Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

Checking on the Orchids.

Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini).

Jayne and I had a quick look at the disused Quarry area on Sierra de Loja where 10 days or so ago I had found a single spike of the hybrid between Ophrys picta and Ophrys tenthredinifrea and to get the plant fully checked out we needed a single flower as a herbarium sample. I arrived at the site and found the plant along with some Pyramidal (Orquidea pyramidal / Anacamptis pyramidalia) and Small Woodcock Orchids (Ophrys picta) but all of them including the hybrid were passed their best, so the sample was not going to be great.

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

In the area we heard Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) which was well hidden in the scrub on the hillside, saw a displaying Blue Rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido / Apus pallidus).

Centaurea prolongoi.

Butterflies seen included Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides), Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes) and Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines). Some wildflowers were still in good condition but a lot of the vegetation was starting to dry out very early.

Centaurea boissieri.

Plants included Centaurea prolongoi, Centaurea boissieri, Blue Hounds-tongue (Cynoglossum creticum), Dianthus Pungens, Brown Bluebell (Dipcadi serotinum), Barbary Nut (Gynandiris sisyrinchium), Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense), White Flax (Linum suffruticosum), Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascene) and Omphalodes commutate.

Arroya Marin, Salinas and above Trabuco, Malaga Province

Birds, Butterflies (21 species), Orchids and a few Dragon's (one new for my Spanish list).

Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) female.

After taking Jayne and her friend Carole to Trabuco where they were joining a small group of friends to do some craft work I went over to Arroya Marin near Archidona to do some birding.
As soon as I entered the valley the trees along the river rang with the song of Nightingales (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), there seemed to be a bird in every other tree. Common Cuckoos (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus) were also heard almost continually during the morning and the fluting song and cat like scolding of the Golden Orioles (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) was also a regular sound. Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) were also seen and heard from the areas of Oak trees, while a Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) seemed to be perched on every dead branch that I looked at all along the drive.

Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba).

I stopped by the first bridge hoping to see some dragonflies, except for a fleeting glimpse of a small insect which disappeared over the treetops I saw none, butterflies on the other hand were everywhere, over the grassland and broom scrub above the track there were lots of Bath Whites (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellows (Colias croceus), Small Coppers (Lycaena phlaeas), Small Heaths (Coenonympha pamphilus) and a couple of Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

A Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) was joined down on the pebble beach by an immature White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), the song of a Robin (Petirrrojo / Erithacus rubecula) coming from the stream side scrub made a change from the Nightingales and in the trees above the river both Pied (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and Spotted Flycatchers (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) were seen and heard. Further along the river the story was the same, no dragons but lots of butterflies, this time I added Brown Argus (Aricia agestis), Common (Polyommatus icarus), Holly (Celastrina argiolus) and Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Iberian Orchid (Ophrys vernixia).

On the back above the stream there were a couple of spikes of Man Orchid (Aceras anthropophorum) where last year there had been dozens, a very late spike of Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera) and the find of the day two spikes of the rare Iberian Orchid (Ophrys vernixia). In the trees a large family party of Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) were feeding amongst the leaves while a small family of Hawfinches (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotraustes) was seen just perched in the dead upper branches of a distant pine tree. On my walk back to the car I picked up Bonelli’s Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla) and then surprisingly heard a calling Eurasian Scops Owl (Autillo Europeo / Otus scops) I also heard another later near the entrance to the site.

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

I then started to drive back to the start of the track stopping several times on the way, the first stop was by a dead tree where a cracking Woodchat Shrike was perched singing.
After a while he moved on to be replace by a male Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), then a singing Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and finally and probably most surprisingly by a male Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) which sang for around 2 second, allowed me to line up the scope and then flew off. A little further on I stopped again this time amongst the Oak trees along the stream hoping to get some good views of the singing from every bush Nightingales but they must have a built in sense that tells them when a birder has got his camera ready.

Broad Scarlet (Crocothemis erythraea).

