Conjunto Arqueológico Baelo Claudia, Cueva del Moro in Sierra de Plata, La Janda, Barbate Marismas, Cadiz Province, Spain.

More birds, butterflies and Roman remains with Pam and John.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

We were off early and by 10.00 we were at the entrance to the Conjunto Arqueológico Baelo Claudia, on the way down we saw Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Collared (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Looking down on the Bolonia area from Sierra de Plata.

John looking for Swifts.

We dropped Pam off at the site before heading just up the road to Sierra de Plata where we spent some time checking the cliffs, caves and woods for birds and butterflies finding Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) and a couple of gliding Monarchs (Danaus plexippus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

We didn't find any interesting Swifts, in fact we didn't see a single Swift so we dropped down to a lower level and took another track but we didn't do any better here so we returned to Baelo Claudia and went for a walk around the site for a while, it was very impressive but spoilt slightly for me by the amount of metal fences and barriers, I understand that lots of people don't respect signs saying keep off the monument but it could be done better.

Our next stop was going to be for some lunch at a roadside bar in Tahivilla but it was closed so we went up into the town it's self where we found a nice little bar in the main square and had a nice lunch, whilst we were sat there I saw a lady getting into her car with a hair colour that I recognized so I went over and had a quick chat with Eva Bratek (who I had not see for quite long time) as she was on her way to work.

We finish Lunch and went for a drive along the track which follows the Main Channel through La Janda, it was very quiet but we did see Common Stonechat, Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and on some flooded Rice Fields several Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) and Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus). 

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

We left La Janda and made our way to the cliffs where the Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita) breed but as I had suspected they had already moved on so we did as well and made our way to the Barbate Saltpans.

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

We arrived and in the paddocks near the main road we saw at least 12 of the Ibis feeding amongst lots of Cattle, later in the shade of a tree we scanned the water finding Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons), Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Greater Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla).

A very worn Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla).

We left the site and made our way up to our hotel at Puerto Real where we settled in and then had a couple of drinks and something to eat, as we sat there we had good numbers of Common Swifts over head and fly overs by White Storks and two Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

Villa Romana de Salar, Salar, Granada Province, Spain.

A visit to see the superb Roman Mosaics at Salar.

Their Website.

The dining room floor.

I had mentioned to Pam and John about a site near to us where there is an on going excavation of a Roman Villa and they were very Keen on visiting the place so I went on line and booked.

On the morning we met a very nice young lady who showed us around the three covered areas where we saw some of the most amazing Mosaics.

It was very well woth the €5 charge and more and I would recommend anyone in the area or visiting to prebook and visit.

John's Gambas Pil-Pil bubbling away nicely.

Later we went down to Huétor Tajar and had a meal, John really enjoyed his Gambas Pil-Pil.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 28th June 23. 
15W Actinic on the terrace, min +21. 

23 Moths of 8 Species.

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

 

1426 Prays oleae x1, 1655 Ethmia bipunctella x1, 5624 Bostra obsoletalis x5, 6145 Ematheudes punctella x2, 6551 Udea numeralis x7, 6690 Palpita vitrealis x3, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x3 and 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x1.

Sierra Nevada, Granada Province, Spain.

A day up in the Sierra with Pam and John looking for a couple of endemic's.

Looking out to the North.

Pam, John and I started the day with a Coffee at Hostal Restaurante El Desvio half way up the Sierra Nevada before heading up to the barrier and then going for a walk along the track out to the Hoya de San Juan which John renamed as the track of death after his first visit up there a few years ago.

Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus).

Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus).

Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus).

Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus).

Anyway when we first arrived it was quiet butterfly wise but we still picked up a few birds including Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris).

Mountain Stone Grasshopper (Eumigus monticola).

Eryngium glaciale.

Jurinea humilis.

Hormathophylla spinosa.

As we walked out we saw Mountain Stone Grasshopper (Eumigus monticola), the first of around 25+ Nevada Blues (Pleicula golgus) an endemic to these mountains, which was followed by Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) x3, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x2, Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x2 and eventually the species we had come for, the Spanish Brassy Ringlet (Erebia hispania) which is a locally common Spanish endemic found only here and in the eastern Pyrenees.

Arenaria imbricata.

St Bruno's Lily (Paradisia liliastrum).

Digitalis purpurea.

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We also saw a few species of Wild Flower as we walked including Hormathophylla spinosa, Digitalis purpurea, Arenaria imbricata, Erigeron frigidus, Eryngium glaciale, Eryngium bourgatii, Mediterranean Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Minature Wild Plum (Prunus prostrata) and St Bruno's Lily (Paradisia liliastrum).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Idas Blue (Plebejus idas).

Mountain Argus (Aricia montensis).

We returned to the car and dropped down into the Ski Resort where we had a coffee before going for a walk out onto the slopes nearby where we found several new species of butterfly but the numbers were very low, we did see Idas (Plebejus idas) x1 and Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) x3, Small (Lycaena phlaeas) x1 and Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron) x2, Knapweed (Melitaea phoebe) x1 and Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora) x1, Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto) x3, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x5, Black-veined (Aporia crataegi) x1 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x2 and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x3.

Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata).

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

In this area we also saw Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata), Horse Mint (Mentha longifolia), Small Fleabane (Pulicaria vulgaris), Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus).

Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron).

Knapweed (Melitaea phoebe) and Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).

We dropped down and started to make our way down the old road towards Granada via Güéjar Sierra, our first stop was at area of grassland a couple of KM below the Visitor's Center where we had Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis) and Phlomis crinita subsp. malacitana, White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Blue Spotted  (Satyrium spini) x5 and False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi) x2, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x3, Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes) x1, Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) x1 and Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) x2.

Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes).

Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Robber-fly Species.

Phlomis crinita subsp. malacitana.

Further down the hill we stopped at the Fuente Agrilla where we checked the roadside verges and the Ash trees where we found Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris) x3, Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) x14+, Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli) x1, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x3, Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) x1, Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) x5, Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe) x2, Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus baeticus) x5 and a Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x2.

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli).

We also saw another spike of Robust Marsh Orchid, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) which was huge and by far the biggest specimen I have ever seen, Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) by far the biggest I have seen.

Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata).

We continued on down the hill to a spot next to the Rio Genil where we had a look around but it was a little difficult as there were a couple of people there swimming, however we still added Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Holly (Celastrina argiolus) and Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) along with Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) before we headed back to the house.