Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

Out on the local patch Snipe hunting (only with the camera !!!).

Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

I went down to the spot where I had seen the Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) a few days early hoping but not expecting to see it again whilst making sure the camera was ready this time. I arrived and checked all along the roadside ditch where the bird first flushed up from but only saw a dozen or so Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

I continued on along the track crossing the Mesia road and checked the channel that side, I soon found a good flock of very active and quite noisy Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) which were flitting around between the nearby trees, a Lucerne fieldand the channel. In this area I also saw a couple of Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

I then turned around and headed back to the car checking the channel again, once back I walked out to the small pools in the field but found nothing. on the way back I looked amongst the reeds near the road and had brief views of at least two  Bluethroats (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) a white spotted one and another with a completly blue throat, both males. I sat on the side of the irrigation channel for the next hour or so hoping that the Bluethroats may show a bit better for the camera but they stayed hidden. In the area I did see Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) before heading home.

Local Patch and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A day with Helen and Douglas in my favourite valley.

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

I left the house a little early as I wanted to check a couple of spots on the local patch to see what was still about, on the fields to the west of the town I found around 25 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) the one male was looking quite splendid in his newly aquirred summer plumage. In the same area there were several Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), a nice male Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and a calling Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Helen and Douglas watching the Lesser Kestrels.

My next stop was along the track out towards the Mesia road where there are a couple of reed filled ditches and a couple of newly dug pools, as soon as I stopped a small bird popped up out of the ditch and sat right out in the open on the edge of a Lucerne patch right out in the open. Straight away I realised that I was looking at only my second Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) for the local patch and third I had seen in Spain.
After the second or so excitement things got somewhat blue in the car when I found that the camera was still in the boot, the BBC bleeeeeeeeep machine would have been red hot for several seconds. So after finding my mistake I just enjoyed watching this cracking little bird until it flew off into another nearby ditch and out of sight. In the same area I found Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata). From here I headed to Moraleda where I was meeting Helen and Douglas on the way I added a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) to the list which was sat on a road side pylon.

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

I was a little early still but Helen and Douglas soon arrived and we headed out on to the nearby fields looking for the resident but hard to find Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) at this site but they lived up to there elusive charicters and we did not see them we did however get very nice views of a perched Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua),along with both Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra). Once we were out on the fields we had much better views of several Calandra's which were showing well on the deck near the track and in the Almond plantations there were good numbers of Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Serins and Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra). Up near the abamdoned Cortijo we spent some time scanning the area, from here we had good views of a confiding Thekla Lark, Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) and we heard a wailing Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus). Next we headed to the fields and plantations around the solar farms and soon added a fine Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), several Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) to the growing list.

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Once we had check the site over well we headed down into the Valley and drove south towards Cacín, our first stop was in amongst the Pine trees but it was quiet hear and all we saw were a few Common Chaffinches and heard both Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla). Next we parked at the bridge across the Cacín and checked the mixed river side trees. As we walks North along the road the sun put in its only decent appearance of the day and this immediately bought up a few raptors including the first of 6 Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) seen during the day and a soaring Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) one of 3 seen. In the same area we also saw Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Cetti's Warbler, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica). Up near the dam on the second part of this walk we watched a Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) struggling to eat a huge great Carp, eventually we guess that it gave up and flew up on to a nearby barbed wire fence to dry out a bit on a rather precarious perch.

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

We moved on up the road slightly to have a look over the Embalse de Cacín, on the water there were good numbers of Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and several more Great Cormorants. Around the margins we saw a couple of Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and in the air an immature Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) and a male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) were joined by hords of Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crag and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).
Our next stop was right down at the far end of the Valley above the Groge where we had excellent flight views of and adult Bonelli's Eagle, Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and heard but could not locate Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) before retracing or way back to Cacin where we stopped for some foo.

Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

From Cacín we headed along the ridge road looking for Raptors and we soon had another Short-toed Eagle which was followed by a 1st winter Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus). once we reached the far end of the ridge road we went and checked out an Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) site but due to the amount of work going on in the fields near it the bird was not on show so we returned to the end of the ridge road and took another track which lead us across country back to our first site of the day.
On the way along this road we picked up a dark phase Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), several Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis). Once back at the first site we had another quick drive around looking for new species but we did not pick anything up so we headed back to our meeting point and then I headed off home.
Thanks Helen and Douglas for your company on this days birding.

Laguna Herrera and Arroya Marin, Malaga Province.

