Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 21st July 23. 
15W Actinic on the terrace, min +24.  

23 Moths of 13 Species.

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

5742 Etiella zinckenella.

Species seen included 5578 Lamoria anella x1, 5742 Etiella zinckenella x1, 5615 Synaphe lorquinalis x1, 5624 Bostra obsoletalis x10, 6551 Udea numeralis x1, 6599 Pyrausta sanguinalis (Scarce Crimson & Gold) x1, 6690 Palpita vitrealis x2, 7533 Stegania trimaculata (Dorset Cream Wave) x1, 7564 Itame vincularia x1, 8107a Idaea mustelata x1, 8899 Clytie illunaris (Trent Double-stripe) x1, 9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled) x1 and 10018 Mythimna languida x1.

5615 Synaphe lorquinalis.

9142 Eublemma parva (Small Marbled).

8899 Clytie illunaris (Trent Double-stripe).

8107a Idaea mustelata.

10018 Mythimna languida.

5578 Lamoria anella.

6599 Pyrausta sanguinalis (Scarce Crimson & Gold).

7533 Stegania trimaculata (Dorset Cream Wave).

 

Mirador del Alto de Hondonero, Malaga Province, Spain.

In search of an anomaly.

Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus).

After getting a message from friend Alvaro that he had seen an Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae) at a spot near to the Mirador del Alto de Hondonero I decided to give it a go as I have only ever seen this species once before.

Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus).

Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia).

I arrived and spent a few hours walking around the site checking the patches of Penny Royal (Mentha pulegium) until it just got too dam hot, I didn't connect with the Blue but I did find several Tree (Hipparchia statilinus) and Striped Graylings (Hipparchia fidia), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Small (Thymelicus sylvestris) and Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus),  Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

I also had a good view of  a couple of very smart Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) dragonflies which were in the Hawthorns and rushes along the only wet area on the site.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus).

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

As I walked I also saw several birds which included Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Rock (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula). 

Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii).

 

Jardín Botánico Hoya de Pedraza, Sierra Nevada, Granada Province, Spain.

A few (just a few) of the Moths seen during the Survey.

Polyphylla fullo ???????

Species included 6761 Gufria limosa, 6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawkmoth), 7717 Nychiodes hispanica, 8092 Idaea mediaria, 8107a Idaea mustelata, 8180 Idaea ostrinaria, 8775 Acronicta cuspis, 8888 Catocala nymphagoga, 8904 Dysgonia algira, 9142 Eublemma parva, 9513 Auchmis detersa, 9787 Litoligia literosa, 10096 Noctua pronuba, 10100 Noctua fimbriata, 10257 Euxoa powelli, 10296 Dichagyris candelisequa, 10406 Sphrageidus similis ?????

Miguel getting ready to check one of the traps.

Looking into the trap.

8775 Acronicta cuspis ???????

10406 Sphrageidus similis ?????

6761 Gufria limosa.

7717 Nychiodes hispanica.

6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawkmoth).

9513 Auchmis detersa.

10257 Euxoa powelli.

10296 Dichagyris candelisequa.

 

Jardín Botánico Hoya de Pedraza, Sierra Nevada, Granada Province, Spain.

Another night Moth surveying up in the Sierra Nevada.

I was out side the Botanical Garden early so I spent a while checking on the birds in the Pines opposite, I saw good numbers of Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) which all crossed into the Botanical gardens along with Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).

I also saw Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) before going in to the Gardens with the rest of the group and setting up the traps.

Later we had something to eat under the trees near the big lawn before turning on the MV bulbs at the sheet trap where the Public part of the took place.

El Temple and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province, Spain.

A day out on the Fields with Nuria Garzas and Ivan Martinez.

Ebird List for fist stop.

Ebird List for El Temple area.

Ebird List for Rio Cacín.

Ebird List for the Embalse.

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

I met Nuria and Ivan up near Granada, we had originally planned to go up high as it was going to be hot but they had been up in that area for a few days so we headed out on to El Temple, on the way we made a stop starting the list with Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

We moved out onto the fields and as we drove the tracks the heat started to build but we still managed to find Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Short-toed (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) x2 and Booted Eagles (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) x2, Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) x5, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Lesser (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Iberian Grey (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla). 

We crossed from the fields to the Cacín Valley via the ridge where we picked up 3x Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and a couple of Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore) butterflies as we dropped down into the village of Cacín.

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

On the far side of the village we had a walk along the Rio Cacín where we added Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes), another Booted Eagle, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) x2 and Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).

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

We returned to the car and tried to get up to the Contra Embalse de Cacín but we again got turned back by a guy on junction but he told us we could get to the Embalse via a track next to the cemetery so we out that way and soon found the track and after a while we reached the dam but we couldn't see the water and had to do a steep but short climb up into the Pines but it was worth it as we were soon watching a very smart Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) x3, Booted Eagle x1, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), loads of Red-rumped Swallows, House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Nuria and Ivan still smiling after getting baked out on the fields.

