Near Archidona, Malaga Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping at Liz and Rays.

Day two.

Dyspessa ulula.

Charlie the dog and I were up and about early to check the two traps set in the garden, species recorded included: 0488 Reisserita chrysopterella x3, 1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth) x3, 1655 Ethmia bipunctella x5, 4166 Dyspessa ulula x14, 4176 (0161) Zeuzera pyrina (Leopard Moth) x1, 5323 Alucita hexadactyla (Many Plumed) x3, 5578 Lamoria anella x25+, 5661 Endotricha flammealis x2, 6189 Eudonia delunella x3, 6619 Uresiphita gilvata x3, 6743 Malacosma neustria (The Lackey) x18, 6775 Phyllodesma suberifolia x23, 7504 Watsonalla uncinula x50+, 7533 Stegania trimaculata (Dorset Cream Wave) x3, 7564 Itame vincularia x2, 7637 Ennomos quercaria (Clouded August Thorn) x2, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x5, 7765 Peribatodes ilicaria (Lydd Beauty) x4, 7966 Pseudoterpna coronillaria (Jersey

Ennomos quercaria (Clouded August Thorn).

Emerald) x2, 8062 Scopula imitaria (Small Blood-vein) x6, 7984 Chlorissa etruscaria x1, 8180 Idaea ostrinaria x7, 8211 Rhodometra sacraria (The Vestal) x4, 8509 Eupithecia cenaureata (Lime-speck Pug) x7, 8804 Cryphia ravula x3, 8894 Catocala mariana x5,  8904 Dysgonia algira (Passenger) x1, 8965 Tyta luctuosa (The Four-spotted) x1, 9005 Phytometra sanctiflorentis x3, 9023 Eutelia adulatrix x3, 9068 Laphoterges  millierei x 18, 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x1, 9140 Eublemma ostrina  (Purple Marbled) x2, 9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled), 9296 Recoropha canteneri x1, 9370 Heliothis armigera (Scarce Bordered Straw) x1, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x6 and others still needing to be identified.

Heliothis armigera (Scarce Bordered Straw).

Phytometra sanctiflorentis.

Laphoterges  millierei.

Chlorissa etruscaria.

Itame vincularia.

Recoropha canteneri.

Catocala mariana.

Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow).

Cryphia ravula.

Eutelia adulatrix.

Scopula imitaria (Small Blood-vein).

Zeuzera pyrina (Leopard Moth).

Malacosma neustria (The Lackey).

Phyllodesma suberifolia.

Malacosma neustria (The Lackey).

Near Archidona, Malaga Province.

Travelling to Liz and Ray's for a few days dog and cat sitting.
Day one.

Jayne and I drove along the A92 and the took to the tracks to reach our base for the next few days, on the way I saw good numbers of Alpine (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

In the garden we added Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Carpentor Bee (Xylocopa violacea), Conehead mantis (Empusa pennata), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) before having a very nice evening meal with Liz.

Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

Down the Cacín Valley on Andys third day.

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

We started by driving out to and past Moraleda and out on to the fields picking up a low level Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Once we were out on the fields Andy quickly picked up a Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) on one of the many stubble fields and as we continued on across the fields the list of good birds grew and included Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and eventually a couple of Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis).

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

We dropped down in to El Turro and had a coffee where we saw Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) before we continued on down to the Pine trees along the river. In the trees we heard and saw Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and a singing male Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus).

We dropped a bit further down the valley and checked the more mixed woodlands and found Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea). In the same area we had 5xM 2xF Copper Demoiselles (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Large White (Pieris brassicae) and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

We continued on up to the Embalse, the water levels were low and there was quite a lot of mud showing and had several Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), a single Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and quiet a few Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos). In the same area we also picked up White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 1x male Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and a flyby Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius). 

