Rivers above Malaga, Malaga Province.

The first of a few days Dragon Hunting with friend Steve Jones from the UK.

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

Steve and Lynn Jones arrived from the UK yesterday for a bit of sun and some wildlife, there first proper day found Lynn and Jayne off to Torre del Mar and Steve and myself wading along some rivers above Malaga.

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).

Our first stop was at one of the smaller rivers which was dry for most of its course but a short stretch is feed by an irrigation channel and carries water all the time in varying amounts.

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Birds were around before the dragons had warmed up and included Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and a very nice pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae).

As things warmed up we started to get a few dragons taking to the air including Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x3M+, Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x3M, Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) x2M, Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii) x20+, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1F, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x4M-1F and a very nice male Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus) which as usual did not want to land.

Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii).

Our next spot to visit was supplied to us by Paul Winter from the UK who had found a new site for the extremely rare Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae) a few KM north of where we were.

Ringed Cascader (Zygonyx torridus).

We arrived at the spot and with in seconds had seen our first of these incredible insects flying over the stony margins and during the next few hours we had fantastic views of around x30+ males and a couple of females but the females evaded the camera.

????????

In an area of swifter moving water a little way down stream we had two possibly three male Ringed Cascaders, Orange-winged Dropwing x10M+, Copper Demoiselle x7M-3F, Epaulet Skimmer x2M- 1F, Keeled Skimmer x2M, Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) x3M, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x10M+- 2F, Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii) x5, Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) x20+ and White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) x3M.

Scolia hortorum ???

Birds included Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica).

Spider-hunting Wasp (Cryptocheilus discolor).

The afternoon just flew by and before we knew it it was time to head in but we did take the longer cross country route back and added a very smart Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) to the day list. 

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae) mating pair.

Once we were back at the house we were soon up on the terrace as usual and picked up Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) whilst we were enjoying a rattle and a drink.

Faded Pincertail (Onychogomphus costae) mating pair.

Sanlucar beach and town, Cadiz Provnce.

A relax on the beach but bins still at the ready for a year tick.

We go up too early and were the first on the beach by some stretch but we were set up and relaxing before the masses arrived. During the day I picked up Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 2x Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Little (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons), Sandwich (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and the year tick a single Common Tern (Charrán Común / Sterna hirudo) which sat out on a buoy and allowed me to confirm its id by swimming out for a look.

La Linea to Chipiona and Sanlucar, Cadiz Province.

A drive up to the next hotel in Sanlucar via Chipiona.

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Jayne and I got up quite early and started the drive up to Sanlucar where we were going to have a couple of days, from the hotel and around La Linea I saw Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

We drove up through the Oak woodlands past Los Barrios and on to Jerez del la Frontera, on the way adding Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Once we were around Jerez we headed to Chipiona where Jayne and I had a walk in to the port and soon found several Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) still in the area as well as a couple of Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and 10+ Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) on the Jetties.

Later we checked in at the hotel which was very nice but a pain to park near to and went for a walk along the sea front where I added just Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

We went out later to have something to eat in one of the nearby tapas bars which did some very nice sea food dishes.

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

Campo de Gibraltar, Cadiz Province.

A days birding for me and some shopping for Jayne.

Common Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus).

Jayne and I headed down to the crossing over to Gibraltar where I dropped her off for a day wandering around the rocks shops and I headed to a spot near to Los Barrios to look for Dragonflies and birds but the site was very quiet. I did however see Violet (Trithemis annulata) and Orange-winged Dropwings (Trithemis kirbyi), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) and White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) for the dragon list. Birds seen included Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

After a good search around the site I decided that I would head for the town of Tarifa and have a look for the recently reported Common Bulbuls (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus) which have been around for a few years now but they remained elusive and I only found Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) and Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

My nest stop was up at Los Lances beach but this was a waste of time as there were Kite surfers and other people all over the pool infront of the hide. I had a quick scan along the channel to the right and did find Yellow-legged, Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Kentish Plovers (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Red Knot ( Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) as well as Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and Small White (Artogeia rapae).

On the way back toward La Linea I called at another site where I had seen the Bulbuls and checked it out and after about half an hour I located two, one adult and a young bird in the tops of a flowering Agarve plant. In the same area I had European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
From here I went back and met Jayne and we checking in at the NH Hotel and then went for a walk and checked a bar that friends had recommended and booked a table for the evening. We later went back to the beach club bar on the beach and had a very nice meal before hitting the pit.

Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A day looking for birds and insects on the local patch.

Day two with Bent Halfdan Pedersen from Denmark.

