Travelling North to Friend Santi's via Laguna Navaseca and Tablas de Damiel, Castilla la Mancha and La Yecla, Burgos Province, Spain.

Travelling north for a few days.

Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

I decided to head North to see friend Santi at Santo Domingo de Silos for a few days so I set off early to spend some time at Laguna Navaseca on the way where I was hoping to fill a few gapes in my year list.

Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

During the drive to the Laguna I started the list with Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Iberian  (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

I arrived at the Laguna and as soon as I got out of the car I could hear several Great Reed Warblers (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus) singing from the reeds along with Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and a Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) which popped up on an open branch long enough for me to get a couple of shots.

Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

Gadwalls (Anade Friso / Anas strepera).

Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).

Out on the water there were as usual quite a few Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) along with Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Black-necked (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), 

Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum).

Green-winged Orchid (Androrchis morio).

Green-winged Orchid (Androrchis morio).

Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris).

I walked along the road checking the reed beds and Tamarisks as I reached the usual watch point near the hide I saw Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and on some pools along the back track I had Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and as I was walking back to the hide on the road I heard a calling Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio) male.

Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio) male.

At the spot near the hide where I could see through the reeds I heard a group of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Ganga Ibérica / Pterocles alchata) getting closer but only two of the group tried to land too drink but they wavered and all the birds continued on, later I saw the reason when two photographers came out of the reeds where they had been sitting, I made it quite obvious that I was not happy but got told to F**K Off in a very English voice, very pleasent.

Champagne Orchid (Orchis champagneuxii) ?????

Champagne Orchid (Orchis champagneuxii) ?????

Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes).

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) going by distribution Maps?????

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) going by distribution Maps?????

I Stayed in the area hoping the birds might try again but they did not return, however I did boost the list with a calling Savi's Warbler (Buscarla Unicolor / Locustella luscinoides), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and a couple of feeding Black Terns (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger).

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) ID by Ed MacKrill.

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) ID by Ed MacKrill.

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) ID by Ed MacKrill.

I still needed Bearded Tit (Reedling) (Bigotudo / Panurus biarmicus) so I drove up to Tablas and did a walk around the one side of the reserve and quite quickly found a couple of males so I again returned to the car and continued on North around Madrid seeing Red (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and some way North I pulled off at KM133 and took the track towards Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Hornuez for a break and parked on the roadside.

Ophrys riojana ????

Ophrys riojana ????

Ophrys riojana ????

Ophrys riojana ????

Here I had a walk around for a while finding Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris), Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans), Green-winged (Androrchis morio) and Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea)

I continued on seeing a male Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) and made one last quick stop on a side road near La Yecla where I was hoping for Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio), as I drove up to a small pool I had a very nice male sat up on the side of a bramble bush.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula).

Other species seen along this road were Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Champagne Orchid (Orchis champagneuxii), Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes) and Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus).

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

I arrived at santi's and got sorted before we went for a walk out to the Ermita de la Virgen del Camino where santi had found several Orchid species including Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea), Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula), Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea) and whilst there we also saw Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) which was new species for my Spanish Butterfly list.

Moraleda Fields, The Cacín Valley and El Temple, Granada Province, Spain.

Back out birding with friends Mehdi and Tatiana after a three year gap. 

Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).

I met Mehdi and Tatiana at El Cruze bar on the A92 and from there we headed out on to the fields nearby where we were looking for Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) but we were unlucky with that species today, however we did record Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Greater Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) Nest.

We dropped down on to the lower fields adding Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), a flyover Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris) and two Great Spotted Cuckoo's (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) which almost gave us the slip by sneaking out of the back of an Olive tree.

We left the site and dropped down into the Cacín Valley, around El Turro we saw Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).

Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).

A bit further on we parked in the Pines and listened to what was around and we recorded Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and a calling Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).

Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).

As we drove towards the Embalse we had Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla) and by the brdge Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), a female Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), in the irrigation channel a Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and just opposite the Irrigation channel we spotted a male Golden Oriole building a nest right out in the open..

Grey-headed Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava thunbergi).

Up the road we parked by the Embalse and scanned the water were we saw Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), 2x pale morph Booted Eagles  (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and just a short way along the road a couple of Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Grey-headed Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava thunbergi).

We drove through Cacín and then up over the ridge towards Ventas de Huelma, on the way we stopped by the Rio Cacín finding Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and at a semi-ruined Cortijo where we saw a very smart Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

Grey-headed Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava thunbergi).

Our final stop of the day was out on the fields of El Temple but they were quiet and we only boosted the list with Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), a roosting Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus) and a flock of migrating Western Yellow Wagtails including at least four different races, (flava iberiae, flava flava, flava flavissima and flava thunbergi).

We returned to Moraleda and I said goodbye to Mehdi and Tatiana hoping it won't be so long until we are birding together again.

Sierra de Loja and West of the Sierra, Granada Province, Spain.

Up on the Sierra with Mike and Bella.

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) male.

I met Mike and Bella at the Abades Service area and we went up the Sierra, on our way over to the far side where we were hoping to get views of the elusive Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) we had good views of Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) male.

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica)  female.

We also check a nice group of flowering Iris Subbiflora, as well as Wild Peony (Paeonia broteri), Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca), Viola dementria, Spring Cress (Arabis verna), Red Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea), Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis), Common stork's bill (Erodium ciconium) and Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris).

Wild Peony (Paeonia broteri).

Iris Subbiflora.

Iris Subbiflora.

We reached the area where I have been lucky with the Thrush bit we struggled to find it so I guessed that the female must by sitting and the male was sitting low, we had a walk along the road adding Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius),  Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and then Mike came up withfind of the day when he spotted a 2nd C/Y Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus) down below up, It soon gained height and was well above us heading North but was only my second Egyptian for the Province and a new species for the site.

Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus).

Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus).

We made our way back towards the car and just as we reached it I turned around for one last check and found the male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush was sat on top of a hunting sign and showed well.

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).

As we dropped down we made a stop at Charca del Negro finding several Sharp-ribbed Salamanders (Pleurodeles waltl) including a couple of very young ones with Gills.

Sharp-ribbed Salamander (Pleurodeles waltl).

Other species seen as we drove down the hill were Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), 2x Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), 

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Our last stop on the hill was along the track to the middle quarry and here we found House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) along with Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides) x4, Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia), Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), Black Horehound (Ballota nigra), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), White Asphodel (Asphodelus macrocarpus), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Linaria tristris, Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) and Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys).  

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

We dropped back down to the Services and then took the road along the Western side of the hill, we stopped at an area of fields where we had some great views of several Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) along with Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Lange's Orchid (Androrchis langei).

Lange's Orchid (Androrchis langei).

Our last stop of the day was further down the valley amongst the Oak trees where we spent a while looking for Orchids, we found lots of Yellow Bee Orchids (Ophrys lutea) as well as lesser numbers of Late Sawfly (Ophrys ficalhoana), Lange's (Androrchis langei) and a few Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanathera longifolia).

Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanathera longifolia).

Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanathera longifolia).

Late Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys ficalhoana).

In the same area we had Western Subalpine (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa), Tassel Hyacinth (Leopoldia comosa), Starry Clover (Trifolium stellatum), Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus), Ronda Cranesbill (Geranium malviflorum), Serrate Spurge (Euphorbia serrata), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata), Southern Red Bartsia (Parentucellia latifolia) and Shepherds Needles (Scandix pecten-veneris).