I could hear them right in fromt of me but could I see one could I heck. I did get nice flight views of the male Golden Oriole and a female came and sat in the tree right in front of me but as usual just behind enough branches to make the shot useless. Along here I also added Bee (Ophrys apifera) and Pyramidal (Orquidea pyramidal / Anacamptis pyramidalia) to the Orchid list and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) to the butterflies. My last stop was near the weigh bridge at the start of the track were I added a few new species to the day list including a fine Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and as a nice finish to the trip long the track a pair of Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) which soared over head calling.

Mercury Bluet (Coenagrion mercuriale).

I them moved on to a site near to the village of Salinas on the border between Malaga and Granada Provinces where I visited a small spring feed pool in an area of agricultural land. The first birds seen were a pair of Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) which were breeding in a derelict old Cortijo along with several pairs of Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula). On the pool I found a pair of patrolling Blue / Common Emperors (Anax imperator), several Broad Scarlets (Crocothemis erythraea) and lots of the dainty little Iberian Bluetail’s (Ischnura graellsii). A little way along the track there is a small ditch with a small amount of running water in it which is surrounded by nice marginal weeds, in here I had a new species for my Spanish Dragonfly list, there were dozens of Mercury Bluet (Coenagrion mercuriale) slowly flicking around in amongst the Water Speedwells.

Mercury Bluet (Coenagrion mercuriale).

Then a male Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) landed on a stick on the far side of the ditch and this was the point at which I made the only mistake of the day in thinking that a nice solid bit of grass would give me a stepping point over to the far side. Wrong, before I knew it I was up to my knee in some none to pleasant smelling mud and to make matters worse I the lost my balance and ended up with the other leg in a similar situation (this situation may remind some old birding friends of an incident at Tichwell but with an Orchid on that occasion)! After dragging my self out of the slop I went back to the pool and had a wash down before carrying on to another small pool nearby, here the only new species were a single Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and a group of fly through European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

Mercury Bluet (Coenagrion mercuriale).

My last stop of the day was in the pinewoods above Trabuca, by the time I reached this point it was hot so I had not expected to see much so it was good to add a few more species, these included Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blue Rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulga / Falco tinnunculus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino /Parus cristatus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida).

On the drive down a medium sized Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida) was seen on the track and Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides), Large White (Pieris brassicae) and Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) were added to the days long butterfly list. I then pick Jayne and Carole up and we made our way home.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 24th May 2012.

15W Actinic on the terrace.
Any corrections, PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks. 

 

10457 Earias albovenosana.

The nights are getting warmer and the Moths more numerous but still not large numbers, this may partly be due to me just using the 15W actinic trap and not the 125MV.

8490 Eupthecia irriguata (Marbled Pug)

I still managed a few new species included 5626 Pyralis lienigialis, 8490 Eupthecia irriguata (Marbled Pug) and 10457 Earias albovenosana.

5626 Pyralis lienigialis.

Regulars included 0469 Crassicornella agenjoi, dozens of 5624 Pyralis obsoletalis, 5742 Etiella zinckenella, 6208 Euchromius vinculellus, 6700 Dolicharthria punctalis, 6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth) x4, 8186 Idaea degeneraria (Portland Ribbon Wave), 8145 Idaea manicaria, 8904 Dysgonia algira (Passenger), 9350 Synthymia fixa (The Gold Wing) and 9425 Caradrina proxima.

5742 Etiella zinckenella.

6208 Euchromius vinculellus.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 22nd May 2012.
15W Actinic on the terrace.
Any corrections, PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks. 

 

6604 Pyrausta aurata.

The temperature was a bit better last night at +11 and this meant a few more moths than a few nights ago when it only managed to stay at +5.

9350 Synthymia fixa (The Gold Wing).

There were a couple of species that were new for the list but they still need to be named, these came along with some species which I do not record regularly including 7581 Gnopharmia stevenaria x 2, 8904 Dysgonia algira (Passenger) x1 and 9350 Synthymia fixa (The Gold Wing) x1.

