Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province,Spain.

Goodbye to Deb and Ian.
(Deb and Ian Day Nine).

We were all up and about early for Deb and Ian departure to Malaga Airport and on to the next part of their adventure in Northern Scotland.

We finished their visit seeing over 160 species of Bird which included several lifers for them, along with a good number of Wildflowers, Orchids, Butterflies, Dragonflies and smaller numbers of Mammal, Amphibians and Reptiles.

Good luck with the next part of your trip, hope the info helps and looking forward to hearing from you both when you return home to Australia (hope there's not to much work to catch up with).

All the very best and thank you for supporting Granada Wildlife, Mick and Jayne.

Deb and Ian's comments:

Dear Mick and Jayne.

We can't thank you enough for such a fantastic stay, we will be back!!        
Mick your Knowledge of the area and it's flora and fauna is amazing and your determination to get us the best views and photographs of the birds was incredible.
Highlights were probably the Rufous Bush Robin hovering in front of the windscreen having a good look at the birders and getting so close to a Great Spotted Cuckoo we had to get out of the car to check it was alright!!! The Rollers, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Black Vulture, Both Bustards and Alpine Accentors (ect ect) were also hard to beat.
The flora was also stunning and our favorites were probably the Spanish Rusty Foxglove and Nigella Papillosa. The Butterflies and other insects were pretty special too. We have never used a guide before and to have someone who knew the area and it's flora and fana so incredible well was fantastic. Thanks for taking us to the local Tapas bars and for being such great company, we had a ball!!! The accommodation was perfect, we loved Jayne's cooking and all also the evening chats while watching the Red-necked Nightjars,

Hopefully you will come and visit us in Australia!! Love Deb and Ian.

Sierra Nevada, Granada Province.

A Lifer up in the snow and some wild flowers in the Northern Valley's.

(Deb and Ian's last tour, Day eight).

View from El Purche.

We made our way up the hill on the main road and turned off on to the road up to El Purche and parked in amongst the Pine woods. We then had a wander along one of the tracks out into the more open areas beyond the Pine belt in to the gorse scrub, here we were checking out what plants were still in flower and found Paeonia coriacea, Sedum mucizonia, Polygala boissieri and Berberis hispanica. Whilst we were in this area we had good views of a singing Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), a calling Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), a pair of fast moving Crested Tits (Herrerillo Capuchino /Parus cristatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), plus both Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Coal Tits (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica) taken by Deb.

At the furthest point from the car we found a couple of Orchid species growing under the pines the first was the very common Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea) which had finished flowering down in the lowlands several weeks ago but up at 1500 meters or so they were still hanging on, the second species was the much rarer Orchis cazorlensis which I had seen in the area for the last few years. We then moved on to a nearby site, a large area of sloping grassland with scattered Hawthorn trees and several small wet flushes. I was hoping to find some flowering Fragrant Bug Orchids (Orchis coriophora) but they were a good couple of weeks away from flowering but the site was worth visiting just for the views and both Ian and Deb took several shot.

View on the Barranco de San Juan.

We did record Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) plus Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) and Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

From here we went up to the car park at 2500 meters and parked by the green Army building, on the way we had good views of a neck collared male Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica), at the top we scanned across the still sizable snow fields and picked up Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and both Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) but there was no sign of the target Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella modularis) so we started to walk up towards the upper ski station.

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella modularis) taken by Deb.

On the way we saw several more Northern Wheatears feeding out on the snow picking off all the insects blown from the surrounding rocks, along with both House (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) plus a couple of singing Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) which we only see and hear at this sort of altitude. After a good walk we picked up a small flock of birds which dropped down on to an area of bare ground amongst the snow, as soon as I saw and heard the birds I knew we had found our quarry. We walked up the nearby crag and out on to the snow field and had some great views of a bird which flew straight passed us and on into the ski station so we followed and found it drinking from a puddle near the chair lift station.

