Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A few hours on the local patch picking off a few year ticks.

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

Jayne and I headed in to Loja where we sorted a few things out before Jayne dropped me at the Cortijo de Tajar hotel just off the A92 before heading over to Trabuco for the Ladies group meeting and later craft group. I started the walk back to the house which took me around three hours as I took a roundabout sort of route over the fields, in total I covered just over 10KM at birding pace.

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

The first species seen on the way into Ventanueva included Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and on the end of a large factory building I found a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) sunning it's self.

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

On my way around the town and along the river I did not see much but just after I went back out on to the fields I started to pick up new species including Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), 3x Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 5x Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) which was sat on wires out on the fields.

Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Along the track I passed a large Poplar plantation and had nice views of a couple of Short-toed Treecreepers (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), a flock of Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus). Once I was passed the woods I followed the lower stretch of the Arroyo Vilano and soon had good views of a pair of Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), a Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta),  masses of Common Chiffchaffs, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus). 

Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).

I checked some track side ditches and soon flushed up the first of 5 Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and eventually after almost an hour of searching I found one of the two Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) that were wintering in the area but on a different stretch of water to usual. In an area of reeds and Bullrush I had views of three Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) which was a new species for my local patch, two males and a probable female. In the same area I had two male Bluethroats (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

From here I crossed the railway line and took a track out across the fields to a different stretch of the Arroyo Vilano and straight away I had a group of three very smart male Bramblings (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) feeding under some poplar trees with large numbers Common Chaffinches, a Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) which came up off the river and several Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulg aris) which were mixed in with a large flock of Spotless. 

I continued on along the river and headed back along the road up to the house, on the way I added Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) before I reached home.

Home near Huétor Tajar to Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk with good friend Lesley Brisco and then a few beers when Allan and Jayne joined us in Loja.

During the morning I went for a short walk with Sam whilst Sue and Jayne got the car packed ready for Sue and Sam's return drive over to Grazalema. Just before 14:00 they set off home we had all had a nice few days over New Year. A little later Lesley and I set off from the house to walk down to El Cerro bar in Loja where we were meeting up with Allan and Jayne for a beer.

During the walk I recorded Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

We also recorded four species of butterfly, Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Artogeia rapae), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

There were also some early wildflowers including lots of Broad leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Iris planifolia), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Friar's Cowl (Arisarum vulgare), Gorse (Ulex europaeus), Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) and Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca).
We arrived at the bar and had a couple of beers before moving on to a bar in Huétor and then back to Lesley and Allan's for the evening.

Thanks to Sue and Sam for coming over, we enjoyed your stay and are looking forward to coming over your way.

Thanks also to Lesley and Allan for a great afternoon and evening. Looking forward to March.

No photo's for this post as camera had a fit and not managed to recover them yet.

Sierra Nevada and Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A day trying to find a bit of snow amongst the hordes of people.

Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica).

Jayne, Sue, Sam and I set off up the Sierra to have a snowball fight but we struggled to find any snow at the lower levels. Most of the snow down low around the ski resort was the man made stuff on the runs, eventually we found a patch in a small valley where there was enough for half an hours entertainment for Sam. 

The snowballers.

Species seen on the way up and at around 2400 meters included Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Coal Tits (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica) plus a couple of butterfly species, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

The ski Resort.

After calling and having some thing to eat on the way down we headed home, once we were there I dropped back down to the supermarket in Huétor via the fields where I added Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Water (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) to the day list.

Sam enjoying his lolly on the way down.

Alhama de Granada, Granada Province.

New Years Day walk. 

The tapa's in the bar in Alhama.

Jayne, Sue, Sam and I set off towards Alhama de Granada with friends Allan and Lesley following us in their own car. On our way down I started the year list off with Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer Domesticus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Jayne and Sue.

Once we reached the spot for the start of the walk we went and had a coffee near the Pantaneta de Alhama, later I had a look over the pool picking up Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

The Church in Alhama from down in the Gorge.

From the lake the group walked along the Alhama gorge throught the woods to the town of Alhama de Granada where we had a drink before returning along the same track.

Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

During the walk I recorded several nice species including Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Red Squirrel (Ardilla común / Sclurus vulgaris) and a single Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Looking back down the Valley.

Once back at the pool we all went into the nearby bar and had a good lunch before heading off home.

Some of the Highlights from 2014

Best year yet for Loja / Granada Wildlife.

Third place in the bird category goes to Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin (Alzacola / Cercotrichas galactotes), locally a very rare species. We have just one site in the area but the birds showed well and posed beautifully for the Camera.

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin (Alzacola / Cercotrichas galactotes).

In second came the stunning Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) which we saw during the very successful spring tour in Western Andalucia, these were a Spanish lifer (seen in UK and Morocco before).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Bird of the year for me was not actually a lifer but a rare and difficult to see species which I spent a superb hour and a half watching at Padul Wetland near Granada. This Baillon's Crake (Polluela Chica / Porzana pusilla) performed in the smelly ditch and showed down to less than a meter for a lot of the time, too close to focus on.

Baillon's Crake (Polluela Chica / Porzana pusilla).

Baillon's Crake (Polluela Chica / Porzana pusilla).

Dargonflies featured well in 2014 with a couple of tour dedicated to the superb insects. In third came the stunning Orange-spotted Emerald (Oxygastra curtisii) with several insects being see during a tour at the end of May.

