Embalse del Cubillas, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning birding with Juan.
Ebird List for Cubillas.

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Before the birds, here's a little lesson I learnt this morning, DO NOT sit on Pine tree stumps. We were birding from the side of the Embalse, so I found what looked like a nice tree stump to sit on and spent the next 45 minutes there with the scope. 

I needed to move but when I tried to get up I found myself glued to the stump, 😁😁😁 I eventually managed to strip the shorts from the stump but that was the easiest part, peeling the shorts from my back side was a hell of a lot more painful 😲😲😲 and Pine sap is a glue that just keeps giving so when I got home the peeling went on all over again and getting the sap off was not fun 😁😁😁😁

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus)

Anyway back to the birds, I met Juan at the same place as we had done a couple of weeks earlier on the side of Embalse del Cubillas, on my way in to the site I had a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) on the road which flew up and off through the Pines.

I arrived a few minutes before Juan, so I sorted my scope out and when he was there we went down the bank to the area where we scanned the lake and the margins finding (numbers of birds from Juan's Ebird page) Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x14, Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) x2, immature Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) x64, Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x1 and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) x7, Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) x1, a 1st year Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) x8, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) x26, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) x11, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) x6, Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) x7 and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) x11.

European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).

In the trees and scrub we saw and heard Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) x3, Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) x3, Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) x1, Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus) x2 and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) x5, Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) x2, European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) x8, European Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) x11, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) x1, Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) x5, House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) x9, Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) x8, Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) x1, Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) x6 and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) x3, Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) x40, Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) x1, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) x22 and Western Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) x51. 

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

Up in the air there were a few Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) x20, Western House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) x20, Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) x9 and Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) x1, Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Feral (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) x8 and Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) x200 and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) x7.

At one point all the Eurasian Coots and Common Moorhens scattered and we scanned the skies and we found a hunting Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) out over the water, this was the first of the raptors and it was followed by the first of a good number of European Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus) x114, Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) x6, Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) x3 and a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) x1.

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

After sometime we moved a short way along the lakes edge to check an area of fruit trees and scrub, as we stood there we had Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) x1, Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) x1, Willow (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus) x1, Melodious (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) x1 and Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) x1, Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla) x2, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) x5, European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) x1, European Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) x6, Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) x1, Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) x2, Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

We moved back to our original spot and added more raptors to the list before I had to leave, so I said bye to Juan and headed back to Huétor and drove back across the fields where I had good views of a Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail in a roadside ditch, a couple of Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and a Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) which was sat on a pylon as one was a few days ago.

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

Not quite the Straits but still nice to get some visible migration from the Terrace.

Between 11.20 and 13.10, so probably only caught the ones that had got up late.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

I sat out on the terrace on the Laptop but made regular scans of the sky and recorded

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) x1.

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) x1.

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) pale morph x3 dark morph x1.

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) x1.

Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus) x33.

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) x1M.

Other species seen included European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Later I went to Balsa de Regidor seeing 2x Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) on the way to see what came into the roost and the final totals were

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) x87.
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) x9 but 8 birds left before dark.
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x2.
Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) x4.
Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) x1 which flew from west bank and joined    the roost just before I left.
Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) x1 adult which flew out of the roost.

Other species included Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) x6, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) heard, Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) both of which were flying when it was nearly dark.

El Tomillar, La Malaha, Cacín Valley and Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A few hours on the Eastern end of the Patch on the way back from Granada.

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

After a visit to the Solicitor's in Granada which went much quicker than expected I decided to have a run out to the Eastern end off El Temple, my first stop was along a country road just a KM or so from Granada's big rubbish dump. 