The three of us at the upper ski station.

Deb got some shots of this bird while Ian and I watched from further back, it flew up on to the roof of the lift house which was at the same level as us due to the snow so Deb moved around and walked up to the bird and got very close to this cracking species. After good views were had we started to walk back down to the car seeing Draba hispanica subsp hispánica on the way and then dropped down through the upper part of the hill and took the old road very soon we started to find new species of flower and butterfly as well as a few birds. Our first stop was near the top of the road just after we turned on to it and we found good numbers of the beautiful Southern Wild Tulips (Tulipa sylvestris), Meadow Saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata), Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis) and Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis).

Southern Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris) taken by Deb.

We then dropped a little further down the hill and parked on a bend next to an area of open grassland, here we had our lunch and started to search for new species in the surroundings, we soon found Tragopogon pratensis, Southern Red Bartsia (Parentucellia latifolia), Gagea lacaitae, Onosma tricerosperma subsp granatensis, Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbiensis) in both white and deep pink forms and a nice group of Lange's Orchids (Orchis langei). Butterflies included Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Panoptes (Pseudophilotes panoptes) and Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) and Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi).

Ian photographing the Peonies, taken by Deb

Again we continued on down this narrow road stopping at another couple of spots amongst the Sweet Chestnut woods picking up Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur). We also recorded several more wildflower species including some just going over Barton's Orchids (Dactylorhiza insularis), Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanatera longifolia) and Water Avens (Geum rivale).

Onosma tricerosperma subsp granatensis.

Down at the lower levels of the valley we stopped at a spot where after some searching we eventually located a Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) on the river Genil and in the air above us a couple of Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Crag Martins. Our last stop was on the road side where we photographed a nice clump of the beautiful Spanish Rusty Foxglove (Digitalis obscura) which Deb commented was plant of the trip for her.

Tragopogon pratensis.

We then headed back down through Guejar-Sierra and Pinos Genil to the motorway and back to the house where I had a master class in the correct way to cook on a barbie from Ian who produce along with Jayne a cracking last night meal. Whilst eating we had a last view of the local Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) which both did a nice fly by.

Enjoying the BBQ back at the house.

Charca del Suarez and Surrounding area, Padul and Granada, Granada Province.

A day on the coast and amongst the wetlands.

(Deb and Ian Day Seven).

Stripe-less Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis).

We set off at 07:00 and headed to the coast via Granada, we arrived a little early and had a look at the agricultural area to the North West of the Charca del Suarez Nature reserve. 

We started to check the area and soon we started to add species to the day list including Western Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a singing Savi's Warbler (Buscarla Unicolor / Locustella luscinoides) which remained hiden but called for quite some time. 

As we moved along the road we had a fly over Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) and a little later two Purple Herons (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea) flew off in the same direction. 

At this point we were very lucky to have the company of my good friend Juan Perez who had also come down to the area to have a morning at Charca. 

We spent some more time searching in this area and heard or saw Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), European Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and lots of fly over Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) taken by Deb.

We then entered the reserve and started to make our way around the hides in an anti-clockwise direction starting with the hide with looks over Laguna del Trébor, from here we saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), the first of the re-introduction Red-knobbed Coots (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), a couple of Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) which were resting on the floating platforms, Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and a late passage Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia). From here we headed to the Main hide searching the trees and bushes on the way looking for the locally rare Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) but the cold cloudy weather meant that we did not see any of this cracking critter, but we did see a couple of Stripe-less Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis) and heard plenty of the much commoner Iberian Water Frog (Rana Común / Rana Perezi).

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea) taken by Deb.

From the hide we saw a couple more of the introduced Red-knobbed Coots, Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), another Squacco Heron which sat nicely for Deb and Ian to both get great views of and for Deb to get some good photo's of, an adult Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Western House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), both Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and a very noisy Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). 