Orange-spotted Emerald (Oxygastra curtisii).

Orange-spotted Emerald (Oxygastra curtisii).

In second and I can not believe it's only in second came the amazing Splendid Cruiser (Macromia splendens) which lead Steve Jones and I a merry dance back in May. A super rare species which we were lucky enough to get some shots of after a lot of hard work.

Splendid Cruiser (Macromia splendens).

Top slot for the Dragons goes to a species I had heard of but never expected to see, the Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei). Thanks must go to Fernando Enrique Navarrete for showing us this stunning species.

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei).

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei).

Several days tours also targeted Butterflies with some very interesting species being seen including.

Apollo (Apolo / Parnassius apollo subsp nevadensis).

Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides).

 Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina).

Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias de Berger / Colias alfacariensis).

Orchids were also seen on several of the tours with a couple of dedicated multi-day tours going further afield in to Malaga and Cadiz Provinces.

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora).

Algerian Butterfly Orchid (plantanthera algeriensis).

Bumblebee Orchid (Orquídea abejorro / Ophrys bombyliflora).

Wild Flowers were seen in good numbers including several of the very rare and endemic Sierra Nevada species. 

Nevada House Leek (Sempervivum minutum).

 Alpine Gentian (Gentiana alpina).

Aquilegia nevadensis.

Linaria glacialis.

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

Last day for the year list.

Sue, Sam, Jayne and I headed up the Sierra de Loja, driving straight over to the far side of Charca del Negro where we checked the crags and hawthorn bushes for birds. 

On the way we saw a very nice male Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

As soon as we arrived amongst the hawthorns we had good numbers of Ring Ouzels ( Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), Blackbirds (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), 3+ Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) and the biggest surprise was a single Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) which flew calling from the trees up into the crags and out of sight.

We had a walk along the track and counted 20 / 30 Ring Ouzels, Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and 2x Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia). We parked and tried to get some shots of the Ouzels but managed just a distant shot. Whilst we were in the car Sue had views of the Fieldfare but I missed it this time.

We started to move back down the hill but called in at the Goat / Fossel Cave and took some shot of the Icicles which were coming down from the roof of the cave. In the same area we had a single Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella modularis), two more Black Wheatears, more Rock Buntings and Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

We next stopped at the pools and had a look at the nearby crags but we did not add anything new but the views were superb.

We dropped down to the lower slopes seeing Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and a fine Red Squirrel (Ardilla común / Sclurus vulgaris).

From here we went home and then on to friends Lesley and Allans for a few hours get to gether for the New Year.

Malaga and Granada Province coast line, Padul and Ventas de Huelma area, Granada Province.

On the coast and in the hills.

Jayne and I headed down to the coast to change a couple of thing we had bought by mistake and decided that we would make a day of it and have a walk along the beach. On the way down to the coast I saw Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

We did the shopping bit at Torre del Mar and then continued on along the coast to Almunecar where we had some lunch and a walk along the prom where I saw Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and 20+ Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) sat on some rocks with a few Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and singles of  Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

On our way back up the motorway towards Granada we called in at Padul but just to check the feeding station near the reserve where we I saw two male Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) which were the target species for the year list. Along with these two beauties I had a single Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blue  (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and several Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).

From here we went on towards Granada before turning towards Ventas de Huelma and checking a spot where in past colder winters there has been a raptor roost but the only one seen was a female Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) which flew over the road several KM short of the site. I parked up and scanned the much reduced area of over grown fields, several areas had been ploughed since my last visit, I did see several new species for the day including Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and dozens of White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

From here we headed home adding a small flock of 8 or so Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) which were leaving there day time roost near Huétor Tajar.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS.

Western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Granada Province.

Finches and Buntings in the mountains.

Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Jayne spent the morning in Granada City whilst I spent a few hours on the lower slopes between 1430 and 1500 meters where I was following up information from Juan Pérez Contreras who had seen three Yellowhammers (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citrinella) which winter in this area each year.

Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

I parked and had a walk around the usual area for the birds but could not find the target species but had good views of several Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Cirl Buntings (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Mistle Thrushes (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and several Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), , Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Coal Tits (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater). 

Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

After not catching up with the Yellowhammers here I decided to go and have a look at some nearby crags where Juan had seen several Ring Ouzels ( Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) a few days earlier. As soon as I got out of the car I heard several Ouzels calling from some nearby Hawthorn bushes and within a few second five birds had exploded from cover and flew up the slopes to other bushes. I checked out a flock of birds which were feeding under several Walnut trees, in the flock there were several Bramblings (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and a single winter plumaged male Yellowhammer which flew up and perched nicely in a nearby Hawthorn.

Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

Also seen in the area were Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Female Cirl Buntings (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus).

I dropped back down to the main road again and then back down to Granada adding Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) to the list on the way.

Once we were in Granada Jayne and I did a bit of shopping before we headed back towards home, on the way we saw a fine male Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) along with Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 22nd December 2014.

15W Actinic on the terrace.

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

Centrocoris-variegatus.

Ran the 15watt actinic trap last night but with resent nighttime temps I was not hopeful. It dropped to -2 and as expected the trap was Mothless, I did catch two bug species Centrocoris-variegatus and Nezara viridula.

Nezara viridula.