A surprise on the fields of Antequera.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

After taking Jayne over to the craft group meeting in Trabuco I decided to check out whether the recent rain had put any water into Laguna Herrera, I was not disappointed but there was not as much as I had hoped for. I arrived and turned in to the track to get my first surprise, a female Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus) not a species I have seen before at this site or any where else in Malaga Province before.
Further along the track I picked up several small flocks of finches and buntings which included Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a single male Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus). In the ditch I saw a couple of feeding Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), a single Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and both White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).

Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus).

On the fields to the right of the track which usually flood there were quite a few Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), half a dozen Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria) and a male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which was sat on the newly mounded soil.
On the lagoon I could see plenty of birds of birds so I continued on down to the barn and parked and scanned the water, most of the birds were Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) with around a 1000 birds sat in the shallows.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

They were joined by good numbers of Black-heads (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and a few Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) as well as Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), 8+ Little Stints (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), 20+ more Green Sandpipers, 24 Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), 11 Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata). 

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

I continued on along side the pool and picked up a couple of Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and a male White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) at the far end. I then moved along the tracks along side the dyke and through the fields until I turned right heading back to the Antequera road.
Along this track I scanned the distant fields and about half way to the road I picked up a cracking male Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) at almost the exact spot I had seen one on 28th Sept 2010 (cannot believe its been over three years), the bird was distant but I had nice views of quite a while before it flew off towards the Laguna. In this same area I saw Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

I reached the road and went back to the track out to the Lagoon, right at the start I scanned the fields and relocated the Bustard right out in the centre of a very large cereal field so I decide that I was not going to get any better views so I headed over to the Arroya Marin.

Once I was in the valley I parked on the track side and just waited to see what turned up,almost straight away a couple of Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) showed up collecting spaiders webs from amongst the bushes and trees. In the same area I also recorded both Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

I then returned to Trabuco and collected Jayne and we headed home via the Garage for a new handbreak cable to be fitted to the car and Mercodona.

Charca de Suarez, Motril, Granada Province.

A couple of hours birding down on the coast.

Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

Jayne and I made our way up to Granada to get some building bit before going to Juan Perez and Beatriz's.  Juan and I went down to Charca birding, we arrived there a few minutes before 5:00 thinking that we would have an hour in the reserve, but we found that the times in Feb are different, and the gates were still locked. 

Whilst waiting, we did see a nice Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon).

A few minutes later Manu turned up and we had two hours in the reserve, our main reason for coming down was to try and see the Little Crake ( Polluela Bastarda / Porzana parva) that Steve Powell and the Axarquia bird group had seen last Sunday morning, we failed to see that bird, but had a good selection of species as we went around the reserve. 

We first had a look from hide overlooking Laguna del Lirio where the Crake had been seen, over the pool there were good numbers of both Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Western House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), along with lots of Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and at least 3 Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

On the water we picked up Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and in the reeds at the far end of the pool there was a single Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio). On the margins we also saw a single Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and a single Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

We next made our way around to the second hide overlooking Lagun del Trebol, on the way we stopped and scanned the willow scrub and found at least four adult Black-crowned Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) amongst the tangled branches and at the junction to the hide a chap pointed out to us a very smart Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) which was hanging on in the top of a tree.
From the hide we picked up a Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

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

After a while we continued on around to the main hide having another look at the Chameleon again on the way. 

From the hide we scanned the pool and found several new species for the trip including a number of Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and at least three Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

We moved on again, making our way around to the hide on Laguna Taraje where we had nice views of one of the wintering Moustached Warblers (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon).
After a while here we decided to return to the first hide and give the Crake another try, but again we did not have any luck and did not add anything else to the list except for a single Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) Butterfly and heard several calling Stripe-less Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis) before heading home.

Granada City and Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A morning at the market and an afternoon down the valley.

Jayne and I went up to the market on the out skirts of Granada mainly to get some fruit as the prices in the local supermarket seem to have gone daft. On the way up there we had sightings of a flock of around 30 or so Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) feeding in a Lucerne field, 20+ Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) in another fields nearer to the city, a couple of perched Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and a single Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) hovering over the verge. We spent the next few hours walking around the market picking up an Ikea bag full of fruit and veg (which weight a tonn, well a good few KGs anyway) before going for some lunch nearby. Around the market I was aware that there were a few small species flicking over including Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto). We drove back home and dropped food off before heading back out and heading to the agricultural areas above the Cacin Valley where we checked out the fields along several dirt tracks, in the area we recorded Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs). I was hoping to see a newly arrived Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) but I was not lucky in the one Almond plantation where I went to look but I did see Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and several Province Hairstreaks (Tomares ballus) which were getting a battering in the strong breeze along with a single Bath White ( Pontia daplidice).

