North of Zafarraya, Granada Province.

A morning looking for Ochids with Ian Phillips from Malaga.

Sternbergia colchiciflora.

I drove down to met Ian near Zafarraya but arrived a bit early and found Sternbergia colchiciflora, Biarum arundanum and some spikes of Autumn Lady's Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis), Crocus serotinus, and lots of Rosettes of Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana) as well as Small White (Pieris rapae), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Autumn Lady's Tresses.

Ian arrived and we found several more spikes of the Autumn Lady's Tresses which was the main target for Ian. 

Autumn Lady's Tresses.

Birds included Green (Pito Real / Picus viridis) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Autumn Lady's Tresses.

We moved slightly further up the road but found few new species but we did find Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes).

Autumn Lady's Tresses.

Biarum arundanum.

Crocus serotinus.

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).

Zapata, Malaga Province.

A couple of hours on the Rio Guadalhorce, in Malaga Province.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Jayne had a walk around Torremolinas whilst I had a look along the river at Zapata. On the way in around the disused buildings I had brief views of a smart male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) as well as several Common Stonechats (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

On my way out to the ford I added Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

On the ford and around the river pool just up stream I had views of Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x4, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) x7, White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) x15+, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x2, Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) x1, Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

I also saw Large (Pieris brassicae) and Small Whites (Pieris rapae), a nice male Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger), Blue / Common Emperors (Anax imperator) x3M, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x2M, Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) x1 and Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) x2M.

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Balsa de Rigedor, Huétor and Moraleda Fields, Cacín Valley and La Malaha, Granada Province.

A days birding with Sandeep from Edinbourgh in Scotland.

I met Sandeep up in Granada and we headed back along the A92 to Balsa de Rigedor where we started a day of ups and downs with the species. On the water we soon found good numbers of Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) 20+, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) 25+, Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) 50+, Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) 2F, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and around the margins a single Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and 2 Greens (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus). In the trees we found a rather late Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) as well as lots of newly arrived Blackcaps (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos). 

In the same area we also picked up Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Our next stop was on the local patch at Huétor Tajar or more precisely on the fields to the North, on the Mesia side of the area we started with a walk along the ditches and amongst  the reeds. Species seen included Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and several quick moving Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) as they flew over us. 

We moved around to the Arroyo Vilano and soon found several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), a cracking Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) which flew along the track in front of us and down along the rio we added Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus). We made our way around the Huétor side of the fields looking for but dipping on the Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) however we did find good numbers of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and a little further up the road a very smart Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) which was sat on the roof of a roadside ruin. 

We next drove across the A92 to the fields near to the town of Moraleda where we had our second dip of the day when we missed the Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) but whilst we searched we did find a stunning male Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) which was on a field plucking a smaller bird. We also had a male Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) fly through, several Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), a Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and a couple of Ocellated Lizards (Lacerta lepida).

We dropped down to El Turro where we picked up our lunch before going down to the bridge over the Cacín and whilst we sat and ate our sandwich we recorded Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), a distant flying Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) which went South quickly as well as a male Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta).

We moved just up the road to the lake and found that the water was still low and the flock of 16 Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) were still present along with several more Green Sandpipers, 3 Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), a calling but hidden Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), 3x Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), another Iberian Grey Shrike and a couple of butterfly species including Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and a stunning Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

From the lake we went up on to the ridge above Cacín and then through to Granada again, on the way we did not see a great deal but still added Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) before I dropped Sandeep back to his hotel in the city.

Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A lunch time visitor on its way South West.

Whilst having lunch Jayne spotted this very smart Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) as it drifted away South West.

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

La Malaha, Cacín Valley, Moraleda and Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A day in the field with Barb and Eric from Canada.

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

I met Barb and Eric at their hotel in Granada City and then we headed out along the motorway towards Motril and the off West heading for La Malaha which was a change of plan forced by the motorway being blocked heading North. Before we go to La Malaha we turned off on to a dirt farm track where we checked a flock of Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and found that there were approx equal numbers of Spotted and Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulg aris), on the fields on either side of the track we found lots of White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), along with a few Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and in the air a group of Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula). 

European Nightjar (Chotacabras Europeo / Caprimulgus europaeus).

Up over the ridge we stopped again and added Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and three fly over Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

Slightly further down the track we checked the area around a ruined Finca and soon found a flock of 30+ Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), a female Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and on the way off the site a Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and a couple of Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).

After a quick coffee and loo stop in La Malaha we went out on to the fields but just out of the village we made a stop when we saw a female Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) flick up in to a small pine tree, in the same spot we had a short walk and found the similar Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

European Nightjar (Chotacabras Europeo / Caprimulgus europaeus).

We continued on along the same road and then out on to the fields again and by the time we exited on the Ventas de Huelma road we had seen Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), a very smart Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and a slightly unfortunate European Nightjar (Chotacabras Europeo / Caprimulgus europaeus) which was hanging dead from a chain link fence.