We returned to the car and after having some lunch we went into the Pine Woodlands further up the valley towards El Turro where we were very pleased to find adult and immature Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and calling Crossbills.

We started to head back towards Granada Via the Moraleda Fields but by now things were extremely hot so we didn't add anything, we returned to our meeting point and then went to try and cool down.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Getting a walk before the heat built up again.

Ebird List.

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

Today I managed to find 4 of the 5 Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), a group of 7 Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) but the best record was of 3 Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) which flew through the area, not a regular species locally.

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) adult.

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) immature.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 15th July 23. 
15W Actinic on the terrace, min +25. 

18 Moths of 10 Species.

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

6001 Euzophera lunulella.

Very quiet due to the heat, 0663 Trichophaga bipartitella x1, 4855 Epinotia thapsiana x2, 5624 Bostra obsoletalis x7, 6001 Euzophera lunulella x1, 6551 Udea numeralis x1, 6690 Palpita vitrealis x1, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x1, 8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal) x1, 9081 Ni Moth (Trichoplusia ni) x2 and 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x1.

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Euchromius Species.

9081 Ni Moth (Trichoplusia ni).

6551 Udea numeralis.

9081 Ni Moth (Trichoplusia ni).

4855 Epinotia thapsiana.

0663 Trichophaga bipartitella.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Breeding success down on the fields.

Ebird List.

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtails (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) immature bird.

I parked at the usual spot and went for a walk before it got too hot as I wanted to see if the Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) were still around, they were but I only managed to see 1 adult and 2 of the youngsters.

As I walked I also saw 4x female looking Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) but guess these birds were the adult female and the 3 youngsters I had seen a few weeks ago, the young birds looked pretty much the same size as the adult bird but just a tad paler.

Another species of interest was the 9x Spanish (Yellow) Wagtails (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) including 4 immature birds which confirmed that the species breed locally, surprisingly the first time I have noticed this.

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtails (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) immature bird.

Other species included Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Reed Warblers (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) in the Maze crop which are usually early migrants heading south and a Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) which have been scarce locally this year.

Butterflies for the trip, 5th to the 11th July 2023.

Butterfly List for the Trip. 

  Day One 5th.

 1, Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe), 

 2, Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), 

 3, Small White (Pieris rapae), 

 4, Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora),

 5, Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus),

 6, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina),

 7, Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli),

 8, Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus),

 9, Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous),

10, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), 

 

Day Two 6th.

11, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), 

12, Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea nevadensis),

13, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus),

14, Green-veined White (Pieris napi),

15, Marbled White (Melanargia galathea),

16, Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus),

17, Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis), 

18, False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi),

19, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus),

20, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera),

21, Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus),

22, Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon), 

23, Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris),

24, Wood White (Leptidea sinapis), 

25, Large White (Pieris brassicae),

26, Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe),

27, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra),

28, Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni),

29, Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia),

30, Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae),

31, Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus),

32, Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli),

33, Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia),

34, Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera),

35, Purple Emperor (Apatura iris),

36, Short-tailed Blue (Cupido argiades),

37, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta),

38, Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides),

39, Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages), 

40, Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius),

41, Purple Hairstreak (Favonius Quercus),

42, Weaver's Fritillary (Boloria dia),

43, Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe),

44, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene),

45, Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini),

46, Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus),

Day Three 7th.

47, Marbled Skipper (Muschampia lavatherae),

48, Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis), 

49, Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans),

50, Common Brassy Ringlet (Erebia cassioides),

51, Lefebvre's Ringlet (Erebia lefebvrei),

52, Turquoise Blue (Polyommatus dorylas),

53, Small Blue (Cupido minimus),

54, Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus),

 

Day Four 8th.

55, Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae),

56, Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus),  

57, Dark-green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja),

58, Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi),

59, Rock Grayling (Hipparchia alcyone),

60, Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine),

61, Chalk Hill Blue (Lysandra coridon),

62, Dusky Large Blue (Phengaris nausithous),

63, Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides),

64, Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino),

65, Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe),

 

Day Five 9th.

66, Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia), 

67, Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera),

68, Grayling (Hipparchia semele),

69, Apollo (Parnassius apollo),

70, Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae),

71, Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), 

 

Day Six 10th.

72, Chapman's Ringlet (Erebia palarica), 

73, Chapman's Blue (Polyommatus Thersites),

 

Day Seven 11th

74, Damon Blue (Polyommatus damon), 

75, Ripart's Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus ripartii),

76, Esper's Marbled White (Melanargia russiae),

77, Twin-spot fritillary (Brenthis hecate),

78, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui),

79, Peacock (Aglais io),