From here we dropped down into the Pine woods along the side of the Rio Cacín where we made a short stop which was very productive with Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) being either seen or heard. Along the roadside below the pine trees we also spotted several spikes of Ophrys forestieri and in the air we saw a single Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) and several Large Whites (Pieris brassicae).

We continued on down to the Embalse and scanned the water and reed beds from the roadside adding Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and a Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) which was in the dead trees in the water.In the air above the water there were good numbers of hirundines, most were Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris),but there was a good scattering of Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica). 

We again continued on down the valley and our next stop was at the gorge just above the Embalse de Bermejalis, here we had cracking views of a female Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) which was heard from deep down in the gorge and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).

Down at the Embalse we stopped at a bar and got an Icecream and scanned the water which apart from a flock of farmyard Geese and a single Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) was empty. 

We parked on the roadside a few Kms further on and scanned a low crag where Juan Perez and I had seen an Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) and the bird was sat in the same hole but a little further back as the wind was quite cool, in the air above us we also had nice views of a passing Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and on the rocks a male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) could be heard singing.

Again we continued on to Ventas de Huelma and the across country to Castillo de Tajarja and started to head back towards home, on the way we had good views of a small colony of newly returned Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Just before we got home we drove along the Arroya Vilano where we finished the day list off with Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta). 

The day List finished off at 72 species.

London, Great Britain.

A few days with son Alan in London.
16th to the 19th February 2014.

The main reason for the fleeting visit was to see our son Alan who was on R&R from his duties as a medic in the Army. We also used the time to see the site of the city. It was my first visit and enjoyed it very much.

Hacho, Loja, Granada Province.

A couple more Orchids for the year.

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).

I went for a short walk into the Pine woodlands on the slopes of a small hill to the north of Loja called Hacho. In the woods there were a great number of leaf rossettes of the large and showy Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana), quite a lot were just coming in to flower but a few had there lower blooms aready on show. I don't think the dispaly will be quite a good as last year as there are far more blind rossettes this spring. I also saw several spikes of Ophrys fusca var foresteri but most of the lips had been eaten. Birds included Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus). In the same area there were hundreds of flowers of the common Broad leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Iris planifolia) with lots of the white form of the plant flowering again this year.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A couple of hours around the local patch.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

After catching up with a few jobs during the morning of the first dry day for a while I went down on to the fields to see what was about and what damage the rains had done. The Arroyo Vilano was flowing well above its usual level and the crossing point had been washed out but apart from that and a few partly flooded fields all was well. I first took one of the many tracks out in to the fields North of the town and checked one of the areas of Lucerne where I had seen the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) a few days earlier but there was no sign, however I did pick up Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), several Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) including a couple of cracking males, Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

From here I went back up to the track which runs along the Arroyo and checked the fields on both sides and the very muddy margins, on the fields there were a few Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) around 60 or so, 12 Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria) and unexpected Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) which was stood amongst the flock in a ploughed field??? On one of the ridges in the area of freshly germinated cereal crop there was a female Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) which was being hassled by 5 unhappy Mistle Thrushes (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and when they were close together it showed how small this falcon was, even though this was a female. On the margins there were a couple of Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and a Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) feeding in the mud.

Bath White (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice).

After a while I moved to the second half of the river and found another couple of Green Sandpipers, 2 Hoopoes (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) before moving out to the areas along the Mesia track. Along here I checked the ditches, pools and flooded fields and located several Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), a male Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and another flock of Northern Lapwings but this time there were around 300 birds.

On the far side of the road I parked up and walked along the ridge which follows the Arroya and did a curcit back to the road and then to the car again, along here I saw a male Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), several Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

As I got back to the car I saw several butterflies in one of the Lucerne fields and decided to have a look and found  3 or 4 Bath Whites (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice), Small White (Artogeia rapae), a Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and a single Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).

I then started to make my way over to the Loja side of the area, on the way I checked the Ditches and pools again and added a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) to the bird list and hear Iberian Water Frogs (Rana Común / Rana Perezi) calling from the dense vegetation. 

I went through Huétor and out on to the far fields, as soon as I arrived I saw a fine female Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) hunting amongst the young Olive trees, a species that has been in short supply in this area this winter. I also soon located the smaller than usual Little Bustard flock in the deeper section of the Lucerne field, I did a quick count and found that there were just 77 birds, well down on this time last year.

