Mollina Area, Fuente de Piedra, track between MA468 and A357 (Arroyo del Chumbo - Arroyo del Cañuelo), Rio Guadiaro at Indiana in Malaga Province and Grazalema in Cadiz Province, Spain.

A trip over to see Sue in Grazalema.

Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

I did a few jobs at the house before I set off to the west, my first stop was at some fields in the Mollina area where I was looking for Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin (Alzacola / Cercotrichas galactotes), I drove the tracks finding Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and then two year ticks, Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and then the Scrub Robin which was singing from a chain-link fence.

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

I pushed on over to Fuente de Piedra and had a quick look around as it was getting quite warm, on the entrance pool I picked up Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

The first area of water, Arroyo del Chumbo.

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) Male.

A few of the many Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens).

I walked out to the Boardwalk but it was pretty much dry so I walked back up to the car and started to head towards Campillos but took the wrong road and found myself heading for Teba but after a while I saw a track that looked interesting, so took a left and as I drove I found two streams which crossed my path.

Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens).

Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens).

Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens).

Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens).

At the first I found Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

At the second, which was smaller there were 50+ Mediterranean Bluet's (Coenagrion caerulescens) mostly in tandem, 2x Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum), Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

I reached the road down towards Malaga and then took the road to Ronda and to my final stop before reaching Sue's which was along the Rio Guadiaro at Indiana, here I saw White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) and a couple of Western Olivaceous Warblers (Iduna opaca)which was the main reason for coming to this spot.

Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna).

In amongst the plants including lots of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) and other riverside vegetation I found Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna) x3, Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) and Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium).

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum).

I continued on and managed to park right outside Sue's house and after I unloaded we went up onto the terrace for a drink, later we had a nice meal and then just sat looking at the night sky spotting satellites.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 10th May 23. 
15W Actinic on the terrace, min +16. 

246 Moths of 29 Species.

Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks. 

6604 Pyrausta aurata.

0557 Infurcitana atrifasciella x2, 1361 Zelleria oleastrella x3, 1655 Ethmia bipunctella x1, 3029 Dysspastus fallax x12, 3036 Stibaromacha ratella x1, 3757 Sophronia humerella x2, 4359 Pontoturania posterana x1, 5512 Wheeleria spilodactylus x1, 5578 Lamoria anella x4, 5615 Synaphe lorquinalis x3, 5624 Bostra obsoletalis x185, 5850 Oxybia transversella x2, 5864 Acrobasis obliqua x2, 6145 Ematheudes punctella x6, 6551 Udea numeralis x4, 6604 Pyrausta aurata x1, 6690 Palpita vitrealis x1, 7564 Itame vincularia x1, 7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x1, 7765 Peribatodes ilicaria (Lydd Beauty) x1, 8073 Scopula minorata x3, 8145 Idaea manicaria x3, 8186 Idaea degeneraria (Portland Ribbon Wave) x3, 8509 Eupithecia cenaureata (Lime-speck Pug) x1, 8965 Tyta luctuosa (Four-spotted Moth) x1, 9097 Acontia trabealis x1, 9425 Caradrina proxima x1, 9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x2 and 10493 Eilema caniola (Hoary Footman) x1.

9097 Acontia trabealis.

4359 Pontoturania posterana.

8073 Scopula minorata.

7564 Itame vincularia.

0557 Infurcitana atrifasciella ????

5512 Wheeleria spilodactylus ????

 

Rincon del la Victoria and Torre del Mar, Malaga Province, Spain.

Mom and John's last full day, so we went down to the coast.

Mom and John on the sea front at Torre del Mar.

We set off for Rincon but when we arrived we found that the Prom had major works being done on the water pipes and it was dug up in large sections, so after having a coffee we headed a bit further along the coast to Torre del Mar where we had a very pleasant walk along the front.

As we walked I saw a few species including Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia) x3 which were heading west along the beach, Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and lots of the noisy invasive Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

As we sat on one of the benches in amongst the municipal gardens I saw a small white butterfly land briefly on a stone and when I checked it I was surprised to see it was very smart male Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) but before I could get a picture it was off strongly west along the front.

We turned around and stopped for some lunch and an ice-cream before heading back to the house, later we went down to La Fabrica where we had a very nice evening meal in Restaurante / Asador Panilla or as the locals know it José's.

Mirador Del Alto De Hondonero, Malaga Province, Spain.

Catching up with Andy Tweed and some good butterflies.

Looking down from the Mirador Del Alto De Hondonero.

I was out and about early and met Andy just below the car park at the Mirador but the sun had still not cleared the hill so it was birds that I was listing to start with including Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Western Subalpine (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans), Western Orphean (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis), Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Rock (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Cirl (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi).

Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi).

Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi) being eaten by a Iberian Wingless Mantis (Apteromantis aptera).

Iberian Wingless Mantis (Apteromantis aptera).

Once the sun came up over the ridge and the butterflies were soon on the wing, by far the commonest species was the Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi), one of which was being eaten by a very smart looking Iberian Wingless Mantis (Apteromantis aptera).

Spanish Fritillary (Euphydryas desfontainii).

Spanish Fritillary (Euphydryas desfontainii).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Provençal Fritillary (Melitaea deione).

There were also good numbers of Provençal (Melitaea deione), Knapweed (Melitaea phoebe), Cardinal (Argynnis pandora) and at least 3 of the rare and local Spanish Fritillary (Euphydryas desfontainii).

False Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes abencerragus).

False Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes abencerragus).

False Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes abencerragus).

False Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes abencerragus).

Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Also seen were Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines), Holly (Celastrina argiolus), Lorquin's (Cupido lorquinii), Southern (Polyommatus celina), Panoptes (Pseudophilotes panoptes) and False Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes abencerragus), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides), Small (Pieris rapae) and Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi).

Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines).

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).

False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi).

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

We also had several Skipper species which I hope I have Ided correctly but included Rosy Grizzled (Pyrgus onopordi), Sage (Muschampia proto), Southern Marbled (Carcharodus baeticus) and Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

Other things seen included Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), European Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus), Chimney Sweeper (Odezia atrata), Ophrys algarviensis (Thanks Perry), Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia), Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa), Prickly Poppy (Papaver argenone), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), Red Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea), Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata), Tassel Hyacinth (Leopoldia comosa), Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis), Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus) and Convolvulus meonanthus.

Convolvulus meonanthus.

Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).

Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).

Pantaneta de Alhama, Granada Province, Spain.

A bit of a dip.

After breakfast at Bar Florida Mom, John and I headed South to the Pantaneta de Alhama where a male Ring-necked Duck (Porrón acollarado / Aythya collaris) had been seen yesterday.

We arrived but unfortunately as hard as I tried I could not find the bird, I did find Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

After a while I gave up and we headed back towards Loja adding Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).

Later we went to do a bit of shopping before returning to the house to chill, later we went up on the terrace hearing Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis). 

Riofrio, Loja and near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning out and about then and an afternoon on the terrace.

Ebird List for Riofrio.

We headed off down to Riofrio expecting to have a quiet walk along the river and then a coffee, when we arrived we found that there was going to be a mountain bike race coming through.

We parked and had a nice walk along the river, on the way I saw Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).