8904 Dysgonia algira (Passenger).

Other more regular Moths were 1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth) x 5+, 3036 Stibaromacha ratella x3, 3264 Isophrictis anthemidella x 5+, 4350 Cochylis epilinana, 5144 Cydia pomonella (Codling Moth), 5614 Synaphe antennalis, 6604 Pyrausta aurata x 10+, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x 10+, 8965 Tyta luctuosa (The Four-spotted) x5+, 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x1, 9370 Heliothis armigera (Scarce Bordered Straw) and 10528 Coscinia chrysocephala x 3.

9370 Heliothis armigera (Scarce Bordered Straw).

Travelling to and at Charca de Suarez and North of Granada, Granada Province.

A windy day on the Coast and rain later in the Mountains.

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).

I met up with Juan and his wife Beatriz at the usual place and we headed down to Charca de Suarez near Motril where we met Jacinto for a mornings birding. 

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).

Before meeting Jacinto we had a quick look on the waste ground behind the reserve where we heard a couple of Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) calling from the sugar cane fields and started the list with Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulga / Falco tinnunculus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer Domesticus), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus).

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

We met Jacinto and went into the reserve with three chaps from Malaga and made our way around to the main hide which over looks Laguna de las Aneas where the commonest species by far was Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) with around 75 birds out on the water along with several Common Pochards (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), a couple of Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera) and Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis). 

Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum).

In the reeds around the margins there were several Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinula Chloropus), Purple Swamp-hens (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), a roosting Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and out on the far side a single Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) which flew up and did a couple of circuits of the lake before landing briefly right in front of the hide on one of the dead stumps and then off to one of the other pools. 

Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum).

In the air there were a few Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), one or two Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and both Common and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido / Apus pallidus). In the bushes between the hides there were lots of singing Nightingales (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), a couple of Reed Warblers (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) and some more Serins which looked like they had just had a bath and were sat up in the quite strong breeze drying out. 

Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum).

On Laguna del Taraje we had several more Purple Swamp Hens, a couple of families of Mallards and some very young stripped Little Grebes. We did not add very much from Laguna de Lirio so we continued on around to the first hide which over looks Laguna de Trebol where we had good but distant views of the summering Baillon’s Crake (Pollueta chica / Porzana pusilla) which was trying hard to fly but the damage to its wing is still keeping it grounded. 

Striped Shield-Bug (Graphosoma italicum).

From here we also saw a couple of the four reported Purple Herons (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), a Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Great Tit (Carbonero Común / Parus major), Water Rail (heard only), a few immature White Wagtails which were feeding out on the blanket weed and Cetti’s Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). 

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

I then had a walk out along the track to look for dragonflies and found that there were good numbers of Small Red-eyed Damselflies (Erythromma viridulum) in amongst the dense vegetation which made them easier to get shots of as they were out of the wind. I also saw a couple of Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) and loads of Iberian Bluetails (Ischnura graellsii). 

Black Percher (Diplacodes lefebvrii).

Other insects seen included Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa violacea), Eurydema dominulus, Striped Shield-Bug (Graphosoma italicum), Egyptian grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium) and Rhagonycha fulva along with several Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterflies. I then rejoined the others and we walked around to the other hide over looking the same laguna, on the walk around a single Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) were added to the list. 

Lady Orchids (Orchis purpurea).

I spent a short while at this hide then returned to the main hide, here I picked up several Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) which were stood on the island getting battered by the wind, a roosting Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and 15 or so Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which flew in and then moved on within a few minutes. I then meet up with the others and we headed towards the exit but not before I managed to get a single shot of an immature Black Percher (Diplacodes lefebvrii) dragonfly by the gate. 

Lizard Orchid (Himantoglossum hircinum).

Juan Beatriz, Jacinto and I then went to a beach side restaurant in Salabrena and had a very nice lunch (thanks Jacinto), later Jacinto headed back to Malaga and the rest of us made our way back north to Granada. On the way Juan suggested that maybe he and I might go and visit a site in the mountains and look at some Orchids he had seen the week before and as I had very much wanted to see them I agreed to go. Beatriz dropped us off by my car and continued home and we headed out into the hills, we were soon on site and with in minutes we had found several past their best Lady Orchids (Orchis purpurea). 