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

I again picked Bent up from his hotel in the City and we headed back down the A92 to Moraleda and then out on to the fields nearby, on the way we saw Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Hoopoes (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Once we were out on the fields we soon found the first Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) but we only got flight views this time but we had several brds on the ground later. In the same area we found flocks of Hoopoes (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and on one stubble field we counted over twenty birds. We drove around the site on several different tracks adding Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), good numbers of Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Woodchat (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Iberian Grey Shrikes (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), 3 Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) 2 adult and an immature, Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

Ornate Shieldbug (Eurydema ornata).

Once we had covered the fields well we dropped down into the Valley and stopped at the bridge over the River where we walked towards the dam and then over the bridge to scan the ridge where we found the best bird an Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) and in the same area we had Ornate Shieldbug (Eurydema ornata), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Melodious Warbler, Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Golden Oriole, Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and several Copper Demoiselles (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Further down the valley we stopped above the gorge where we had very nice views of an immature Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) as well as both House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

We made our way back up the valley a short way and then had a very quite drive over the ridge and then headed back in towards Granada but added a very nice pale Morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) on the way. Once we were back in the city I dropped Bent off as close to the center as it was possible, said goodbye and then headed back home.

Western Sierra Nevada, Granada Province.

A day looking for Butterflies.

Day one with Bent Halfdan Pedersen from Denmark.

Apollo (Parnassius apollo subsp nevadensis).

I met Bent in Granada and we headed up the hill as far as you can drive and then took a track from there and soon found the first of a few new species that Bent had wanted to see the Spanish Brassy Ringlet (Erebia hispania), Apollo (Parnassius apollo subsp nevadensis) and Idas Blue (Plebejus idas). 

Sierra Nevada Ocellated Lizard (Timon nevadensis).

In the same area we also saw Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), Band-eyed Drone Fly (Eristalinus taeniops), Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Tawny Pipit (Bisbita campestre / Anthus campestris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Nevada House Leek (Sempervivum minutum), Centranthus nevadensis, Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Erigeron frigidus, Eryngium glaciale and Leucanthemopsis pectinata.

Band-eyed Drone Fly (Eristalinus taeniops).

Our second site was a little lower down the road on a track which heads out from the ski resort and again we started to find new species but butterfly numbers were much reduced from just a week ago and Blue species were almost missing all together. 

We did however record Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron), Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), Black Satyr (Satyrus actaea), Silver-spotted (Hesperia comma), Sage (Muschampia proto) and  Small Skippers (Thymelicus sylvestris), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Dark-green (Speyeria aglaja) and Niobe Fritillaries (Fabriciana niobe).

Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus).

During the walk we also saw the first Sierra Nevada Ocellated Lizard (Timon nevadensis) of the day as well as Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa), Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

We again dropped down the road stopping at the Botanical Gardens where we checked the lower grassy areas out as this was where I saw good numbers of butterflies a week or so earlier. We started off by seeing several Rock Graylings (Hipparchia alcyone), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe), Grayling (Hipparchia semele), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis Pandora), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) and in an area of  Pyrenean Oaks (Quercus pyrenaica) a couple of Purple Hairstreaks (Favonius Quercus) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Trichodes leucopsideus.

Whilst we were concentrating on the butterflies I also saw or heard Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) and a scampering Red Squirrel (Ardilla común / Sclurus vulgaris).

We then went back up to the car and took the old road down through Guejar-sierra, on the way we stopped at an open area in the pine woods and found Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus), Lesser Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi), Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius) and Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus) before dropping back in to the city for the end of day one.

Rvers above Malaga City, Malaga Province.

The last day with Paul and Helen which we spent down on the river above Malaga.

Paul and Helen Brock Day Nine.

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria).

We dropped down the motorway to Malaga and then out West to look at a few of spots along some rivers that I have visited several times, our first stop was at the point where the Rio Guadalhorce and the Rio Grande join.

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata).

We soon had Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii), Black-tailedSkimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) and Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) on the insect list. Birds seen were European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Yellow-Veined Skimmer (Orthetrum nitidinerve).

We later moved a bit further West to another smaller river which was dry along most of its length but was feed for a short way by irrigation channels, the site was more over grown than the last time I had visited but we still managed to find see several male Yellow-Veined Skimmers (Orthetrum nitidinerve), as well as some Southern (Orthetrum brunneum) and Keeled (Orthetrum coerulescens), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Black-tailed Skimmer, Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma), Iberian Blue-tail, Orange-winged Dropwing, Violet Dropwing, Scarlet Darter and Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus).

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).

We also saw several Wasp and Bee species along with Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

We again move slightly further up the rivers and stopped near Pizzana, we searched a short area of river but only added Mammoth Wasp (Megascolia maculata), Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) and Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) before we again dropped back down to Malaga where I dropped Paul and Helen off at an Hotel on the outskirts.

