Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

From the terrace and a loop of Huétor.

After a morning of house work I set myself up on the terrace for a few hours on the laptop and a bit of garden birding and within seconds I added a new species to the garden list when 4 Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) landed in the top of the Almond but just as quickly they were gone.

During the afternoon and early evening I also had Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and just as I was going in a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) came up over the Olives.
Later I went for a walk around Huétor, I started off at 20.00 and added nothing of interest to the day list but did see Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) x4, House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), more Common Waxbills, Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Golden Oriole, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), the escapee Barnical Goose (Barnacla Cariblanca / Branta leucopsis) was still in amongst the Muscovy Ducks (Cairina moschata) and Greylag / Domestic Geese type things, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Just before dark I got back to the house and then went just up the road a short way finding Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis).

Charca Suarez, Balsa de Regidor and Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning birding with good friend Andy.

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus).

I met Andy at the hotel where he was staying, on the way up to Granada I saw a couple of Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) which were sat up on wire before I reached Huétor Tajar.

I met Andy a bit late but at least I got a lye-in, Sorry Andy and once we were masked up we set off south towards Charca Suarez but we arrived a bit early so we checked the track known by some of the birders as Turtle Dove Alley where we had good numbers of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), a few Red Avadavats (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and several bueatiful Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus) butterflies, one of which sat nicely for us.

Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

We made our way around to the entrance of the reserve and after finding a parking place we went in and headed up to the hide overlooking the new Lagoon, on the way we had Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Common Reed Warbler. 

Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon).

The hide was full of photographers, not a pair of bins between them so we moved on as we knew they would be sat there all morning and went on around the reserve. 

In the next hide we did not see much as the light was all wrong so again we continued on towards the main hide, on the way we had good views of Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Willow (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Great Tit and European Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

Eurasian Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

Once in the main hide overlooking the main lagoon we started to add a few new species to the list even though the light was terrible including Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) x3, Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) x2, Grey (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x2 and Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) x1, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) x3, Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) heard only, Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) x2 and just outside the hide the first of 4 Mediterranean Chameleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon). At the next two hide we found Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Eurasian Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) x2 and 3 more Chameleons.

Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

Further round, we had Lesser (Anax parthenope) and Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator),
Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x2, another Eurasian Turtle Dove and back at the first hide we tried to go in the same photographers who quite obviously had not given anyone else a chance to go in the hide, normally it's not a problem as there is plenty of room to stand at the back but as there is a restriction because of the virus of 6 in the hide it meant there was no chance of getting a view. 

From a gap in the reeds just a little further on we added a White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) before we headed for the exit.

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

We decided to go and have a look around Cerro Gordo so headed off West along the motorway but this turned out to be a mistake as both ends of the road were closed as a film crew were there filming something or other so we headed back east. 

Eurasian Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

At Almunecar we took a left and headed up into the mountains back to Granada rather than using the motorways, after a few KM we stopped and had some tapas and a sin alcohol beer. Whilst we were sat down we popped a few bits on to the day list including Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and a couple of very flighty Two-tailed Pashas (Charaxes jasius).

Eurasian Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

We continued on along the roads up through the mountains which were very nice with some stunning views but due to the time of day things were quiet, and we only added Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and a calling Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea).

I dropped Andy off at his hotel and then headed back towards home but made a quick stop at Balsa de Regidor on my way, on the water, I only saw Eurasian Coot, Common Moorhen, Mallards, a few Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and on one of the dead tree trunks lying in the water I counted 23 Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) resting on their way somewhere on migration.

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).

I walked along the one bank looking for Dragonflies and had soon found Black-tailed (Orthetrum cancellatum) and Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), Lesser and Blue / Common Emperor, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata), White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) and Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii).

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria).

I then continued on towards the house but as I came to a spot along the service road where a few years ago we had several Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore) I saw a small butterfly which I was sure was one again so I stopped and after a few minutes I had seen 6 of them but they were very active and did not land.

Pleased with this find, I headed home for a few hours. Later I went for a walk along the road from the house in the Loja direction and almost straight away I had a pair of Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) cross the road and fly off into the Olives.

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata).

This was quickly followed by the first of three views of Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) and then just as was about to turn round a Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) did a flight right across the ridge in front of me, just a silhouette but still a great view.

Cadiz and Sevilla Provinces, Spain.