Man Orchid (Aceras anthropophorum).

We continued our search and before long Juan was calling me over to look at a couple of spikes which still had some good flowers which I took some shots of. In the same area we also had some nicely flowering Lizard (Himantoglossum hircinum), Man (Aceras anthropophorum) and Yellow Bee Orchids (Ophrys lutea) along with a single Small Woodcock (Ophrys picta). There were also dry spikes of Southern Early Purple (Orchis Olbiensis) and Fan-lipped Orchids (Orchis collina). 

Oil Beetle (Meloe majalis).

A nice male Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) was heard and seen on top of a small bush and a female was also seen briefly along with Bonelli’s Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Common Magpie. Due to the increasing cloud the only butterflies seen were a couple of Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) and a Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus). 

Beefly (Bombylius major) ?

We also saw Oil Beetle (Meloe majalis) and a Beefly (Bombylius major) ? species which was on a flower probably due to the cold weather. It then started to rain quite heavily so we headed back and I dropped Juan off at home and head back to Huétor.

Update to the nights catch.

Moth Records for the 17th May 2012. Update.
15W Actinic on the terrace.
Any corrections, PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks.

0557 Infurcitinea atrifasciella.

Thanks to Penny Hale and Martin Corley I can add a couple more species to the garden moth list. These were Micros 0557 Infurcitinea atrifasciella and 0469 Crassicornella agenjoi.

0469 Crassicornella agenjoi.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 17th May 2012.
15W Actinic on the terrace.

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

 

5889 Eurhodope cruentella.

A much quieter trap than expected after mailing with Penny Hale down at Casares about the big catches she has been having.

6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth).

I did get a few new species but so far I have only confirmed a single identification which was the brightly coloured 5889 Eurhodope cruentella.

9298 Metopoceras felicina.

Other species included 1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond backed Moth), 6860 Hyles livornica (Striped Hawk-moth), 8828 Raphia hybris, a couple of 9056 Autographa gamma (Silver Y), 9097 Emmelia trabealis (Spotted Sulphur), 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) and only the second 9298 Metopoceras felicina. Hopefully I will sort out a few of the other and the garden list will grow some more.

8828 Raphia hybris.

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

A day with the Axarquia bird group.

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Today I was birding with friends from the Axarquia bird group on Sierra de Loja which is probably my favourite place to visit. We meet on the car park of the Abades service area before taking the dirt track up thought the pine woodlands to the disused Quarry above the town of Loja where we were hoping to see the resident Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) but we were out of luck but we did see some cracking species including Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Blue Rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). 

O. picta x O. tenthredinifera.

Some of the group were also looking for the Wild flowers and we soon found Brown Bluebell (Dipcadi serotinum), Dianthus Pungens, Mediterranean Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), White Asphodel (Asphodelus albus), Buckler Mustard (Biscutella frutescens), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata ssp pullata), Chickweed (Cerastium boissieri), Clypeola (Clypeola jonthlaspi), Common Stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium), Helianthemum lavandulifolium, Linaria anticaria, Southern Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris ssp australis) which were well past their best and Tassel Hyacinth (Muscari comosum) along with some Orchids species including Pyramidal (Anacamptis pyramidalia), Small Woodcock (Ophrys picta) but find of the day goes to the Hybrid between Ophrys Picta X Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera) which was a new plant for me and is also probably a new record for Granada Province! 

Steve Powell photographing the butterflies.

Several species of butterfly were also recorded which included some very nice male Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes), Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvaei), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice). Up high on the top of the cliffs there were some of the local Spanish Ibex (Capra pyreaica hispanica) which always seem to be in the same place these days.

Viola dementria.

We then moved on and our next stops were along the crags, on the way through the woods I saw and heard Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonero Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Once we were on the crags we added Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulga / Falco tinnunculus), Alpine (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido / Apus pallidus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and a very nice sub adult Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) to the days list, the latter showing very well whilst being mobbed by Red-billed Choughs and Jackdaws. Lower down in the hawthorn bushes and Herb scrub we picked up Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and a female Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis) which was a bit of a surprise.

