Huetor Fields and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

The first day with Sheila and Denis from France.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria).

I met Sheila and Denis at the Cortijo de Tajar for a days birding and after a coffee we were soon out onto the local patch. We moved around the area looking for the sometimes elusive Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) but we dropped lucky as they were out on their favourite fields. It is always superb to see this species but each year when the flock turns up for the winter the numbers are reduced, just 5 years ago we were getting numbers of around 250 birds but this year the group arrived and the count was just 88. On the same fields we had several Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Spotless (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and as we were coming off the track a female Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) showed well on a chain above an irrigation channel and a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) sat out on the roof of an old farm building where they breed.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

We also had a good at the fields where the Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) roost and found good numbers of them in the ridges along with Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Our next stop was on the edge of town where we had a walk along a track out on to the field behind the Stone Curlews and we soon had a group of 3 Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) sat in a small dead plant at the side of the track, the first time I had seen more than singles on the site. Further along the path there were a couple of Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and a couple of Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

We again moved around the site to the Mesia side were we checked the dry reed bed and the irrigation channels, the biggest surprise was a flock of 20+ Reed Buntings which was by far the best flock I have seen anywhere in Spain. In the same area we had Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) calling but they remained hidden in the reeds, Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and two soaring Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

We left the fields after seeing some cracking species and went the short distance to Balsa de Rigedor where we scanned the water and found Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and around the margins Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

Our next stop was out on the fields near Moraleda where we were hoping for but dipped on the resident Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis), whoever we did add Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) to our growing day list.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Down in the Cacín Valley we stopped a couple of times and picked up Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) which ran across a gap in the reeds and was seen by sheila and myself briefly.

Up on the Embalse we saw many of the species we saw earlier and added Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Further down the valley we had much better views of Dartford Warbler before starting back towards the Hotel but not before picking up Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and a flying Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) whilst we were having a look at two Visigoth graves caved into a large block of Limestone, a nice place to finish the first day.

Miraflores and El Faro, Malaga Province.

An early start to drop Steve back down to Malaga.

Long-tailed Duck (Pato Havelda / Clangula hyemalis).

Steve, Jayne and I headed down to Malaga Airport, we said good bye and then headed off to Fuengirola where I dropped Jayne off at the shopping center and went to Miraflores where I was hoping to see the Long-tailed Duck (Pato Havelda / Clangula hyemalis) again.

Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima).

I arrived and had good views of the bird but it never came out of the shade into the sun but I still got some shots. I also saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima).

On my back to meet up with Jayne I called in at the large rock on the side of the coastal motorway where I checked the sea and rocks and was very pleased to find a single Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima) in amongst the Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and a single Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

I also saw Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Later I met Jayne and we had some lunch before we carried on with the shopping.

Charca Suarez, Torre del Mar and near Zafarraya, Granada and Malaga Province.

The last day of Steve's tour with Granada Wildlife.

Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).

Steve, Jayne and I headed down to Motril where Steve and I went into Charca Suarez and Jayne went for a very long walk along the beach. 

Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

Steve and I started off by going to the New hide and spent some time there watching to see what came out of the reed beds or passed through the area. 

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

We saw Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) which flashed across in front of the hide, Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and many Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

From here we checked the small hide on the long pool where we added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

The main hide was our next stop where we boosted the list Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Red-knobbed Coot (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) and a gang of Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) on the margins. 

Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

We walked back towards the new hide seeing Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), my first Western House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) of the year, on the way we were suprised to find a worn but still flying Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum), several Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria) and a few calling Stripe-less Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

I left Steve in the hide and went out to meet up with Jayne and we went for a coffee, then a walk along the beach where we had views of a single Monarch (Danaus plexippus) flying and feeding on garden plants.

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Once Steve joined us we headed along the coast and had some lunch in Torre del Mar where we saw Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and later at Caleta Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum).

On our way home we called in at the disused railway walk just below Ventas de Zafaraya but it was very very windy and we only saw Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), a displaying Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) and a cliff walking Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

We then headed home and had a few beers down in the town.

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata).

1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

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

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

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Winter adult Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

A very frosty trip up the hill.

The View from the Sierra.

Steve and I made our way up the Sierra hoping to do some bird photography but due to the severe cold snap in the area a large number of birds had moved to lower ground but we did see several Ring Ouzels ( Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blue-rock (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Corn (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura). 

A hard frost.

Down in the woodlands near the motorway we had lots of Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) and several spikes of Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum robertiana) just starting to flower.

Frost on the Hawthorns.

Icicles in the Goat Cave.

Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).

Steve amongst the frost.

More frost on the Hawthorns.

More frost.

And more.

Icicles in the Goat Cave.

Steve in the goat cave.

View from the Sierra.

Frost again.

Frost.

Sierra Morena, Jaen Province.

A day looking for the rare Iberian Lynx and what a day !!!

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico/ Lynx pardina).

Steve and I were out just on dawn and drove out to the site where we were going to look for the Iberian Lynx (lince iberico/ Lynx pardina), on the way we picked up Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) in the headlights as well as Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico/ Lynx pardina) checking the scent on the bush.

Once we were on site at around 08:45 we set our selves up and started to find new species including Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula),Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpies (Urraca / Pica pica), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blue-rock (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos). 

Steve (AKA Kermit) photographing the Crag Martins.

Just before 10:00 Steve had walked a couple of hundred meters along the road and I walked back a short way in the opposite direction to check a raucous group of Common Magpies when I picked up a male Lynx moving along a nearby ridge. 

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

I managed to get Steve's attention and then went to look for it again and made sure another group got onto it as well, I rushed back to the car grabbed my camera and locked it before returning to the rest of the group. 

Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama).

What happened next was fantastic, the Lynx dropped out of sight over the ridge and then reappeared right next to us, no more than 10-15 meters away and walked past us up the hill, under the road and out onto a clear area above us where it checked a bush for scent for a few minutes, right out in the open before moving off into cover up the hill. 

Río Jándula Dam.

The whole experience was amazing and all 8 of us were over the moon with the views this stunning animal allowed us.

Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra).

After a while we decided to go down to the dam at the far end of the track but we did not see much apart from lots of Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) sat on the dam wall.

Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra).

Later we drove off the site seeing Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama) on the way and down to the Río Jándula where we ate a sandwich (a bit of a monster) we had got on the way at the picnic area near the road and added Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra).

After finishing the Pork monster we drove to the dam and spent some time on the bridge nearby where we had great views of a very smart Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra) along with both European Black (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), a pair of soaring Spanish Imperial Eagles (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) and a couple of Hawfinches (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes).

Río Jándula.

Around mid afternoon we decided to drive south and back home but not before we found a rather hairy looking Wild Boar (Jabalí / Felis silvestris) near the bridge.

Wild Boar (Jabalí / Felis silvestris).

Miraflores Golf Course, Malaga Province and Sierra Morena, Jaen Province.

A Spanish Lifer and an afternoon Lynx chasing with Steve Jones from the UK.

Long-tailed Duck (Pato Havelda / Clangula hyemalis).

I was going down to Malaga to meet Steve Jones for four days searching for Mammals but things were somewhat nastier weather wise than expected with heavy snow at the highest points and rain lower down. I had headed off a little early so I could call in at one of the pools on the Miraflores Golf Course where an immature Long-tailed Duck (Pato Havelda / Clangula hyemalis) had been for a few days. I arrived and found the bird easily but the light was dreadful and so were the photographs that I took. In the same area I found Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

I also call in at the rocky beach near El Faro where I boosted the list with Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

I met Steve who was in a little early so we were on our way North earlier than expected and up through the snow near Antequera, around Cordoba, through Andujar and out to the site for the Lynx. On the way we saw Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), 100+ White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) in a soaring flock, Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and a flock Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Once we were on site for the Lynx we settled down and watched the area infront of us where we saw Green (Pito Real / Picus viridis) and Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Red (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) and Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) but the Lynx which had been seen early in the day avoided us.

At dusk we drove back along the road to the accommodation at Los Pinos, where we had a good evening meal in the bar before turning in ready for our second day in the area.