Repeating some sites on the way home.

Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei) in the early light.

Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei) in the early light.

Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei) in the early light.

I left the hostel just after 07.00 and drove straight up to Lagunas de Camino Colorado near Bonanza, there was a good deal of coming and going in the dawn light as the herons and egrets headed out to their feeding areas and as yesterday the Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) were coming back in to rest up for the day. 

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

As I scanned the smaller of the pools I found a small wader in the far corner with a couple of Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and a Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) which I instantly thought was a Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii) but about 2 seconds after I got the scope on it a Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) flashed in from the Pines and flushed loads of stuff including the waders. 

Black-winged Stilt (Cigueneula Común / Himantopus himantopus).

One Green and the Common Sand came back but the others didn't, so not being 100% it frustratingly did not get on the trip list.

Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

 I continued checking around the pool finding Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

As I said at the start of the post there were good numbers of herons and whilst here as well as the Night Herons I had Grey (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Squacco (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) and Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and a single Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

Curlew Sandpipers (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea) x2, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) x2 and Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta) x1.

I checked the pool on the other side of the road but the water level was very low and I added nothing new and didn't manage to relocate the Stint from Earlier. 

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

I moved around to the third much healthier looking pool on my way to the Salt pans but again there were plenty of birds but nothing new.

Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

I arrived at the Salt Pans and checked the lagoons on my way out to the Pump house area, by the smaller pump house half way along the main central track I made a stop and took some shots of a group of Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei) in the early morning light.

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

In the same area I had lots of Curlew Sandpipers (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), several Sanderlings (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), a single almost summer plumaged Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Black-winged Stilt, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) and a Little Egret.

I continued on and by the time I reached the other pump house I had found Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta) and several Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Out on the large pool in front of the pump house there were large numbers of Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), a single Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Gull-billed (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons), Whiskered (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus) and Caspian Terns (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and more Slender-billed Gulls.

Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta).

I stood in the shade of the building and scanned the other pools with the scope for a while and found Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Common Sandpiper, Glossy Ibis, Mallard, Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

I made my way off the site finding Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Lesser Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens) x7, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and as with just about everywhere hundreds of Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

I drove over to Braza del Este again as I really enjoyed the site yesterday but it was quite the opposite to Bonanza where numbers of birds were up today, here things were much quieter. 

The Rice fields.

On the way there I had a few new species including Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).

I came in to the area from Los Palacios and then took one of the tracks out through the rice fields to a canal which bought me up to the sluices at the Northern end of the main track through the area, on the way I had thousands more Red-veined Darters, Common and Green Sandpipers, Purple and Grey Heron, Little and Western Cattle Egrets, lots of Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail, a male Yellow-crowned Bishop (Euplectes afer) and quite a few Black-headed Weaver (Tejedor Cabecinegro / Ploceus melanocephalus).

Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

At the sluices there were the usual collection of Night Herons, Little Egrets and Whiskered Terns all sat on the barriers and gates and along the ditch near there I had a large flock of hirundines which appeared to be made up complete of Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) immature.

Along this ditch I had several Banded Groundlings (Brachythemis leucosticta) and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) in amongst the massed of Darters.

Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).

I went back to the main track adding another pale morph Booted Eagle, Western Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna opaca), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and a female / immature Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) before heading along the big track to the first area of water which was quiet.

Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

On the water there were quite a few Eurasian Coots, Common Pochard, Whiskered Tern but little else so I moved on down to the next area which was considerably better and I found half a dozen or so Collared Pratincoles (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Mallard, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron, Gull-billed and Whiskered Terns, a female Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and along the river where I had been yesterday a Black-tailed Godwit, Black-winged Stilts, Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), immature Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Greater Flamingo's and another Great Egret.

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

I returned to the main track and drove off the site heading for the Osuna area adding Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) on the way.

Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

I reached the Osuna area at completely the wrong time of day which makes it highly unlike I was going to see much and I was right but I did manage a few new species as I drove from the Lantjuela end towards Osuna including Lesser (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and out on a field next to the road 4 Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and sat with them a Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) which was most unexpected, later down the road I saw what I guess was the same bird drifting over with a single Griffon.

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

I reached Osuna and decided that it was time to hit the road home after another good days birding.

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) 3 of the 4 and Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus).

Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus).