Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of hours on the local hill.

 

Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris).

I parked at the bottom of the northern track and walked up the main track avoiding the Picnickers on the grassy area under the Almonds, on the way up to the Quarry I found lots of Orchids and wildflowers including Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Pink Butterfly (Orchis papilionacea), Mirror (Ophrys speculum) and Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera), Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus) and Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius).

Paeonia broteri.

Paeonia broteri.

Up in the Oaks there were a couple of calling Bonelli's Warblers (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) and a fine male Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) which had stopped off for a feed on it's way North.

Palmate Anemone (Anemone palmata).

Palmate Anemone (Anemone palmata).

I reached the pine woods and walked up through them to the start of the scrub and then out into the Oaks further on, In amongst the pines there were lots of over with spikes of Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana) as well as good numbers of Palmate Anemone (Anemone palmata), Red Vetchling (Lathyrus cicera), Linaria tristris, Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys) and Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) on a Paeonia broteri.

On the pine slopes I also found the first of around 6 Red-underwing Skippers (Spialia sertorius), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri), Daisy-leaved Toadflax (Anarrhinum bellidifolium) and Serrate Spurge (Euphorbia serrata).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Lower down I too the track around to the far side of the quarry, on the way I had a singing Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis) but it was not an easy bird to see and I only managed one poor picture when it came to the top of one of the bushes before it flew off.

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).

In the same area I had a couple of Green Hairstreaks (Callophrys rubi), an Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii).

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Birds seen in the area included Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes),  Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis) male.

I turned around and walked back towards the car adding Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

?????????

??????????

??????????

Cryptocephalus rugicollis.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Count.

 

6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth).

Well I was surprised when I saw the temperature had gone down to just +8 over night, so I was not surprised to find very few moths when I checked the trap.

9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y).

Species included 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x1, 6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth) x2, 9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y) x2, 9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x2 and 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x1.

6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer).

The Moths were photographed and released as always. 

9433 Caradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow).

10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth).

Río Guadalfeo, Granada Province, Spain

Of unknown Origin?????? but very wild looking.

Wood Duck (Pato Joyuyo / Aix sponsa) male.

I went to a spot along the Rio Guadalfeo with Friend Juan where we spent quite a while looking for a reported Wood Duck (Pato Joyuyo / Aix sponsa) which was extremely wary and showed for just a few seconds before diving back into the reeds.

Wood Duck (Pato Joyuyo / Aix sponsa) male.

In the same area we had Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Wood Duck (Pato Joyuyo / Aix sponsa) male.

 

Cacín Valley, El Temple, The Beach and Charca Suarez, Granada Province, Spain.

A brilliant day's birding with good friend Juan.

 

Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) Male.

I left the house at 07:30 and made my way down the Cacín Valley starting near Moreleda crags where I scanned the cliff holes and found the resident Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) which was sat well back in one of the holes.

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

I also had Western Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), European Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), European Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) female.

I carried on along the valley and stopped in amongst the narrow strip of Pine woodland where I walked around hearing Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Eurasian Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) Dark Morph.

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) Pale Morph.

I moved again and parked by the bridge over the Rio Cacín and I walked down the track after checking the Rio from the bridge, from the bridge I picked up Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and further along the track in a large Poplar tree Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), a female Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and a fly through male Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and lower down Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and a calling Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).

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

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

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

Just up the road I parked on the roadside and scanned the Contra Embalse, on the water I found good numbers of Common Pochards (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) x9, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x3 and on the dead sticks in the water Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) x3.

Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

In the air and around the margins I also recorded Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), a pair of hunting Western Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and as I drove down towards Cacín I had Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis).

Silene littorea.

Yellow horned Poppy (Glaucium flavum).

On the field in front of the lake I found Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea) and Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum), Hoary Cress (Lepidium draba), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Corn (Papaver rhoeas) and Prickly Poppy (Papaver argenone), Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius), Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) and Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata).

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

I took the road out of the valley from Cacín and over the ridge seeing Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) 1x Dark and 2x Pale Morph birds, Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

As I headed towards the A92 on my way down to meet Juan I popped out onto some of the fields but the tracks were very muddy so I had to turn around after a while and return to the main road, I did however find Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

I arrived at the beach a few minutes before Juan but we were soon walking the usual route checking on the Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) population, today was a better day than last week as we found two new nests, one from last week when the female was still incubating and a female with at least a single well grown youngster.

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Other species we saw during this walk included White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

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

As we walked we also had large numbers of Painted Lady's (Vanessa cardui), Silene littorea, Yellow horned Poppy (Glaucium flavum), Sea Medick (Medicago marina), Ononis ramosissima, Sand Reichardia (Reichardia gaditana), Seaside Daisy (Asteriscus maritimus), European Searocket (Cakile maritima) and Cyperus capitatus.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Our next stop of the day was at the Charca Suarez where we walked around to the first hide overlooking Laguna del Taraje where we had great views of a Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Mallard, Eurasian Coot, Common Moorhen, Common Reed Warbler, Little Grebe and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

Marbled Ducks (Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris).

We moved around to the main hide overlooking Laguna de las Aneas and soon boosted the list with Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Grey (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and a stunning pair of Marbled Ducks (Marmaronetta angustirostris) which showed well and were a new species for my Granada list.

Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).

We walked on around to the next hide which over looked Laguna del Trébol, on the way a warbler flew across the track in front of us and I immediately thought it was something good as it looked very yellow even in flight.

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

Garganey (Cerceta Carretona / Anas querquedula) Male.

We both got on it in a Poplar next to the track and quickly realized we had a very nice Wood Warbler (Mosquitero Sibador / Phylloscopus sibilatrix)a second new bird for my Granada List. In the same tree we also had a nice male Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

From the hide we found a very nice male Garganey (Cerceta Carretona / Anas querquedula) a nice unexpected year tick.

Purple Herons (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

Before the time ran out on us, we checked the hide overlooking the new lake where we saw 2 White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and a couple of Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and just before we left the reserve we finished off with a fly over flock of 6 Purple Herons (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea) and a Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) in a willow by the Gate.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Quick walk on the fields between the storms.

Ebird list.

 

3 of the 4 Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

I parked in the usual lace by the Arroyo and walked out as far as the Poplar plantation but decided not to take the camera as I thought it might rain heavily again as it had been doing for most of the day.

However that turned out to be a mistake, the first surprise was finding 4 Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) on the Lucerne fields which are not a common bird on the local patch. 

These were followed by a female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) and a Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) which spent a few seconds in combat over the Olives before the Kite pushed off East. 

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

As I walked along the fields I also saw and heard Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), a late Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

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

I continued on through the fields as far as the Plantation where I heard at least 2 male Golden Orioles (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) singing along with European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and the reason I was most annoyed that I did not take my camera was when I picked up two Tree Pipits (Bisbita Arbóreo / Anthus trivialis) sat up in the reed tops along side the road before I returned to the car.

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

I had the camera in the car so I drove back to where the Pipits had been but there was no sign of them unfortunatily, I did however get shots of a couple of the Little Egrets and some well behaved Spanish (Yellow) Wagtails.

Granada Province, Spain.

A check on some uncommon Orchids.

 

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea).

I called in at a spot on my way to do some shopping in Granada (Brico Depot type shopping) and found several stunning spike of the beautiful Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea) which were coming into flower nicely.

Ophrys dyris.

In the same area I had lots of Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Southern Early Purple (Orchis olbienis) and Mirror Orchida (Ophrys speculum) and a spike of the less common Ophrys dyris.

Ophrys dyris.

I walked around seeing these stunning plants wishing I had taken my camera with me but the Phone didn't do a bad job thankfully.