I went back in to Huetor, washed the mud off the car and called at the fields nearby to check on the Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and found around 170 birds still roosting there before heading back home.

Near Pinos Genil, Granada Province.

Birding along the swollen Rio Genil.

hort-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla).

I popped up to a spot where Juan Pérez Contreras had shown me wintering Dippers (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus) last year and had a walk along the river searching for them. The river was very coloured at its lower section due to the amount of soil coming down the Rio Aguas Blancas but above this junction it was much clearer.
I walked for a while and then sat on a small foot bridge which crossed the Genil and waited to see what approached, birds included Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), a pair of Hawfinches (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).
After a while I picked up a movement in the main stream of the river which turned out to be a Dipper which was feeding between several rocks. It eventually came a lot closer and landed on a rock quite close but at the same moment as I was about to press the button on the camera a couple of lads on mountain bikes came thundering along the track and flushed the bird but I did get nice but short views.
I did not see the bird again so I decided to walk back down the opposite side of the river back to the car, on the way I added Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Rio Fuengirola, Malaga Province.

A hours birding amongst the sewage, rubbish and washed up shopping trolleys!!!

No it does not sound great and it wasn't but I had an hour or so to have a quick look around the concrete sided channel out side the Miramar shopping centre. The commonest species seen there by far were the hundred or so Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) which were feeding on the clouds of insects attracted in by the raw sewage that is allowed to flow into the concrete sided pool. It then goes through the outlets and on out to sea down the river, which explains the amount of filth in the water and why no one would swim in the sea when we were down there in the summer. They were joined by half a dozen Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and a couple of House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).
In the reeds in the centre of the pool there were several Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), a Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), both White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and a small party of about 10 Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild). 
On the river above the pool there were several roosting Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and a flock of noisy Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).
I walked back down towards the centre scanning the river and sky as I went and picked up Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed  (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) before meeting Jayne.

Padul Wetlands, Granada Province.

A few hours sitting with the camera.

Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

Jayne went in to Granada City to do some shopping and I went down to Padul for a few hours birding, I parked by the visitors center and walked the path along the eastern side of the lake and out to the hide. Just past the center I checked the tables where the rings feed the birds but there was not a lot around just a few Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) so I continued on checking the woods surrounding the track.

Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Once I was along side the water I added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and a distant Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) out on the main lake. Back amongst the trees several Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) flashed through the branches along with Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

I stopped for a few minutes at the first rustic hide on the shore of the main lake where I scanned the water and the surrounding trees adding Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which was sat in a willow on the far shore, Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis). I continued on along the board walk through the reedbeds and marshy areas to the raised platform where I spent some time scanning through the large numbers of Hirundines eventually picking out both Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) amongst the couple of hundred or so Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Weasel (Mustela nivalis).

I also had nice views of the Marsh Harrier as it hunted distantly over the larger reedbeds and picked up a couple of female type Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) feeding amongst the flattened vegetation. I continued on yet again and eventually reached the smelly stream, which was as usual full of rubbish and sewage and surprisingly birds!!! As part of one of Southern Spain best know Natural Parks (Sierra Nevada) I am amazed that the disgraceful amount of rubbish and sewage continues to be allowed to find its way in to the area and that more has not been done to make the people / Authorities responsible clean up their act. 

Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

Surprisingly the area was very active with a dozen or so Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and at least three different Bluethroats (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) feeding on the very smelly mud. I sat my self on a patch of dry clean (I hope) gravel and waited to see what was willing to come close enough for a photo, the Bluethroats were first in with two of the birds coming quite near but the Water Pipits were much more warey and stayed just out of range of a good shot. In the reeds I could hear at least half a dozen Water Rails (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) screaming and watched several Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) probing the ground on the far side of the muddy patches well out of camera range. Other species seen here included Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Grey  (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

Whilst I was sat in the area a Weasel (Mustela nivalis) spent sometime clattering through the reeds and eventually caught a small rodent of some sort before carrying it off across the mud to the far side of the channel.

Time was moving on so I made my way back along the board walk throught the trees back to the car, on the way I added Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and a small flock of Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus). I got back to the car quicker than expected so I drove around the track passed the main lake and out into the fields before getting back to the Granada road, on the way around I picked up a few new species for the day list including a couple of male Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and not new but nice to see a male Reed Bunting. 

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

I then returned to the City picked up Jayne and we went to one of the retail parks where I got a battery back up thing so the PC is protected from all the dam power cut we are having at the moment before continuing on home. On the way we saw a couple of Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and a Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) on the Arroyo Vilano.