birding and looking for Orchid rosettes, on the large concrete gully which had water flowing rapidly into the Embalse where I found a pair of Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) which were feeding along side several White Wagtails and lots of Common Chiffchaffs.
On the far bank a single Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) was roosting in one of the small Tamarisk trees and further across the far side of the lake there were around a dozen Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) also roosting in some larger dead trees. In the trees around me there were good numbers of Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Coal Tits (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus). On the ground there were loads of Leaf rosettes of next seasons Wild Orchids, these included Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Ophrys foresterii and Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum robertiana).

Jayne had filled her bag with cones so we started to make our way back towards home via the Cacín Valley, the first stop was on the cliff tops above the main gorge. Here I had distant views of a soaring Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus) away over the Olives, also seen were Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus).
We moved on up the Valley stopping at the Embalse de Cacín where I found 50+ or so Common Pochards (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), several Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and on the mud there was a small group of feeding Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

Our last stop was above El Turro but this site was very quiet, however I did see a couple of Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), several Bramblings (Pizón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and nice female Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) which zipped throught the site in just a couple of seconds. We then headed home.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

Quick look at the local Patch.

After dropping our son Alan back down to Malaga for his flight back to the UK yesterday to spend the new year with Becky his girl friend I had a couple of hours spare today to have a look around the fields. I started by checking the stunted Almond and Pomegranate trees on the way down to the local bar where I had some cracking views of a small flock of Bramblings (Pizón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) which included a couple of smart looking males. In the same trees there were large numbers of Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinches (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra). 

I then went and parked on the track behind the bar and scanned the fields along the river where I added White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita). I then moved on along the river seeing several more Green Sandpipers, Bramblings and adding Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and a female Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) which was perched on the top of an irrigation channel. 

The Mesia road fields were the next port of call, along the river I found even more nicely plumage Bramblings and a male Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) which fed in the reeds which had been flattened in the river. Along here I also found Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra). 

I then went back via the river fields and added one of the Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which was perched in a track side fig tree and a very big female Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) which had just taken one of the many feral Pigeons which hang around in the area and was sitting in the middle of a nearby field watching me watching her. I then headed back to the house. 

During the drive around I saw several Butterflies including Small Whites (Artogeia rapae), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and a Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus).