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

Out on to the fields into the Valley with Bob.

Ebird List for El Temple.

Ebird List for Contraembalse de los Bermejalis.

Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).

We set off and headed down onto the fields near Huétor, on the way we started the list with Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and once on the fields we picked up the calling male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), a distant Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

We moved on and headed for the area called El Temple, on the way we saw Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) before we hit the tracks.

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

On the first section we which had a few trees we saw Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Nightingale and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).

Once we were out on the more open area we were very pleased to find a good number of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) along with 2x Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis), plenty of Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) as well as Bath (Pontia daplidice) x6 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x8+, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x4+ and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x2.

Whilst we were out on the area we watched a good number of Military type aircraft circle several times practicing for an upcoming event in Motril.

We dropped down off this section and as we were driving between spots we bumped into Good friend Juan Perez who was out for a bit of birding as well, after a chat we were on our way and the next species we connected with was a very smart looking Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) which was followed by Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus).

At this point we got a call from Juan to say he had relocated the female Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) and that there was a Hobby (Alcotán Europeo / Falco subbuteo) in the same area, so armed with some directions we went to the area and soon found Juan who said the Hobby had gone but both the Male and female Red-foots were in the area but distant.

Juan kindly let Bob and I have views of the cracking birds through his scope, they were some distance a way but with the scope they looked great as they hunted over an area of cereal fields and sat resting in the Olives which bordered the area, whilst in this area we also had Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

After thanking Juan for the call and the use of his scope we headed off for some Lunch and the headed out to the Cacín Valley, on the way out there we saw European Bee-eater, lots more Turtle Doves which seem to be in very good numbers locally, Common Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae). 

Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

Along the Rio Cacín just out side the village we saw Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Golden Oriole, yet another Booted Eagle, Nightingale, Blackcap, Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) x1, Clouded Yellow x2 and Small White x3 before heading up the Valley to the Contraembalse where we added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Great Reed Warbler (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus) which was a year tick, Iberian  Magpie, another Short-toed Eagle and a male Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens).

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

Just before we were about to head off friends Jane and Bob pulled so we had a bit of a catch up before they headed off home and we made our way to a spot in the Pine woodlands a bit further up stream, here we picked up a single Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus).

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

We moved up the Valley again to the cliffs below Moraleda were we looked for but missed Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) but we did pick up Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) before we headed for the Fields again adding Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) and Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

Looking out towards Parapanda.

We returned to the house and spent a while sat out on the terrace even though it was raining at times. 

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 24th May 23. 
15W Actinic on the terrace, min +11. 

27 Moths of 12 Species.

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

9106 Pseudozarba bipartita.

1361 Zelleria oleastrella x4, 1655 Ethmia bipunctella x2, 3029 Dysspastus fallax x4???? 5624 Bostra obsoletalis x7, 6690 Palpita vitrealis x1, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x1, 7549 Chiasmia aestimaria x1, 7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x2, 8059 Scopula marginepunctata (Mullein Wave) x1, 8509 Eupithecia cenaureata (Lime-speck Pug) x2, 9106 Pseudozarba bipartita x1, 10238 Peridroma saucia (Pearly Underwing) x1.

7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).

8509 Eupithecia cenaureata (Lime-speck Pug).

????????????

10238 Peridroma saucia (Pearly Underwing).

3029 Dysspastus fallax ??????

????????????

7725 Menophra japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber).

????????????

6145 Ematheudes punctella.

5624 Bostra obsoletalis.

7549 Chiasmia aestimaria.

 

Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around the fields with Bob Wright from UK.

 

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

Bob arrived just after 14:00 and after we got him settled in and then had a coffee we headed down onto the fields, on the way down we saw a very nice adult Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), several Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and at the junction a nice Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) sat amongst the wires. 

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

We parked at the usual spot and then walked out as far as the goat compound but looking to the South East at an approaching storm we decided to turn tail and make a run for the car.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

As we walked we picked up Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), a few Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) mixed in with a couple of hundred more Common Swifts, Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Other species seen were around 35+ Small Whites (Pieris rapae), Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x1, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x8, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x1 and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x1.

The approaching Storm.

We got back to the car just in time and headed back up towards the house where we later had something to eat before going up on the terrace where we added Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Cerro Hacho, Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of hours at the puddle.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

I spent the Morning doing some chores around the house, in Loja and Huétor before spending a couple of hours up by the puddle on Hacho.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

I parked and set up but it started to rain almost straight away but I stuck it out and even though not many species came in it was worth it to get the shots of one of the four Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) that were chasing around the area.

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

Bird wise the only pictures I got were of a Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) but I also saw Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus). 

Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra).

As I drove back towards the house I saw several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A short walk around the fields.

Ebird List.

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I popped down to the fields in the out side chance of finding the Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) might have hung around but it hadn't, how ever I did see the male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 5x Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), 2x Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), a singing Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) which was a bit of a surprise, Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Near Huétor Tajar and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

They are like buses, have waited for a Red-footed Falcon for ages and then 3 come along in a few days.

Ebird List for the fields.

First thing in the morning Barbara, Derek, Sonia, Ricky, Barbara and Jerry arrived at mine for a meeting to sort of things out about our upcoming trip to the Pyrenees, whilst we chatted and had coffee we saw 4x Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and others.

At around 11:00 they all headed out for some birding and I got a bit done on the Laptop before heading down to Urgencias at Loja hospital.

Later I headed down to Huétor Fields but only did a short walk around the Lucerne Fields, I was surprised to see the male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) chasing one of the females that had been see a month or so ago.

As I walked I also recorded 3x Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and then all of a sudden I was aware of a kerfuffle behide me so I turned around and saw a large group of House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) mobbing a smallish falcon which crossed the Arroyo and then headed off over the fields and as it went I identified it as my 2nd Male and 3rd Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) in the last few days.

After the falcon disappeared over the Olives I continued on to the Walnut trees adding Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

El Temple, Granada Province, Spain.

A day birding and storm watching with Polly.

Ebird List list for El Temple in the afternoon.

 

A bit of interesting Weather out on El Temple.

I met Polly at Restaurante La Abadía and after having a coffee we headed out onto El Temple but before we got very far we were watching a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which looked like it was carrying the remains of the rear end of a Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

In the same area we added Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) male.

We continued on to a nearby semi-abandonded Cortijo where we had good views of a pair of Booted Eagles (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Rock Dove (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and as we were leaving we heard a snippet from a Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

We continued on out onto the fields proper, on the way we had Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Out on the first of the tracks we picked up Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Polly taking some storm shots.

As we turned back towards the road through the site we started to hear the first rumbles of thunder  and saw the first flashes of lightening, just before we reached the road we stopped and spent quite a while photographing the approaching storms.

We crossed to another set of tracks finding Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) heard only, House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and a pale immature Short-toed Eagle.

An unfortunate new but growing problem, intensive planting of Olive trees.

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

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

A pale immature Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

We went back across to the far side of the road and found one of the main targets of the day a very smart Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) and an equally stunning Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus) which unfortunately disappeared into a wall before Polly could get the camera on it.

Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) female.

We returned to the meeting point where I dropped Polly back to her car after a very enjoyable day, later on my way home I called into another more sensitive area where I soon found the female Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus) sat out in the middle of a ploughed field but as I scanned I was amazed to find a male Red-footed sat around 20m away and right next to that bird there was a nice adult Hobby (Alcotán Europeo / Falco subbuteo) but this bird immediately flew off into the Almonds.

Male Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus).

Male Red-footed Falcon (Cernícalo patirrojo / Falco vespertinus).

The rain arrived so I decided to head for home.