Ophrys Fusca subsp fusca, El Turro, Granada Province.

First Orchids of the year.

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).

Whilst out birding in the Cacin Valley near El Turro today, we found several spikes of Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis) in flower, the first orchids of the year. Standing between 6 and 10 cms tall, about 30 plants were found on a roadside verge under Pine trees, plants can reach a height of 40 cms. 

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).

Most spikes have between 2 and 9 blooms, this species is usually one of the first to be found in flower but this year after the wet winter and a few days of sun shine they are earlier than usual. 

Red-knobbed Coots at Embalse del Cacin and at the Pantaneta de Alhama, Granada Province.

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha moruna / Fulica cristata).

Male Red-knobbed Coot (Focha moruna / Fulica cristata).

Whilst on a visit to the Embalse del Cacin with a group of Spanish Friends (Alice, Zoe, Candi, Lourdes, Antonio, Jesús, Jorge, Juanra and Juanfra) we discovered a pair of Red-knobbed Coot feeding on the road edge of the lake.
After a controversial bird at Pantaneta de Alhama back in 2008 (photo's above) it was great to see what appear to be a genuine pair in a good breeding habitat. 

The species is a very rare bird throughout Southern Spain with a strong, long-running reintroduction program.

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

Sierra Nevada Crocus (Crocus nevadensis).

Sierra Nevada Crocus (Crocus nevadensis).

Two plants were found today after information from John Wainwright, growing amongst gorse scrub on a limestone covered slope in the Sierra de Loja. 

One of the plants was well over, but the second was still in good condition, an endemic of Iberia and North Africa which can be seen in flower as early as February just as the snow starts to thaw.

This is a plant of between 4 and 5 cms tall with narrow leaves of green with a paler centre rib.

Kittiwakes in Motril Harbour, Granada Province.

Kittiwakes a new Province tick.

Black-legged Kittiwake (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla).

On Saturday the 7th February Juan Pérez Contreras and I took part in the RAM seabird survey at Peñón de Jolúcar just to East of Motril.
The first bird recorded that morning was a Juv Black-legged Kittiwake (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla) flying west towards Motril, followed closely by almost 1000 Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocórax carbo).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

After the survey we visited the fishing docks at Motril and found at least a further 11 Black-legged Kittiwakes of various ages sheltering from the strong winds out in the Mediterranean.
We then moved to Charca de Suárez on the other side of Motril where we saw our first Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Western House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) of the year, several of each.
Also there we saw Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) and 50+ Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Cabo Sacratif, Motril, Granada Province, Spain.

Sea watching with Juan Pérez-Contreras.

Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) x1E, Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) x50E and 62W, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) x4E and 977W, Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) x3E and 27W, Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus) x2E and 1W, Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) x8W, Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) x1E, Pomarine Skua (Págalo Pomarino / Stercorarius pomarinus) x1E and two more Skua's which remained unidentified, as well as a flyby Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Huétor Tájar, Granada Province.

A good start to the year.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

The weather was not fantastic, so I just went locally on New Year's Day and visited the agricultural areas around the town of Huétor Tájar, about 2 KMS from the house.
The first birds seen included Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and a small Group of 18 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo /Athene noctua).

The next stop produced a flock of Eurasian Stone Curlew 250+ (Alcaraván Común /Burhinus oedicnemus) roosting in an asparagus field with Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo /Athene noctua) all there.
To the west of the area another flock of Little Bustards (214 birds) was seen, along with Northern Lapwing 440+ (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Euroean Golden Plover 250+ (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria) and several Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera /Bubulcus ibis).
Then the rain arrived, so back to watching the Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) from the kitchen window.

Venus Pool, Shropshire.

A visit to Shropshires to site.

Canada (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis) and Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Marsh Tit (Carbonero Palustre /Parus palustris), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire & Several Staffs Sites.

A cracking American Land Bird in Oxfordshire.

Travelled down to Oxford with Jacko to see a long staying Baltimore Oriole (Turpial de Baltimore / Icterus galbula), in a garden in Headington. It was still dark & drizzling when we arrive so we had a coffee & then walked around the estate to look for the small play area to look into the back garden of the house where the bird was feeding regularly. We quickly picked the bird up as it came in for its first feed of the day on the Oranges put out for it.

Oxford.

1st Winter Baltimore Oriole, European Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), male Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Eurasian Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).

Later we drove back North and visited several sites back up in the Midlands.

Lady Walk.

Common Chaffinch, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Willow (Carbonero sibilino / Poecile montanus) and Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Goldcrest (Regulus regulus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Common Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Black-headed Gull, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Eurasian Wren, Goosander (Mergus merganser), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) and the star bird a Eurasian / Great Bittern (Avetoro Común / Botaurus stellaris).

Coton.

Common Pochard, Black-headed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula), Little Grebe, Gadwall, Canada Geese, Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck (Malvasia canela / Oxyura jamaice), Great Cormoant, Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Carrion Crow.

Dosthill Gravel Pits.

Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Ruddy Duck, Black-headed, Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus), Great Crested Grebe, Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Eurasian Blue Tit, Common Blackbird, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Wigeon, Smew (Serreta Chica /Mergus albellus) M & F, Mute Swan, Eurasian Coot, Song (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus).

Croxall & Whitemoor Hay.

Canada Geese, Mallard, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Teal, Great Crested Grebe, Common Moorhen, Northern Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria), Mute Swan, Bewick's Swan (Cisne Chico / Cygnus columbianus) x3, Whooper Swan (Cisne Cantor / Cygnus cygnus) x5, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Jay, Common Pheasant, Fieldfare, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) x4, Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Eurasian Blue Tit.

Blithfield. 

Common Treecreeper (Agateador Norteño / Certhia familiaris), Wigeon, Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii), Meadow Pipit, Canada Geese, Goldeneye, Goosander, Great Crested Grebe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Western Jackdaw, Eurasian Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, European Robin, Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Goldcrest (Regulus regulus).

Dudmaston, Trench Pool & Priorslee Lake, Shropshire.

A fine Male Smew for my Shropshire List.

Dudmaston.
Male Smew (Serreta Chica /Mergus albellus), Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula) x6,

Goosander (Mergus merganser) x4, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

Trench Pool.
Immature male Greater Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila), Tufted Duck, Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

Priorslee Lake.
Goosander, Tufted Duck, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Eurasian Coot, Common Moorhen, Black-headed, Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Great Black-backed Gulls (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus).

Priorslee Lake, Telford, Shropshire.

Called in for the Gull roost on the way back from Shrewsbury.

We parked in the lay-by, out on the water I saw Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus). 

A little later as the roost started to build I saw an Adult Iceland (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides), Adult Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).