We move further down the valley and checked the gorge but things were quiet so we only managed to find Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).
We retraced out steps and then drove over the ridge to Ventas del Helma but only saw a single Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and a couple of Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) as well as a very nice Little Owl.
Things were getting very warm by now so we headed back to the house early and then later went down town to the 3 Calles bar and had a very pleasant evening of Tapas.

Northern Malaga Province.

A second cracking days birding with Andy Mountford.

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Andy and I headed off west and in to Malaga Province making our first stop on the fields near to Antequera, on the way we saw Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Western House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

We came off the motorway and went along the tracks, here we saw Northern Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), a Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which walked around on the track in front of us and we also had hoards of Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

We then drove to our next spot and looked for the pair of Rufous Bush Robins (Alzacola Rojizo / Cercotrichas galactotes), we parked and scanned the nearby wires but found nothing until I spotted a bird singing from a fence on the far side of the site. 

Rufous Bush Robin (Alzacola Rojizo / Cercotrichas galactotes).

We drove around but before we reached the spot we found another male displaying in grove of small olive trees and then we spotted the female he was showing off to. We continued to the spot where we saw the bird originally and saw a pair there. 

Rufous Bush Robin (Alzacola Rojizo / Cercotrichas galactotes).

We again moved on and checked another couple of areas out where I had seen birds in the past and in total we found four possibly five pairs of Robins in the area. 

We also saw European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Small White (Artogeia rapae) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Rufous Bush Robin (Alzacola Rojizo / Cercotrichas galactotes).

We come back down to Fuente de Piedra next to find all the pools on the front of the site dry but we did a walk around the lower track and up to the Mirador under the Oak, on the way we Great Reed (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus), Common Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Cetti's Warblers (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii). From the view point we saw a couple of hundred Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), a surprising summer record of a Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) but the bird was probably only there because it was injured, Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

We moved around to the hides at the back of the centre where we had views of Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Andy with the first of a couple of bags of rubbish he collected and put in the bins.

On our way back towards the house we called at a river valley of mixed woodlands to cover another habitat for the day, new birds included Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Eurasian Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), European Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Rock (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus)), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops). 

Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello euroasiático / Jynx torquilla).

There were also plenty of butterflies around in the heat including Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Large Whites (Pieris brassicae), Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines), Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) and a cracking Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris) which did not want to be photographed.  

When we walked back to the car Andy collected several bags of rubbish which had been left by weekend visitors and we dumped it later in bins in Archidona where it should have gone in the first place. 

On the return trip back along the valley we picked up Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and probably the best views of a Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello euroasiático / Jynx torquilla) for both of us. 

Cleopatra (Cleopatra / Gonepteryx cleopatra).

Later we headed back to the house and then later we visited a site just a few minutes away where we had views of two probably immature Eurasian Eagle Owls (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) as the flapped around on the cliffs doing plenty of wing strengthening wing flapping. Back at the house we listened to the 4 or 5 male Red-necked Nightjars (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) calling from the olives.

Huetor Fields, Granada Province.

A warm afternoons birding with Andy Mountford from the UK.

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

Jayne, Andy and I had some lunch on the terrace and then went out on to the fields near Huétor Tajar, from the terrace we saw Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

We moved down on to the fields and checked the area around the Arroyo and at the crossing point and found Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) 3xM, Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) 2xM 1xF and Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) 1xM.

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

We then took the track North along the Arroyo and soon found Small White (Artogeia rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna), Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Iberian Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus / capensis) and Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We followed this track for a while and added Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) heard, Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and then a very smart Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) which showed very nicely for the camera.

Our last stop was at the ditches on the Mesia road where we boosted the list with Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

We returned to the house and had a meal at the house whilst enjoying a drink, chat and Red-necked Nightjars (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis).

Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

A new bird for the garden list.

Whilst doing a few jobs in the garden I became aware of several birds calling over the olives and eventually the penny dropped that they were the calls of Gull-billed Terns (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica). I raced across to the steps up on to the terrace in time to count 12 Terns moving West, probably on their way to Fuente de Piedra.