We continued on around the site and checked the area out near Laguna del Taraje, on the walk to the site we had cracking views of a flight of three Purple Herons before they dropped back on to the main reserve, Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), European Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and on the way to the exit we had great views of a couple of Spotted Flycatchers (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) taken by Deb.

During our visit we also saw Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperors (Anax parthenope) and Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Monarch (Danaus plexippus) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa). The reserve was generally quiet so we exited at 11:30 and headed out towards the beach near the Golf Complex, we were soon picking up lifers for Deb and Ian, the first was a couple of Cory's Shearwaters (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea) which were heading East at around mid-distance and these were soon followed by a Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) which was picked up at great distance by Juan. 

Here we also saw a flock of passing Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), a couple of more distant Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) and half a dozen or so adult and immature Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii). 

We then moved back to the point along the road through the Agricultural area where we had first met Juan and again as soon as we arrived we could hear the calls of several Common Quail (Codorniz Común /Coturnix coturnix) which remained elusively out of sight but we did see more Turtle Doves, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus).

At this point we returned to Juans car and said goodbye to him and thank him for his help, we then started off North heading towards Granada via the wetlands at Padul. 

Our target bird here was Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and we soon had it under the belt, just after we arrived we found a couple of immature birds on the extremely polluted main canal. 

We continued on down to the hide but apart from some good views of a couple of Great Reed Warblers (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus), a Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) and a pair of brightly plumage Common Stonechats (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata). 

We retraced our steps back to the spot where we saw the Water Rails and decided to sit down and stake the site out for a while and see if we could get views of an adult bird, after a short while we had some good views of the immature again and then a nice adult bird came into views and showed well but briefly. 

Eventually managed to get up off the ground, creaking and groaning all the way and headed off to a site on the edge of Granada City looking for a couple of exotic species.

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) taken by Deb.

We arrived and quickly added Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) to the Granada trip list, a Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) this was followed by a fly passed by 5 Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and we eventually had views of a male and female Red Avadavat's (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava). 

From here we headed back to the house.

Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A photography Day along the Cacín Valley.

(Deb and Ian Day Six).

Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) taken by Deb.

We started the day on the side of the very noisy A92 looking for a Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) I had seen in the area a few days earlier. We started by scanning the wires and pylons in the area but could not find the bird but we did get the list going with Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

From here we went out on to the fields near Moraleda looking for some special birds, straight away we found a Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) sat out on the road and just as we turned into the areas of the fields a Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) did pretty much the same but on the top of a stand of cut hay.

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) taken by Deb.

We drove past the first of the Almond plantations and up to the ruin on the ridge, as soon as we were out of the car we heard but could not locate a flock of Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis). We could also hear a distant Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) on the fields near to the lower Almond groves, eventually we located the bird and had good views. Whilst we were watching the Bustards a pair of Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) flew over the ruin and started to display in the nearby Almond Grove giving us great views. Around the ruin we watched a single Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) which was flying rapidly around the building along with several Small (Artogeia rapae) and Bath Whites (Pontia daplidice) and a Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera). We got back into the car and dropped down to where we had seen the Bustard to try and get Debs camera within range but the bird had moved a considerable distance down the field.

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) taken by Deb.

We continued on and had more nice views of a Short-toed Lark which sat out on the track just in front of the car, further on we turned onto an area harvested hay and soon had another Little Bustard in our sights and this time it performed superbly for the camera and for those of us with just the bins. We spent quite a while watching this brilliant bird before it wandered over a small ridge and gave us the chance to move on with out disturbing it, We returned part way along the track we had come on before heading along another track into another area of Almonds and with in seconds we had the main target bird for the day in our sights. in a dead looking Almond about 100meters in front of us was a cracking 1st summer Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius). Deb had the camera rattling quickly and after she had taken some distant record shots we moved in closer and she took some more and then we move a little closer and then closer until we were just 20 meters or so away.