I would like to thank Paul and Helen for a very successful nine days in the field and hope we adding quite a few species to the up coming book of Insects of the Mediterranean for Paul.

Sierra Nevada, Granada Province.

A big day seeing a species I had wanted for many years.

Paul and Helen Brock Day Eight.

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara williamsi).

Paul, Helen and I headed out early to go to a spot in the Sierra Nevada where with very good information from Rafa Obregón we hoped to find the extremely rare Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara williamsi).

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara williamsi).

We arrived at the spot and walked out towards the main area given by Rafa, on the way we saw a good deal of interesting species including Tawny Pipit (Bisbita campestre / Anthus campestris), Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus), a single Lataste's viper (Víbora hocicuda / Vipera latastei) which was too fast for me to get the camera on it before it disappeared under a rock,

Golden-egg Bug (Phyllomorpha laciniata).

grasshopper species Eumigus rubioi, as well as several butterflies including Apollo (Parnassius apollo subsp nevadensis), Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe), Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus), Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon), Black Satyr (Satyrus actaea), Iberian Marbled White (Medioluto Ibérica / Melanargia lachesis) and then fortunately well before we reached the main spot our first Nevada Grayling which behaved it's self very well and allowed us to get some nice shots.

Eumigus rubioi

We continued on a short way to the top of a small hill and founds several more of these stunning butterflies, several of which sat well for the camera. In the same area we had Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Andalucian Wall Lizard (Podarcis vaucheri), Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron), Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma) and several very smart Golden-egg Bugs (Phyllomorpha laciniata).

Alpine Gentian (Gentiana alpina).

We had luch at the top of the hill and then took the easier but longer track back down and for the first KM or so we were seeing good numbers of the Grayling as well as Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and lower down along side the pine woods we had Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Cardinal (Argynnis Pandora), Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) and Dark-green Fritillaries (Speyeria aglaja), Grayling (Hipparchia semele) and Rock Grayling (Hipparchia alcyone), Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Common Golden Ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) and Alpine Gentian (Gentiana alpina).

Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma).

Once we were back at he car we headed out of the Sierra Nevada and visited a spot around on the North of the hills in the Sierra Huétor as we still wanted to see a few Dragonflies for the book. We parked and walked along a small but quite fast flowing river and soon found several Beautiful Demoiselles (Calopteryx virgo), Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus), Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) and a single elusive Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene).

Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus).

Out on the thisle meadows we found Clouded Yellow, High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe), Iberian Marbled White, Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Polyommatus albicans), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Comma (Polygonia c-album), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus).

Thanks Rafa, very very happy to have seen this species and to see it so well and get photographs was fantastic.

Laguna Chica / Grande and Salinas, Malaga Province and Arroyo Vilano, Granada Province.

A successful day searching mainly for Dragons.

Paul and Helen Brock Day Seven.

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria).

We started the day at Laguna Chica where I was very pleased to find that the track had been regraded and made getting up the hill much easier.

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) mating pair.

We parked and walked down to the back edge of the reedbeds and soon started to find the first of quite a few female and newly emerged Long Skimmers (Orthetrum trinacria), later we started to find a few males.

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria).

We also found Black-tailed Skimmers (Orthetrum cancellatum), several male Blue / Common Emperors (Anax imperator), Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma), Dainty Damselfly (Coenagrion scitulum), Common Winter Damselfly (Sympecma fusca), Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) and a single Small Spreadwing (Lestes virens).

Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).

Butterflies were few but we did get a very nice male Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) which sat nicely as well as Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto). There were again lots of other types of insects but he only one with a name at the moment was the Southern Sickle Bush-cricket (Phaneroptera nana).

Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum).

Birds on the water and the surroundings included Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).

When we reached the far end of the pool we continued on across to Laguna Grande where we were hoping to find more dragon species but the only new ones were Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) and Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) Female.

As we approached the margins we saw several Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and an immature Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

Small Spreadwing (Lestes virens).

We spent quite a while here but eventually we made our way back to the car and then made our way to Salinas area to a pool and stream where we had finding the pool to be very low due mainly to the water being drained off for the local goat herds.

Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii) pair in tandem.

There was water in the near by ditches and we soon found several Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) as well as a couple of Viperine Snakes (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura), Southern (Orthetrum brunneum) and Keeled Skimmers (Orthetrum coerulescens) and Mercury Bluet's (Coenagrion mercuriale).

Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii) pair in tandem.

Birds included Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Our last stop of the day was near the house on the Rio Vilano where we added White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes), Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) and Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) to the day list as well as European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).

Common Winter Damselfly (Sympecma fusca).