El Temple, Granada Province, Spain.

Early afternoon on the field and then the evening watch a Harrier Roost with Beatriz, Juan and Chika.

Ebird List for the time at the roost.

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), one of twenty seen during the day.

I set off early to El Temple where I was going to meet Juan later to check an area which looked good as a raptor roost, I was there several hours early so I spent some time driving and walking the tracks.

Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).

I entered the site on a track from Chimeneas and parked on the side of the main track and had a walk out across an area of fields on another track where I had good numbers of Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), calling but unseen Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) and the first of 16x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).

On the weedy fields there were large numbers of Butterflies, most were Bath Whites (Pontia daplidice) but there were also some Clouded Yellows (Colias croceus), Small Whites (Pieris rapae) and a few Southern Blues (Polyommatus celina).

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I dropped down into the valley and took to the tracks on the other side towards Ventas de Huelma where I saw the first of several Great Spotted Cuckoo's after only hearing them earlier, a tractor had run over a good number of Pine Processionary Moth Caterpillar's (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) and two birds were down on the ground feeding on them giving me some good views.

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

In this area I also saw Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Large White (Pieris brassicae) and Rabbits (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I went for a drive into Ventas and had a late lunch before going back into El Temple and out to the Oil Pits where I had a Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I moved to the meeting point but I was still early so I scanned the fields there seeing another couple of Little Bustards which were flushed by a female Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a female Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Juan, Beatriz and Chika arrived and we went to the point where we were gong to watch for roosting birds, unfortunately we were looking into the sun for a lot of the time but still managed to see 6 Hen Harriers (3 males and 3 females), 5x Marsh Harriers, 3x Black-winged Kites, a calling Long-eared (Búho Chico / Asio otus) and several Little Owls and just before it was too dark to see anything the female Merlin flew across. For a full list follow the Link in the title. 

Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) Female.

Near Motril, El Temple, Cacín Valley and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Trying to catching up with one I had missed a few weeks ago but with the same results.

Buzzard Species.

I drove down to the coast and having some breakfast before driving up to the fruit tree covered slopes above the town where I had tried to find a Long-legged Buzzard (Busardo Moro / Buteo rufinus) I had miss with Friends Juan and Beatriz on my last visit. 

I arrived at 08.20 and scanned the Pylons but could not find the bird so I walked along the road towards Motril seeing Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and down on the fields below there were several Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

I walked back towards the car and on one of the Pylons I found a Buzzard which looked the part but different to the bird which had been seen in the area, before I could get conclusive views it flew off straight into the sun.

I walked back arond to the area over the ridge in the direction the bird had flown but all I found was a  Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) so I again left with out a LLB but I did see Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Hollow Stemmed Asphodel (Asphodelus fistulosus) and Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum).

I waited around until 11.30 but the bird did not show up so I headed back home via El Temple area where I added Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) on my way through to the main area which was quiet but I did add Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra)  and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

I drove over the ridge from Ventas de Huelma to Cacín and down into the valley seeing Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

I drove up the Valley to the Contra-Embalse where I parked and scanned the water seeing good numbers of Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), 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).

As I drove further up the valley and out onto the fields near Moreleda I saw Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

My last stop of the day was on the fields where I walked the bank of the Arroyo Vilano, new species were Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), my first Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) of the year, Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

During the day I also saw Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small (Pieris rapae), Large (Pieris brassicae) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice). 

Cerro Hacho and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Around the local patch.

Ebird List for Hacho.

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) in amongst the Almond Blossom.

After an early appointment at the Doc's in Loja I went birding and I started off by parking by the puddle then going for a walk around the lower loop of Hacho, on the way I saw the first of many Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) Male.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Male.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Female.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Female.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) Female.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

I returned to the car and parked it up by the Puddle were I again waited to see what arrived and I soon had a couple of Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and the regular Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris).

Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) Female.

Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) Female.

I finished off at the puddle as it went quiet and went for a walk along the Arroyo but when I arrived I was saddened but not surprised to see that the water had stopped flowing, I parked and walked the track and road down as far as the Railway bridge.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

Main species seen were the immature Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) which has been around for a while but I suspect it will be on its way soon when the remaining pools dry up, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) x3, Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) as well as Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

After dark I went out for a walk near the house and I could hear at least 8 Little Owls, 2x Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) and Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) were calling continuously.

Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

 

Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

A stroll around the lower loop and a quick look in the Pine woods.

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

I had an afternoon walk around the loop, I parked at the Bins just off the Loja road and then walked up onto the Southern slope where I found Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x2 which were the only butterflies I saw which surprised me as I had hoped for a few more species by now.

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

On the slope I also saw Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia), Amethyst Toadflax (Linaria amethystea), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis) and Erophila verna and on the bird front Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).

On my way I took a slight detour off the loop into the Pines where I found several Giant Orchids (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) and a scattering of Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).

Punta del Santo and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Birding down the Coast with Juan Perez, Olivia (from the USA) and Manolo Marsilio.

Ebird List for Punta de Santo.

 

Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda) heading West.

I drove down to a spot Juan had discovered near to Charca Suarea were we were going to do some sea watching, I arrived early and set the scope up on a wooden walkway / bridge and soon had the first of several Razorbills (Alca Común / Alca torda) heading West along with good numbers of Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).

Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda).

About 10 minutes before Juan arrived I had a Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) also heading West and it was in pursuit of a juvenile Kittiwake (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla), not a common bird in these waters.

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Juan arrived followed by Olivia and then Manolo and we continued to count the passage, seeing more Balearic Shearwaters, Northern Gannets, another Great Skua, 2x Arctic Skua's (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus), 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), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).

Other none marine species were Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and 2x Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) and a Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Olivia left and Juan, Manolo and I went for a walk over the road to view the pools on the golf course and found Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

We next had a walk along the beach as part of the dead seabird survey but it was good news today as we found none, as we walked we saw over 100 more Balearic Shearwaters, Razorbills and Northern Gannets.

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) Immature.

Before I headed off home we met Beatriz and checked the Golf Course Pools with the same results, on my way home I called in at the Fields near Huétor where I saw the Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) along with Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) as well as Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

At the end of the day.

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

I had spent most of the day trying to sort out a Laptop problem, so I went for a late walk just as the sun was setting and the only bird of note was the Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which was out looking for a late snack in the fading light.