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

After staying local I ventured out a bit further to the far end of the Patch.

 

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

I got up early and was out on the fields of the El Temple area just as it was getting light and I started my list on a track to some Olive Oil pools finding Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and a nice male Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

I dropped back to the road and went a bit further before taking another one of the many track, along here I found Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Spotless (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos),  Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), on a chainlink fence I saw House (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Rock (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) and a Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

I moved off the site heading for the Cacín Valley via another set of tracks and was pleased to get views of two different Merlins (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius), the first was a low flying male and the second a larger female which was perched on a fence post before flying off low in pursuit of a small passerine, probably a Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

One of two late Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

On my way to the Cacín Valley I had Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae)in the hills and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) along the Rio Cacín near the village.

Male Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum).

I dropped South down the Valley adding Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) before heading back North to the Contra- Embalse where I boosted the list with Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), 2x Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera) a species I don't often see here, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), flyover Siskins (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), 2x Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and an immature Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) which flew the full length of the lake upsetting everything and perched in a Pine tree on the opposite bank for a moment.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) male.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) female.

My next stop was just down the road at the bridge over the Cacín where I did a walk to the fence near the Dam for the Embalse, on the way I saw Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) as well as Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x4, a male Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum) x1 and Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) x4.

Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia).

I made a brief stop at the crags below Moraleda where I had a Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) right up on the top rocks before heading out onto the Fields nearby and finding 2x Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and a small flock of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I called in at Balsa de Rigedor but did not find anything new so I pushed on to my last stop which was my usual patch around the Lucerne fields where I found Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), a single Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia), Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and a Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) before heading home with a total of 80 species on the bird list. 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain

On the patch again.

Ebird List.

A bit of Snow on the Hill.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) female.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

On the Patch and sitting by a Puddle.

Ebird List.

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

I parked and walked out to the plantation and back again and then sat in the car by a puddle formed by a leak in the Irrigation channels.

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Species seen included Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), a latish Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

By the puddle I managed some shots of White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra). 

Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) male.

Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Checking the Curlew Fields.

Ebird List.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I parked in one of the gateways to the fields and scanned the stripes of crops and fallow areas and counted 23 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), getting on for 200 Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), along with Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua). 

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I also did a walk along the Dog S**T Track wher I found that there were actually 26 Little Bustards but most surprising was the number of Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), at one point I could count 19 all feeding along the field edges.

Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A bit more Patch work.

Ebird List.

I did the standard walk out to the Plantation and back again picking up Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A bit bigger loop around the patch.

Ebird List.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) some of the 23 birds seen.

I parked at the usual spot and walked to the crossroads and then down to the second bridge on the road to Huétor, then I turned around and too the track to the south of the Arroyo back to the car.

Species seen included Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) as well as Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Small White (Pieris rapae).

 

Sendero de la Boca de la Pescá, Sierra Nevada, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning walking with Juan Pérez Contreras, his Colleagues and a few students.

Ebird List fr the Walk.

I arrived at the meeting point at the La Fuente del Hervidero, Restaurante El Macareno a little early and started my list off with a couple of Bramblings (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) and the first of several Ring Ouzels (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) before the Coach turned up with the Students and teaches and a van with Antonio J. Ramos Lafuente, a guide from the Sierra Nevada and his colleague.

Once everyone was ready we headed out and did a nice walk up to the fire watch point at Boca de la Pescá and back, interesting species included Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) x1, Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Cirl (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), more Ring Ouzels but the stars were a small flock of 6 Alpine Accentors (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Walking back from the Mechanic's in Venta Nueva.

Ebird List for the walk.

 

Species included Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Staying local again but getting a bit Exotic.

Ebird List for the Dog S**T Track.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I parked at the start of the Dog S**T Track and walked to the far end and then across to the road and back around to the car, on the way I saw 21 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), a few Eurasian Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), 2x Bluethroats (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and a rather unexpected Yellow-faced Grassquit (Semillerito Cariamarillo / Tiaris olivaceus) which must have done a runner from a local cage, thanks to Ed McKrill for the ID.

Yellow-faced Grassquit (Semillerito Cariamarillo / Tiaris olivaceus) female.

Yellow-faced Grassquit (Semillerito Cariamarillo / Tiaris olivaceus) female.

Later I went for a walk around the fields finding Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki).

Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis).

 

Malaga Province and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning in Malaga Province and then a walk around the Fields.

Ebird List for Malaga site to follow ????

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

The Morning was spent at a site down in Malaga but that bit of the day will follow when possible, when I got home I did a walk around the fields, main species were Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).