On the road between Hulema and Cacín we heard and saw Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

We called in at the bar in Cacín where we had another coffee and collected our sandwiches for lunch which we took with us, on the way out to the gorge we stopped at the bridge just out of the town where we checked the rocks and willows and found Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and a Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) which called loadly but remained out of sight.

Down the valley above the gorge we found Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) and a Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) which flew along the far cliff top upsetting all the Crag Martins on his way south. 

Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis).

After finishing out lunch we moved back up the valley to the Contra-embalse de Bermejalis, the water level was very low which meant that there were a few waders on the mud including a good number of Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and a single Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba). On the water we had Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis).

On the margins and mud bars we also had 5+ Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) x3, a single immature Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and know that the sun had come out a touch we started to see a few butterfly species including Bath (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and 2x Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore).

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

Our next stop was in the bar at El Turro for a coffee and Loo stop before going up the road on to the fields where we had good views of 16 Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) before we headed off to our final spot of the day on the fields near Huétor Tajar for our last target species. On a filed just out side the town we had 100+ Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), 30+ Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), several Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) which dropped in to distant fileds.

we took a drive along the Rio Vilano and finished the days list with Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and loads of the stunning Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) x50+, which were in all the trees around us and on the flieds and mobbing a Common Buzzard. 

We finished off and headed back up into the City where I dropped Barb and Eric off at their hotel before heading home. Thanks to Barb and Eric for their company on this days birding.

Huétor Fields and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A day around the local patch and down the Valley with Richard and Augusto.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

I met Richard and Augusto near Moraleda and we made our way back over the motorwy and to the small irregation pool called Balsa de Rigedor where we scanned the water and reeds. 

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

On the water there were good nubers of Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) x40+, Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) x15, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and probaby the rarest bird of the day locally a winter plumaged Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus). 

Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

In the trees and on the margins there were Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) x55+, Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), a Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) which was sat in the top of a large willow tree and a fly over Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) as we were leaving the site. 

Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

We continued on to the fields near Huétor Tajar and parked on the mesia road track and soon found both Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), a flock of Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) mixed in with a lot of Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and just over the bank in the Arroyo Vilano 4+ Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and a Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) which flushed up.

Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

We walked back past the car and further on along the ditch adding Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), a Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and a Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus). 

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

On the opposite side of the road amongst the reeds we found a small flock of half a dozen Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), a female Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and a Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) which was sat amongst several Spotless. On the opposite side of the site we checked the fields nearer to the town where we found Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), 300+ Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and 2 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which were sat on the edge of the Curlew flock. 

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Our next stop was back past the meeting point and out on to the fields near Moraleda, we took to the tracks straight away and boosted the list with a couple of Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) first spotted by Augusto, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia).

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

We dropped down into El Turro where we had a coffee and collected some sandwiches before driving down to the Embalse de Cacín where we spent quite a while checking the mud and reeds as the water was quite low. 

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

We saw more Eurasian Teal, Mallards, Northern Shovelers as well as Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) which moved along the reeds on the far bank, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), 8x Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), a juvenile Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), 16x Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), 2x Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), a single Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and on the far shore a female type Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) in the top of a dead pine tree.

Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

We moved back up the Valley making a stop by the bridge but only added Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and a little further up the valley in the pines we picked up a singing Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea) which was on a distant wire. We also heard but failed to find Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater).

Our last stop of the day was at the crags just below Moraleda where we finished the day list off with Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura).

Below are some shots from Richard taken on the day. 

Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A quick flick around the patch.

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

With just an hour or so break in the decorating shedule I popped down on to the fields for some air, I just covered a small area of the Aroyo Vilano and the Mesia track. 

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

On the way around I saw Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) x2, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).

Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Huétor Tajar Fields, Granada Province.

Out on the local fields for a couple of hours.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I started by going to the main Bustard fields where I had seen a few Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) as Jayne and I drove past a few days earlier on our way into Loja.  

When I arrived I could only see 5 birds in amongst the Lucerne along with several Hoopoes (Abubilla / Upupa epops), 20+ Yellow Wagtails (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), along with equal numbers of Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) which were the first of the winter on the patch, Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

The next stop was along the Arroyo Vilano, I first went up stream first and picked up Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), there were a couple of Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulg aris) mixed in with a good size flock of Spotless, Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

I crossed the Arroyo and took the track up to the railway line, the first section was dry and very quiet but the second section which was full of reeds and had some water was much more interesting. 

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

First of all we had a small flock of Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), a calling Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), several passing Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and by a small area of open water where I parked there were at least three Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and two Sedge Warblers (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

I finished the visit with a look along the Mesia track where I checked the ditches and pools adding Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), two male Bluethroats (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) and as I drove back to the house I had 7 Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) drop into on of the cut Lucerne fields.

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

El Faro, Fuengirola, Malaga Province.

A bit of beach and sea watching.

A quick walk from the parking spot on the side of the main road and I was in the hide, on the way I saw a few of both Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) as well as a male Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), a female type Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and several migrating Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica). Out to sea fighting against the wind I saw 150+ Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) most of which were Juv birds, Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).