Peñón de Jolúcar (RAM), Motril Port and Charca Suarez, Granada Province.

Birding with Juan Pérez Contreras for the first time in far too long.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

After what seemed like ages Juan and I were meeting up to go down the coast and do a mornings birding and sea bird recording. 

European Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

We arrive at Peñón de Jolúcar and walked up to the highest point and got set up and soon started to pick up good numbers of Cory's (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea) and Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) as well as smaller numbers of Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and a single unexpected Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and even more surprising there were 7 immature European Shags (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis) on the rocks below the cliffs. 

European Shags (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

We also saw Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Western House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala). 

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

Our next stop was on a beach next to Motril Port where we walked its full length and added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), European European Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and a couple of Monarchs (Danaus plexippus).

Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus).

We then moved to the wetlands of Charca Suarez and had a walk around the hide, but it was quite as expected, high lights were finding a nest of Eurasian Penduline Tits (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) with the male still building, an immature and a male Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis).

African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna).

Later we went and had a coffee and chatted about one of the books released recently about the Orchids of Granada.

Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Immature Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

Sierra Nevada, Granada Province.

A morning of butterfly photography or not !!!

Ononis cristata.

I dropped Jayne in the city and then headed up to the sierra and made my first stop at a spot just below the 2500 meter point and had a walk out in to one of the valleys. Here I saw Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Tawny Pipit (Bisbita campestre / Anthus campestris), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Ononis cristata, Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Jurinea humilis, Polygala boissieri and Minature Wild Plum (Prunus prostrata).

Spanish Rusty Foxglove (Digitalis obscura).

I then went up higher to where the barrier prevents further access and parked hoping to do a walk out along to the Hoya de San Juan but as I was hoping to photograph Butterflies and it was by now drizzling I decided I would be wasting my time. 

Idas Blue (Plebejus idas).

I decided to drop back down to a lower level and just as I set off it started to turn to sleet and then more to snow !!

False IlexHairstreak (Satyrium esculi).

I dropped back down to another small gully but only found Ptilotrichum spinosum, Erigeron frigidus,  Eryngium glaciale as well as Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica).

Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini).

Just out side the ski resort I made another quick stop but the cloud had again come over but I did find Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), White Clover (Trifolium repens) and Marsh Violet (Viola palustris).

Zygaena sarpedon.

Further down still I stopped at the Botanical Gardens and as I walked around I found the first butterfly of the day an Idas Blue (Plebejus idas) which sat nicely but the light was awful so the shots were not great. 

I also saw Achillea ageratum, Salvia lavandulifolia, Corncockle (Agrostemma githago), Spanish Rusty Foxglove (Digitalis obscura), Pine-cone Knapweed (Leuzea Conifera) and loads more plant.

Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

Birds included Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus).

Southern Mountain Argus (Aricia montensis).

My last stop of the day was on the old road in an area of rocky grassland surrounded by pine woodland where I saw Onosma tricerosperma subsp granatensis, White (Linum suffruticosum) and Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense), Lizard Orchid (Himantoglosum hircinum) and when the sun came out for a few minutes Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), False Ilex (Satyrium esculi) and Blue Spotted Hairstreaks (Satyrium spini), Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Southern Mountain Argus (Aricia montensis), Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Zygaena sarpedon and Heliothea discoidaria both very smart day flying moths. 

Southern Mountain Argus (Aricia montensis).

There was also Andalucian Wall Lizard (Podarcis vaucheri), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and a singing Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus).

Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

I then dropped back down into the city and spent the rest of the day with Jayne.

Heliothea discoidaria.

Salvia lavandulifolia.

North of Malaga, Malaga Province.

Just enough time to visit a couple of rivers near Malaga.

Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) male.

Jayne wanted to do some shopping so I dropped her off in the city and then went north to a small river but found that the vegetation had taken over and moving around was difficult and dragonfly numbers were low. 

Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) older female.

On the walk up to the water  recorded Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) x18, Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica). 

Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis).

The dragonflies that I did managed to see included Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x3M, Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) x5M, Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) x2F, Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x1M and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x1M. I also saw African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), a single Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).

I moved back towards Malaga and had a drive along the banks of the Rio Grande using the car as a hide and found Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Yellow Wagtails (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).

Further along the River where it joins the Guadalhorce I saw Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) x2M, Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) x8M & 2F, Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) x4M, Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x3M, White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) x6, Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii) x3M & 1F, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x3M, as well as Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Small White (Artogeia rapae).

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

Near Archidona, Malaga Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping at Liz and Rays.

Day four.

8184 Idaea aversata.

I again ran the traps in Ray and Liz's garden but used them the other way round with the Actinic up in the Oaks and the MV down in the garden.
Moths included: 2352 Pleurota ericella x1, 4629 Clepsis consimilana x2, 5742 Etiella zinckenella, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x3, 8048 Scopula submutata x2, 8184 Idaea aversata x1, 8818 Cryphia muralis (Marbled Green) x1, 8853 Pechipogo plumigeralis (Plumed Snout) x1, 8887 Catocala conversa, 8888 Catocala nymphagoga (Oak Yellow Underwing) x3, 9492 Polyphaenis sericata (Guernsey Underwing) x3, 9927 Aetheria (Hecatera) dysodea (Small Ranunculus) x5, 8059 Scopula marginepunctata (Mullein Wave) x13,

8887 Catocala conversa,

8888 Catocala nymphagoga (Oak Yellow Underwing).

8818 Cryphia muralis (Marbled Green).

9492 Polyphaenis sericata (Guernsey Underwing).

9492 Polyphaenis sericata (Guernsey Underwing).

9492 Polyphaenis sericata (Guernsey Underwing).

9927 Aetheria (Hecatera) dysodea (Small Ranunculus).

8853 Pechipogo plumigeralis (Plumed Snout).

5742 Etiella zinckenella,

4629 Clepsis consimilana.

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Near Archidona, Malaga Province, Spain.

Moth Trapping.
Day three at Liz and Ray's.

8159 Idaea carvalhoi.

Another warm night and some nice species including 2419 Eurodachtha pallicornella, 4630 Clepsis siciliana x3, 4791 Lobesia botrana (European Vine Moth), 5637 Stemmatophora combustalis x1, 6499 Evergestis extimalis, 6690 Palpita vitrealis, 7512b Cilix algirica x2, 6817 Marumba quercus (Oak Hawk-moth) x1, 7583 Rhoptria asperaria x6, 7966 Pseudoterpna coronillaria (Jersey Emerald) x14, 8017 Cyclophora puppillaria (Blair's Mocha) x3, 8048 Scopula submutata x2, 8159 Idaea carvalhoi x2, 8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal) x5, 8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug), 8888 Catocala nymphagoga (Oak Yellow Underwing),  9106 Pseudozarba bipartita, 9340 Aegle vespertinalis x1, 9296 Recoropha canteneri x4, 10238 Peridroma saucia (Pearly Underwing) x1 and quite a few others still needing sorting and names.

7583 Rhoptria asperaria.

8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal).

7512b Cilix algirica.

6690 Palpita vitrealis,

6817 Marumba quercus (Oak Hawk-moth).

7966 Pseudoterpna coronillaria (Jersey Emerald).

2419 Eurodachtha pallicornella,

6499 Evergestis extimalis,

8017 Cyclophora puppillaria (Blair's Mocha).

9340 Aegle vespertinalis.

9106 Pseudozarba bipartita,

10238 Peridroma saucia (Pearly Underwing).