Travelling North to Parque Polvoranca near Madrid, North to Santader, Cantabria, Spain.

A day travelling North.

Winter trip, day one.

Ebird List for the Park.

Ebird List for Pool.

 

I set off from the house at 05:30ish and went east to Granada and the north to Madrid, on the way I stopped for Coffee and a Tostarda at Hostal Restaurante El Puente and by the time I set off again it was getting light, so I was able to start the days list.

Some of the Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

On the way to my only planned stop of the day, I recorded lots of Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) with lesser numbers of Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Bar-headed Geese (Ánsar indio / Anser indicus).

I reached the park, but the rain just kept coming, so I decided to put on the waterproofs and go for it, near where I had parked there was a small strip of water with some reeds where I saw and heard Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

After returning to the main path I made my way up to the larger park pool, on the way finding Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Bar-headed Geese (Ánsar indio / Anser indicus).

Bar-headed Geese (Ánsar indio / Anser indicus).

I did a full loop of the main pool, there was a large gathering of around 275 Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), along with Bar-headed Geese (Ánsar indio / Anser indicus), Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) domestic, Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Mallard, Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Grey Heron, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

Once I was clear of Madrid I had a nice drive along the N6, just to the south of Labajos I picked up a large Raptor sat on one of the big pylons which I was fairly sure was an adult Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) so a short way along the road I did a U-turn and went back to check it and found a nice convenient track which I turned into and got nice views of the Eagle.

Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

A couple of hundred meters down the same track there was a nice looking pool (Laguna de San Bartolomé) which I checked and found Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Coot, Little Grebe, Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), White Wagtail, Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

The Pool, the Eagle was on the Pylon just to the Left out of view.

I continued on again and during my drive up to the North, adding Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Little and Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Black Redstart and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) on the way, as I was feeling fine I just kept going and about 40 mins south of Santander I booked a place to stay to the NW of the main town up near Cabo Mayor where I wanted to start in the morning.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around the Lucerne Fields and a check of the Town Fields.

Ebird List for the Fields.

 

Looking out over the Lucerne Fields.

I started the day with some shopping and then once it warmed up a tad I went for a walk from the Walnut trees up to my usual parking spot and then back past the car along the track to the goat yard.

The newly cleared Arroyo Vilano, could be good in the future but s**t at the moment.

Along the Lucerne fields, I had Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x1, Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) x2, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) x1, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) x2, Iberian (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) x16 minimum, Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), House (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), White Wallrocket (Diplotaxis erucoides), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Small White (Pieris rapae) x3 and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x1.

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis).

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

I worked my way back to Huétor and then came back to the house via the Town Fields where there were several people working out on the different areas which meant most of the birds had gone, I added just a couple of Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) before I headed home. 

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

Playa de Poniente, Charca de Suárez and Huétor Fields in Granada Province, Spain.

A morning's birding with good friend Juan Perez on the Granada Coast.

Ebird List for the Coast.

Ebird List for Charca de Suarez.

 

Playa de Poniente, just after sunrise.

I left home early and was down on the coast to do a sea watch with Juan by 08:30, on the way I saw good numbers of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which were coming out of a roost somewhere nearby, I also picked up Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

One of the many  Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) feeding off shore.

Once I reached the coast I met Juan and the lovely Chika (Juan and Beatriz's Dog), we set up our scopes and started to scan the sea in front of us where we picked up good numbers of Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull, Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Looking back up to the Sierra Nevada from the Beach.

Chika sticking her tongue out at me.

At 09:30 we made a move to Charca, first we checked the small pool near the entrance, finding Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada) and a flyover group of Eurasian Siskin (Jilguero Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera) and a Hybrid Coot. 

As we moved on around to the southern hide overlooking Laguna del Taraje we picked up more Northern Shoveler, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Eurasian Teal, Eurasian (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) and a Hybrid, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and the first of several Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) with around 25 in total around the reserve.

Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata) into the sun.

Around at the other end of the Laguna del Taraje we saw no new species of birds, but we did find Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and had a large Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) run across the track in front of us.

Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo) fruit.

Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).

We walked across to the nearby hide which overlooks Laguna Alamo Blanco seeing a large fruiting Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo), from the hide we saw a single immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and a few species we had already recorded then just outside in the Tamarisks we heard a slightly weird call from the first of at least 3 wintering Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) and a heard only Eurasian Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus).

On our way around to the main hide, we saw and heard Monk Parakeet, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

From the main hide overlooking Laguna de la Aneas we picked up Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Yellow-legged Gull, Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 2 more immature Greater Flamingo's, a single Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) and a single Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris). 

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

On the way around to Laguna del Trébol we had a very nice Monarch (Danaus plexippus) x1 which landed on a Purple Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea) flower and from in the hide we added the first of 4 Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) 2♂ and 2 ♀, Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Snipe, and a ♀  Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica). 

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) and a Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

We left the hide when quite a group of people arrived and walked around to the hide which looks over the other end of the same pool adding 2 pale morph Booted Eagles (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis) heard, Small White (Pieris rapae) x5 and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x3. 

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

Further around the reserve, we checked Laguna del Lirio where I saw my first Common Starling of the day and European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera).

Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera).

We made our way back around towards Alamo Blanco hearing Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) on the way, where we met Beatriz and had a chat but also again heard the Eurasian Wryneck and Eurasian Penduline Tit but added a small flock of Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava) which flew over.

Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Hybrid Coot.

Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata).

I said goodbye to Beatriz and Juan after a really nice morning and made my way back towards home, as I was driving I picked up 5x Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica). 

European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Once I reach Huétor I decided to go and have a look to see if the late European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) was still around, when I arrived there weren't any Doves around at all but after around 10 minutes several Eurasian Collared Dove started to turn up and a few minutes later the European Turtle came in and landed on the fence, then went down onto the ground and started to feed. 

European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Other species included Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Rio Genil West of the Bridge and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk along the Rio Genil and the up to the fields to the north of the town.

Ebird List for the Rio Genil.

Ebird List for the Fields.

 

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

I started the Morning with a walk along the Rio Genil to the west of the bridge but through the fog I didn't manage to see much, however I did see and hear Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) domestic, Muscovy Duck (Pato criollo / Cairina moschata) domestic, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) domestic and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) by the bridge and as I walked Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Spotless Starling, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a quite unexpected Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

The Arroyo Vilano to the east of the road bridge, where it's a little more natural.

Later I drove out onto the fields as the fog had mostly cleared from there, I parked at the Walnut trees but instead of walking the Lucerne fields I went the other way along the Arroyo as far as the Railway Bridge.

Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

On the way I saw Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Woodpigeon, Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Great Tit, Black Redstart, European Stonechat, Sardinian Warbler and Cetti's Warbler, Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Blackbird, loads of Iberian (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and a few Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Spotless Starling, Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch and Corn Bunting.

European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

On the way back, I checked the Collared Doves in the Goat Yard and was surprised to see a European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) mixed in with a group of Doves. 

As I got back to the car, I scanned the fields and added the two resident Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).