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

I parked up and watched a female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) as it flew past and off towards the dump. I walked along the road for a while and the list grew nicely with Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) x2 heard only, a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) which was sat on a pylon and as I walked back down the hill I scanned the ridges picking up 2x Booted Eagles (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) one of each morph, a pair of Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) as well as Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

As I drove back towards the main road I added a Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), a group of Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and a flock of Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

I headed past La Malaha and out on to the fields were I made several stops along the road and on one of the main tracks, in this area I found several flocks of House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), masses of Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) which were skimming the ground, both Lesser and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), several Hoopoes (Abubilla / Upupa epops), a couple of Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) which were feeding in a ploughed strip of land, a Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which was sat up in the top of a distant Almond tree, a couple more Montagu's Harriers and another pylon with a Short-toed Eagle sat on it.

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) in a distant Almond.

As I took to the tracksI saw a Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).
I came off the tracks after seeing even more Montagu-s Harriers, now around 10 in total, I drove on through Ventas de Huelma and over to Cacín. On the way I had a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and as I dropped down into the village I checked an area which had several Capper plants on the roadside and soon found Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore) but they were very active and not landing, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

I grabbed a roll in one of the bars in Cacín before checking the river just as you leave the village, here I picked up White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and a couple of Bath Whites (Pontia daplidice).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and 3 Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

Further along the valley I made a stop at the Contra Embalse where there had been quite a large fire resently taking out all the western banks and part of the reed bed, the water level was very high so quite a large area of reeds survived but there were no margins for waders but there was a single Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) sat in a dead tree as well as Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) x5, Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) x1, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and a few Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) mixed in with the other hirundines.

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and 3 Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

I made two more stops along the river in the more wooded sections but only managed Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).

I drove back up to Huétor where I checked the fields where the 2 Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) had been yesterday ut there was no sign of them so I drove towards Mesia as I know there are a few more grass fields in that direction and on the very first which was being irrigated I found them and the Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) but this time there were 3 Ibis mixed in with the 27 Egrets and as there were yesterday large number of Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) were also feeding in the field.
On m way back to the house I checked the ditches near the model plane airfield and found Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) and Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Out checking whats on the patch and adding a new species to my patch list.

Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus).

I started the day by having breakfast out on the terrace and the list with a male Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), several passing European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and up on the road just as I was leaving for the fields Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

I drove down to the fields and took the track along the Arroyo and crossed to the far bank where I checked the fields seeing Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), 150+ Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) up on the wires and a large flock of Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) was collecting on the track ahead of me and in the surrounding reeds, I checked as many as possible before they flew up and off just in case there was a nice pink one in there.

Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

At the far end of the track I stopped again and looked along the fence at the end of the field finding that there were at least 6 Woodchat Shrikes (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), a couple of Willow Warblers (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), a Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), a Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis) a single Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and further out in the field a calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and a perched Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

I moved on to the Eastern end of the track where I saw many more Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), a single Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and whilst I sat by one of the Fig trees a Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), more Golden Orioles, at least another 3 Coomon Whitethroats, a Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and in a small bush in the Rush field 4 more Common Whitethroats and over head a single Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

I moved towards the town on the next track aong and started to check one of the Grass fields where there were 25x Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), 1x Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), 2x Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and two thirds of the way down the field a new species for the patch in the shape of 2 Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

Female Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).

I took one of the side tracks and I managed to get down a little closer to the Ibis and found that in amongst the grass that was being Irrigated there were loads of Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and possibly some other races in the flock of around 125 birds at least.

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

During the walk through the fields I also had Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Serin, Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) x7, Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), European Bee-eaters, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and down on the ground a female Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum), African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

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

After seeing several Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore) a couple of days ago I decided to return to the site and have another look and I soon had three and they did land more but they were not easy. I got a few shots before heading home.

Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

As I was leaving the fields I saw two Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) heading up towards the house so as I got back I saw them again from the terrace, later I set my self up on the terrace again and spent a few hours catching up with the blog and seeing single Golden (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and a pair of Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus),  a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), a young male Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) which spent all afternoon hunting from the top of the Jasmine plant and a rather tatty Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) in the fig tree.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

Later as usual I did my dusk walk and soon had Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) on the when one started calling from the roof of a disused house near the road and just up the road a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) flew between the Olives and over the road. On my way back I could hear the Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) off down the bank below me but I did not get to see it.

Male Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

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).