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I then took some shots through the scope, before we closed right in and parked about 3 meters from the bird on the track, Ian managed to get some very nice video through his little compact camera, at this point I was getting concerned that the bird was ill or injured in some way so I got out of the car and walked towards the bird to check it out. I was only a meter away from the bird when it flew off and looked fine and fit, we came to the conclusion that it was just well chilled out and was happy to pose. We moved on again but not far as just around the corner we relocated the pair of Rollers and they also performed well for the camera and just showed well for us all. In the same area we also had Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), a pair of Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) taken by Deb.

From here we dropped down into the Cacín Valley and made our way along the river to a spot in the Pinewoods and scanned the ridge opposite were we soon had a fine Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) soaring over the pines, several Coal Tits (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) which called nearer to us, Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes). A little further along the road but still in the Pines we added Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) to the day list along with Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and glimpsed a couple of Common Crossbills (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) which were very elusive in the dense branches.

Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) taken by Deb.

On the side of the road here we found a dead Horseshoe Whip Snake (Coluber hippocrepis) again run over, it was by far the larges example of this species I had seen and must have been at least 1.3 meters in length.

Our next stop was at the bridge across the Cacin just below the embalse where we first of all had a look at the reeds along the river and had views of Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster). We walked along the road and into the mixed stretch of woodland along side the river were we found a few orchids growing in the deep shade including Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera), Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta) and some tatty looking Yellow Bee Orchids (Ophrys lutea), plus Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata ssp pullata), Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum), Red Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea) and Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa).

Horseshoe Whip Snake (Coluber hippocrepis).

Birds included Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and a Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) which popped into its nest behind a peeling strip of Eucaliptus bark right next to the track. We retraced our steps back to the car and went up to the lake above this site and scanned the water. The water level was back to its normal level but it was very coloured which was probably why the number of birds was low, we did however record Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis). In the sky above the site we picked out Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera).

By now our thoughts were turning to food so we headed towards the bar in Cacín but on the way we picked up a raptor which was sat on the top of a roadside pylon but was well obscured making Id difficult, eventually we got to a position to see that it was a cracking female Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) which flew off giving us nice views in flight before it turned and disappeared into the nearby Poplars. We had lunch at the bar before starting out again and heading up out of the valley on the road towards Ventas del Huelma, once we were up on the tops we picked out a soaring Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and whilst we were watching this we also had a male Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) and a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) pass over.

Deb photographing the plants.

In the same area we heard and saw Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis). Further on we parked on a bend with a great view over the surounding countryside up to the Sierra Nevada and whilst scanning from here we soon had a pair of Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) in the bins. we again moved on and headed to a track out into the campo where I regularly search for the larger raptors found in the area, as soon as we came off the road we had more close views of a Booted Eagle, Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and another Common Buzzard. At the furthest point along the track we had another pair of Golden Eagles which put of a fine aerobatic show in the strengthening wind, also seen here was another male Little Bustard, several Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

We retraced our way back to the road and started to head back towards Cacín, we stopped on the way to watch the Golden Eagles again and take some shots of the wildflowers in the area which included Large Blue Flax (Linum narbonense), Linum tenue, White Flax (Linum suffruticosum), Crambe filiformis, Cynara cardunculus, Salvia lavandulifolia, Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys) and Yellow Restharrow (Ononis natrix). Other birds seen here included Melodious Warbler, White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).
A little further towards home we stopped in an Olive grove where Deb got some cracking shots of a group of Hoopoe's and just above Cacín we had a pair of soaring Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) a good way to end the birding for now but not the day.

Us with Santi senior.

We got back and Jayne and I headed up to Joyce's house out in the campo near us where she had kindly held Santiago's First Communion party, we had a nice time and some good food with the family before heading back to have a drink with Deb and Ian. We sat out on the roof terrace and had a glass or two of wine, during this we saw a passing Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis), heard both Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and later well after ark we heard at least a couple of Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) pass over, a good end to a very good day.

Sierra Morena area, Jaen Province.

A long run but well worth it with three lifers.
(Deb and Ian Day Five).

