Hozgargantes, Jimena del la Frontera, Cadiz Province.

Lynn and Jayne on Gib whilst Steve and I went looking for dragons and birds inland.

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) female.

Steve and I drove inland from the border to Gib picking up Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) male.

Once we reached Jimena we were surprised to find that there was a lack of water but there were a couple of pools up stream so we went and had a look at them.

Steve photographing the Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus).

On the first pool we soon had a male Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) but after landing once it disappeared up the river bed. In the same area we had Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x1M-1F, a male Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and the first of 3 male Ringed Cascaders (Zygonyx torridus), in the sky overhead we had Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus).

On the second and larger pool we found another 3 male Green Hooktails and a single female along with Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x8M, Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) x 20+, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1M, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x5M, Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) and White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes).

Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus).

We had a very smart Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus) which was very tame and came right up close whilst it had a drink. In the same area there were loads of Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) all along the side of the pools.

An immature Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

In the trees around the area we found Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), 2x Kingfishers (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and on the way back we found a very nice male Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene).

Steve.

We went back towards La Linea and met the girls and then went and found the hotel and checked in and later we went for a meal at the Luna beach bar back in La Linea.

The castle at Jimena.

Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Laguna Chica, Laguna Grande, Malaga Province and Rio Vilano, Granada Province.

Steve and I headed out for a days local dragonfly hunting.

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) male.

We started the day by making our way to Laguna Chica and I was very pleased to find that the track had been resurfaced which made getting up to the pool far easier.

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) male.

We walked down to the edge of the pool but found we could not get close to the water due to the reedbeds but on the track around the northern edge we saw Long Skimmers (Orthetrum trinacria) x15+, Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) x3M, Common Winter Damselfly (Sympecma fusca) 3M-1F, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x50+, Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) x1M, Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) x3M, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x5M-2F and Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x2M.

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) male.

Birds included Grey (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Purple Herons (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Orphean (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis), Subalpine (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) male.

On our way around to Laguna Grande we called in at a small ditch which looked as though it would be quite good for dragons but all we managed to find was a single male Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis).

Common Winter Damselfly (Sympecma fusca).

Up at Laguna Grande we were amazed to find well over 50 Long Skimmers on the wing, 500+ Red-veined Darters, Black-tailed Skimmers x20+, Scarlet Darter x20+, Common Blue Damselfly x1M, Orange-winged Dropwing x2M-1F, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1M, White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) x5M and Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii) x10.

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) female.

Birds included Eurasian Coot, Great Crested and Little Grebes, Mallard, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans).

Our last stop of the day was near to home on the Rio Vilano where Steve had found several Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens) x4M-1F, Southern Skimmers (Orthetrum brunneum) x8M-1F, Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x2M, Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) x1M, Iberian Blue-tail x20, Scarlet Darter x3M and Red-veined Darter x4M-1F.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) male.

We also had views of a soaring group of 13 Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), a dark Morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), an immature Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea) and a couple of Greys, Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa). From here we headed back to the house and sat on the terrace and had a drink.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) female.

Mediterranean Bluet (Coenagrion caerulescens).

Mediterranean Bluet (Coenagrion caerulescens).

Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

Turning Steve to the dark side and took him birding, a change from the Dragons (well almost).

White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes).

Lynn, Steve and I headed out past Moraleda and on to the fields where we were had views of Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), a fine Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and most amazing a flock of over 150 Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) feeding on a stubble field.

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) female.

Our next stop was down in the Valley near the Contra-embalse de Bermejalis where we did dip back in to the Dragons for a short while and found Western Willow Spreadwing (Chalcolestes viridis) x1M, Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x2M-1F, White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) x5, Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) x1F, Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) x5M-2F, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x10 and a single male Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) female.

In the same area we had a Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Crested  (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala). 

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) female.

A little further down the road we stopped at the Contra-embalse de Cacìn and scanned the water seeing Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) x7, European Bee-eater  (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), immature Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Barn Swallow, House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Moving further on we stopped at the gorge seeing nothing new so we headed back up the valley and called in at Balsa del Rigedor cecking the pool for dragons adding Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium), Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) x2M-1F, Red-veined Darter x50+, Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) x4M-1F, Small Red-eyed (Erythromma viridulum) 2M, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x5M, Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x3M, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard and Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).

Black-tailed Skimmers (Orthetrum cancellatum) mating pair.

Our last stop of the day was at a small rather smelly pool on the arroyo Vilano near the house. Here we had good numbers of  Scarlet Darters x8M, Red-veined Darter x10, Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii) x5, Epaulet Skimmer x1M and a single White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium).

Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A Granada Province tick in the Garden.

Southern Darter (Sympetrum meridionale).

Steve Jones had found a male Southern Darter (Sympetrum meridionale) in next doors garden and I had unfortunately missed it but later in the day he found a different insect. This time it was a very nice immature male which spent a while on the canes in my veg patch.

Southern Darter (Sympetrum meridionale).

El Molinillo and Sierra Huétor, Granada Province.

A day with Steve and Lynn in the superb Sierra de Huétor.

Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus) female.

Lynn, Steve and I headed out to the east and into the hills to the North of Granada, our first stop was at El Molinillo and along the Prado Negro stream.

Purple Hairstreak (Favonius Quercus).

This is a cracking spot and we spent most of the day there, on the first stretch we soon found Large Pincertails (Onychogomphus uncatus) x2M-4F, Common Golden Ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii subsp algirica) x4M, Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) x3M-5F, adult and immature Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).

Wood White (Leptidea sinapis).

Out on the fields next to the river we started to find a good selection of butterflies including Tree (Hipparchia statilinus), Striped (Pseudotergumia fidia) and Common Graylings (Hipparchia semele), Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Dark-green  (Speyeria aglaja) and High Brown Fritillaries (Fabriciana adippe), Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra albicans) and Purple Hairstreak (Favonius Quercus).

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) female.

During the morning we worked our way along the river for the huge distance of about 900meters, we covered such a short distance due to the amount of species we were seeing and trying to photograph.

Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus).

The species seen included Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) x3M, Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) x1M, Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) x4M-3F, Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis), a cracking Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) which I had to lye in the river to photograph, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Stick Insect (Pijnackeria hispanica).

We had some lunch back at the car before crossing the road and checking the meadows there adding Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Prionyx kirbii.

Once we had finished on the meadows we headed back a short way towards Granada on a minor road and stopped in a large area of Pines next to the motorway and checked the track sides.

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Whilst we were there we were questioned by one of the rangers about what we were doing (first time in years) and once he was happy with things we spent quite a while talking about cameras and he showed us loads of his shots on his phone.

Trichodes leucopsideus ?????

We eventually go back to searching through the site for insects and Steve came up with a cracking Stick Insect (Pijnackeria hispanica) at only the second site that I had seen them, in the same area we had European Mantis (Mantis religiosa), Southern Brown Argus, Common / Southern Blue,  several Wasp species including Prionyx kirbii, Sriped Shieldbug (Graphosoma italicum), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus).

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The day had again flown by so we headed back in to the house for another very pleasant evening on the terrace.

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.

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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.