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).

More wildflowers were seen in this area including Carduus granatensis, Nonea vesicaria, Navel-wort (Omphalodes commutate), Yellow Restharrow (Ononis natrix), Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum), Pallenis spinosa, Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Silvery Paronychia (Paronychia argentea), Phlomis purpurea, Miniature Wild Plum (Prunus prostrate), Star Clover (Trifolium stellatum) and Viola dementria.

We continued on up and stopped just above the marble quarry to have a look at some Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) which the lead car had spotted whilst we were he we also added Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), a fine male and more drab female Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer Domesticus), the first of the days Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and the second Golden Eagle which again showed well but a little more briefly.  

Iris Subbiflora.

Large White (Pieris brassicae), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina) and Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines) were all seen during this stop. Continuing on up the hill we stopped briefly by the first of the Water deposito’s and saw the first Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and a single Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) which did a very quick fly passed. We then made our way up to Charca del Negro just stopping briefly to look at three Griffon Vultures which were soaring out beyond the wind turbines and a little further on by a nice plants of Iris Subbiflora and Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis) flowering amongst the rocks and once the others had moved on I remained to water the plants and picked up a smart Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) but unfortunately it just passed straight through. 

The ladies looking at the Iris.

At Charca there were more Black-eared Wheatears, Rock Sparrows, Rock Buntings, Black Redstarts and Red-billed Choughs. Here we also saw loads of Spanish Festoons, Knapweed Fritillary's (Melitaea phoebe) and the only dragonfly of the day which was a male Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator). We next went on around past the goat cave to the crag a little further on were we eventually had some distant views of a female Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Rojo / Monticola saxatilis), lots more Rock Sparrows, a male Blue Rock Thrush and a surprising sighting of a Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans). I had a walk up amongst the rocks and found several patches of the very nice Erodium cheilanthifolium, Eruca sativa, Antirrhinum controversum and Blue Dreams (Chaenorrhinum Glareosum). I also saw a single Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis Pandora) whilst having a wander but it was off and out of sight in seconds.

Erodium cheilanthifolium.

I then split from the rest of the group when they went to have a look at another spot for the Rock Thrush as I wanted to try and get some better shots of the Butterflies on the thistles around the pools. I had soon found a nice camera tolerant Knapweed Fritillary and several Spanish Festoons along with Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Brown Argus (Aricia agestis), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) and Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba). I walked along the low crags at the rear of the pools where I found several patches of Saxifraga Camposii, Sarcocapnos pulcherrima, Spanish Bluebell (Scilla hispanica), Biting Stonecrop (Sedum acre) the dry flower spikes of Narcissus Bugei. 

Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida).

On the rocks I also saw several Iberian Wall Lizards (Podarcis hispanica), a single Large Psammodromus (Emys orbicularis) and a couple of Moorish Gecko’s (Tarenrola mauritanica).

Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata).

I then started to make my way down the hill just stopping to get a shot of a great big Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida) before stopping at an area of broom scrub to look for the summering Spectacled Warblers (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata), I quickly located a singing bird in the top of one of the broom bushes but it was quickly chased of by a male Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata). The Spectacled was soon back but remained amongst the branches and was difficult to get shots of, as I was watching this bird a falcon suddenly came into view and started to chase a couple of Common Swifts that were over the quarry and I soon realized that I had a nice Hobby (Alcotán Europeo / Falco subbuteo) in my bins. 

Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica).

I then dropped further down the hill and found a couple of Black-eared Whearears and a Thekla Lark which were willing to stay put long enough for me to get some shots and also stopped again and picked up another of the summer visiting warblers, this time it was a nice male Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) which was showing nicely but from the top of a Hawthorn bush some way down the slope. In the woods a couple of Common Crossbills (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) flew up from the side of the track and a Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus) crossed the track in front of me. By know it was getting on for 18:30 so I started to head back towards home as we had plans to go down to Huétor to watch the fire works which signaled the start of a few days of Fiesta.

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).