Digitalis mariana subsp heywoodii.

The three of us were out and on our way well before dawn heading up to Sierra Morena a site that I usually visit in the winter for the Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina) but today we were more interested in the birds. Before we even left the house we could hear Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and we flushed some of the House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) roosting in the roses by the gate. We set off for the drive but added only Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos). We arrived on site and started the drive out to the main area, on the way along the first stretch we got some shots of the white Digitalis mariana subsp heywoodii first of all behind a fence but then we found some nice plants growing on some road side rocks.

A view over a Bull field just after dawn.

During this stop we had views of a nice male Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) which moved between the Oaks, Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus). In the same area we had views of a large stag Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) and a small group of Fallow Deer (Dama dama). A little further along the track we had good views of a Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea) which was sitting on a wire on the edge of a field full of large rock bowls, here we also Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Stone troughs in the same field taken by Ian.

We continued on turning on to a dirt track and continued towards the Embalse, on the way we stopped and had a look at several more species of wild flowers including Grey-leaved (Cistus albidus) and Narrow-leaved Cistis (Cistis monspliensis), Spotted Rock-rose (Tuberaria guttata) and the beautiful purple Iberis nazarita.

We stopped further on at a place I have spent many an hour looking for the Lynx during the winter, from here we soon had a small flock of Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) moving through the Oaks, along with several of both Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and a nice male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) which flew in and landed on the rock behind us.

Iberis nazarita.

At this point a very large raptor came into view over the ridge and we had some cracking views of our first target bird an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) as it drifted off over the valley and was joined by a second bird before dropping out of view. The morning was moving on and the temperature was rising as were the Vultures, first we had several Griffons (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) drift over and then the second wanted species came into the valley, a couple of Black / Cinereous Vultures (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) followed the same path as the Eagles had earlier. Once these birds had passed through we had a drive down to the Dam on the Embalse, on the way we found a dead snake on the roadside which turned out to be a Lataste's viper (Vipera latastei) which was the first time I had seen this species but it was unfortunate that it was not alive.

A view down to the Embalse

We continued on down to the Dam and soon had House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) on the list along with both Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) but to there was no sign of the White-rumped Swifts (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer) we were looking for. Whilst we were scanning the skies we picked up a passing adult Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and a couple of honking Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax). We started to walk across the dam and head through the tunnel to the other side of the crags but just as we set off a Swift came in close and we quickly picked out the slim white rump as it twisted and turned in front of us for the next few minutes.

Deb and Ian above the Embalse.

We lost the bird in the distance after some time, we then continued on over the dam to have a look in the gully on the far side where we soon had views of both White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) as well as a single Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius). On the far side of the tunnel we had very distant views of a Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra) on a nest away on the far side of the Embalse which was a new species for Ian but not Deb. In the same area we saw plenty of Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii) on the margins and in the concrete ditch along side the track we heard but could not find the noisy Iberian Water Frogs (Rana Común / Rana Perezi).

Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).

We made our way back to the car picking up several Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Bellardia trixago, Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Red Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea), Tassel Hyacinth (Muscari comosum) and Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus illyricus). We then drove up to the Lynx area again and spent a while searching the tracks but only managed to see more Deer, Wild Boar (Felis silvestris) and lots of Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra).

We then decided to move down to the river Jandula to the North of the site where we parked at a point of the river just below the dam where the first bird seen was a group of Iberian  Magpie, some Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster). In the river I had brief views of a couple of Viperine Snakes (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura) and lots of both Mirror and Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio). We walked down the river and had some cracking views of a male Golden Oriole which I managed to get a couple of shots of as it sat in a river side Willow. Other species recorded here were Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Deb and Ian down at the river Jandula.

We then walked back to the car and went to the far side of the bridge where we got some much better views of one of the Black Storks which was feeding in the river near the road bridge. In the same are we also saw Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta). We then started the journey home but called at a bar on the way to Andujar where we had a coffee before the drive back home.