Ronda, Malaga Province.

A day out with Jayne's brother Martin.

Martin, Jayne and I headed off early to spend the day in Ronda which is Martins favourate place in Spain. We had a good wander around and a nice lunch above the Taco before heading back home late in the day.

Campo de Golf Channel, Malaga Province.

A quick walk along the smelly ditch looking for Dragonflies.

Female Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).

I had just a couple of hours so I had a walk the length of the site looking for Dragonflies but it was quiet and I only saw a female Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), several Iberian Blue-tails (Ischnura graellsii) and a single male Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator). I also had a male Mediterranean skipper (Gegenes nostrodamus), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus). 

Male Mediterranean skipper (Gegenes nostrodamus).

Near Bobadilla Hotel, Granada Province.

A mornings surveying a large finca on the edge of Granada Province.

False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi).

I met Catherine and her friend Sian at her Finca and we had a long walk around the Oak woodlands and fields on Catherine's land. We found a good number of wildflowers, birds, butterflies and other species. 

Red Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea).

I am not going to list them all here but some of the more interesting were Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea).

Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus).

I also recorded Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula), Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi), Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Ladder Snake (Rhinechis scalaris) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi). 

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).

Plants included Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanatera longifolia), Blue Hounds-tongue (Cynoglossum creticum), Red Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea), Common Chicory (Cichorium intybus), Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea), Curry Plant (Helecrisum stoechaes), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense), Mediterranean Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Rabbits bread (Andryala integrifolia), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata ssp pullata), Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis) and a great deal more.

Common Chicory (Cichorium intybus).

Common Chicory (Cichorium intybus).

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

Our second day in the Sierra de Loja.

Kate and Jim Day Six.

Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata).

We headed out and up the mountain for a repeat visit, this time we went straight to the small dell near to Charca del Negro making just a few short stops for birds including Black-eared (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) and Black Wheatears (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and then I spotted a very large leathery looking Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida), with a second one on the track a little further on and a couple of Andalucian Wall Lizards (Podarcis vaucheri) on roadside rocks.

Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata).

We stopped by the dell and spent a long while searching the area and seeing Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines), Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides),  , Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus boeticus), Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Large (Pieris brassicae) and Small Whites (Artogeia rapae).

Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus boeticus).

Along with the butterflies we also saw Pyramidal (Anacamptis pyramidalia), Small Woodcock (Ophrys picta) and Lizard Orchids (Himantoglosum hircinum), Upland Peony (Paeonia coriacea), Viola dementria and Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis). 

Erodium cheilanthifolium.

We continued on out past the pools and stopped at the nearby crags to try and photograph the butterflies which up till now I had thought were Spanish Argus (Aricia morronensis) but once we looked at the photographs we realised that we had actually had found a new colony of Geranium Argus (Eumedonia eumedon) for the area. There are small populations in nearby Sierras but this was the first record Loja. 

Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina).

In the area we also found the food plant for these butterflies Erodium cheilanthifolium as well as Mediterranean Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Chickweed (Cerastium boissieri), Carduus granatensis, White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Mucizonia hispida, Putoria calabrica, Spanish Thistle (Scolymus hispanicus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Geranium Argus (Eumedonia eumedon).

We again moved on a short way and had a look at another area of crags and had nice views of Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis), Scop's Owl (Autillo Europeo / Otus scops) heard, Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and several Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica) way up on the crags.

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

We started to make our way back down towards the pools and found a nice male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) off to our right but he stayed well out of range of the camera but as we were watching him a male Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata) popped up in a stunted Hawthorn bush right by the side of the drivers window which made it easy for me to get the camera in action but harder for Kate and Jim. 

Small Woodcock Orchid (Orquídea abejera becada / Ophrys picta).

We stopped at the pools and found  Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii), Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

As we dropped further down we saw Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

Immature Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).

Our last stop of the day was on the quarry track but we did not anything to the list except for Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Carduus granatensis.