Hacho, Loja, Granada Province.

A couple more Orchids for the year.

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).

I went for a short walk into the Pine woodlands on the slopes of a small hill to the north of Loja called Hacho. In the woods there were a great number of leaf rossettes of the large and showy Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana), quite a lot were just coming in to flower but a few had there lower blooms aready on show. I don't think the dispaly will be quite a good as last year as there are far more blind rossettes this spring. I also saw several spikes of Ophrys fusca var foresteri but most of the lips had been eaten. Birds included Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus). In the same area there were hundreds of flowers of the common Broad leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Iris planifolia) with lots of the white form of the plant flowering again this year.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A couple of hours around the local patch.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

After catching up with a few jobs during the morning of the first dry day for a while I went down on to the fields to see what was about and what damage the rains had done. The Arroyo Vilano was flowing well above its usual level and the crossing point had been washed out but apart from that and a few partly flooded fields all was well. I first took one of the many tracks out in to the fields North of the town and checked one of the areas of Lucerne where I had seen the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) a few days earlier but there was no sign, however I did pick up Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), several Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) including a couple of cracking males, Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

From here I went back up to the track which runs along the Arroyo and checked the fields on both sides and the very muddy margins, on the fields there were a few Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) around 60 or so, 12 Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria) and unexpected Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) which was stood amongst the flock in a ploughed field??? On one of the ridges in the area of freshly germinated cereal crop there was a female Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) which was being hassled by 5 unhappy Mistle Thrushes (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and when they were close together it showed how small this falcon was, even though this was a female. On the margins there were a couple of Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and a Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) feeding in the mud.

Bath White (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice).

After a while I moved to the second half of the river and found another couple of Green Sandpipers, 2 Hoopoes (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) before moving out to the areas along the Mesia track. Along here I checked the ditches, pools and flooded fields and located several Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), a male Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and another flock of Northern Lapwings but this time there were around 300 birds.

On the far side of the road I parked up and walked along the ridge which follows the Arroya and did a curcit back to the road and then to the car again, along here I saw a male Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), several Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

As I got back to the car I saw several butterflies in one of the Lucerne fields and decided to have a look and found  3 or 4 Bath Whites (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice), Small White (Artogeia rapae), a Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and a single Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).

I then started to make my way over to the Loja side of the area, on the way I checked the Ditches and pools again and added a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) to the bird list and hear Iberian Water Frogs (Rana Común / Rana Perezi) calling from the dense vegetation. 

I went through Huétor and out on to the far fields, as soon as I arrived I saw a fine female Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) hunting amongst the young Olive trees, a species that has been in short supply in this area this winter. I also soon located the smaller than usual Little Bustard flock in the deeper section of the Lucerne field, I did a quick count and found that there were just 77 birds, well down on this time last year.

I went back in to Huetor, washed the mud off the car and called at the fields nearby to check on the Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and found around 170 birds still roosting there before heading back home.

Near Pinos Genil, Granada Province.

Birding along the swollen Rio Genil.

hort-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla).

I popped up to a spot where Juan Pérez Contreras had shown me wintering Dippers (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus) last year and had a walk along the river searching for them. The river was very coloured at its lower section due to the amount of soil coming down the Rio Aguas Blancas but above this junction it was much clearer.
I walked for a while and then sat on a small foot bridge which crossed the Genil and waited to see what approached, birds included Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), a pair of Hawfinches (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).
After a while I picked up a movement in the main stream of the river which turned out to be a Dipper which was feeding between several rocks. It eventually came a lot closer and landed on a rock quite close but at the same moment as I was about to press the button on the camera a couple of lads on mountain bikes came thundering along the track and flushed the bird but I did get nice but short views.
I did not see the bird again so I decided to walk back down the opposite side of the river back to the car, on the way I added Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Rio Fuengirola, Malaga Province.

A hours birding amongst the sewage, rubbish and washed up shopping trolleys!!!

No it does not sound great and it wasn't but I had an hour or so to have a quick look around the concrete sided channel out side the Miramar shopping centre. The commonest species seen there by far were the hundred or so Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) which were feeding on the clouds of insects attracted in by the raw sewage that is allowed to flow into the concrete sided pool. It then goes through the outlets and on out to sea down the river, which explains the amount of filth in the water and why no one would swim in the sea when we were down there in the summer. They were joined by half a dozen Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and a couple of House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).
In the reeds in the centre of the pool there were several Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), a Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), both White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and a small party of about 10 Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild). 
On the river above the pool there were several roosting Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and a flock of noisy Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).
I walked back down towards the centre scanning the river and sky as I went and picked up Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed  (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) before meeting Jayne.

Padul Wetlands, Granada Province.

A few hours sitting with the camera.

Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

Jayne went in to Granada City to do some shopping and I went down to Padul for a few hours birding, I parked by the visitors center and walked the path along the eastern side of the lake and out to the hide. Just past the center I checked the tables where the rings feed the birds but there was not a lot around just a few Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) so I continued on checking the woods surrounding the track.

Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Once I was along side the water I added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and a distant Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) out on the main lake. Back amongst the trees several Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) flashed through the branches along with Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

I stopped for a few minutes at the first rustic hide on the shore of the main lake where I scanned the water and the surrounding trees adding Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which was sat in a willow on the far shore, Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis). I continued on along the board walk through the reedbeds and marshy areas to the raised platform where I spent some time scanning through the large numbers of Hirundines eventually picking out both Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) amongst the couple of hundred or so Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Weasel (Mustela nivalis).

I also had nice views of the Marsh Harrier as it hunted distantly over the larger reedbeds and picked up a couple of female type Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) feeding amongst the flattened vegetation. I continued on yet again and eventually reached the smelly stream, which was as usual full of rubbish and sewage and surprisingly birds!!! As part of one of Southern Spain best know Natural Parks (Sierra Nevada) I am amazed that the disgraceful amount of rubbish and sewage continues to be allowed to find its way in to the area and that more has not been done to make the people / Authorities responsible clean up their act. 

Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

Surprisingly the area was very active with a dozen or so Water Pipits (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and at least three different Bluethroats (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) feeding on the very smelly mud. I sat my self on a patch of dry clean (I hope) gravel and waited to see what was willing to come close enough for a photo, the Bluethroats were first in with two of the birds coming quite near but the Water Pipits were much more warey and stayed just out of range of a good shot. In the reeds I could hear at least half a dozen Water Rails (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) screaming and watched several Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) probing the ground on the far side of the muddy patches well out of camera range. Other species seen here included Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Grey  (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

Whilst I was sat in the area a Weasel (Mustela nivalis) spent sometime clattering through the reeds and eventually caught a small rodent of some sort before carrying it off across the mud to the far side of the channel.

Time was moving on so I made my way back along the board walk throught the trees back to the car, on the way I added Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and a small flock of Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus). I got back to the car quicker than expected so I drove around the track passed the main lake and out into the fields before getting back to the Granada road, on the way around I picked up a few new species for the day list including a couple of male Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and not new but nice to see a male Reed Bunting. 

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

I then returned to the City picked up Jayne and we went to one of the retail parks where I got a battery back up thing so the PC is protected from all the dam power cut we are having at the moment before continuing on home. On the way we saw a couple of Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and a Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) on the Arroyo Vilano.

RAM Seabird Survey, Motril Port, Charca de Suarez, Golf Course and Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A Morning down on the coast birding.

Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

I met up with Juan Perez Contrerasat AKI in Granada to headed down to the coast at Motril, we arrived at Cabo Sacratif near Torrenueva just to the east of Motril where we spent some time sat on a very windy rock looking out to a quiet (bird wise) sea.

Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).

We did record a few Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), small numbers of Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), along with Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

Whilst there we also saw lots of Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Feral Pigeon (Columba livia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

At the end of the seawatch we headed to the Port where we spent a while trying to find Gulls, let alone any with rings on. The Port has got far busier in the last year or so and the bird numbers have dropped drastically but we did find a few Lesser-black Backed and  Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) but none with rings on.

Female Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Whilst driving around we disturbed a female Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) which was feeding on a Collared Dove, quite a big catch and when she flew it made her work quite hard. In the area we also picked up Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and a Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) which was sat on the end of a distant concrete sea wall. 

Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata).

Our next stop was at Charca de Suarez, we started by having a look from the small hide at Laguna del Taraje where we heard but did not see the Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon) which was singing from the reeds at the back of the pool. Here we had nice views of Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).
We then retraced our steps back to the gate and went around the reserve in the usual direction calling at the hide over looking the first pool, here we had 3 Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera),lots more Crag Martins, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

We continued on passing an area of willow scrub on the way and picking up 4 adult Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) roosting amongst the tangled branches. We arrived at the hide looking over Laguna Trebol and scanned the margins and chatted to some Spanish Birder that were also taking photo's, whilst there I got some more shots of the female Common Stonechat that had been there a week or so ago on my last visit.
We also saw three of the introduced Red-knobbed Coots (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), GreyWagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Red-knobbed Coots (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata).

Our next stop was at the main hide where I spent some time getting some photographs of a couple of Little Grebes which were in the reeds just in front of the hide, one in good summer plumage the other in full winter colours. Other species seen were Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), 2 more Red-knobbed Coots and 2x Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis). We returned to the small hide that we started at, on the way we looked throught the screening and located a female Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) and a male Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina).

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

At the hide we could still hear the Warbler but again we did not see it so after a while we decided to head down the road and check a small pool on the side of the Golf Course. Over the pool I had my first Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) of the year which was mixed in with a good sized flock of Crag Martins. A little further on we had a most unexpected Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) which showed well in a small Pittosporum bush.On the beach we saw several more Northern Gannets and a couple of Balearic Shearwaters which landed on the sea. We headed back towards the car checking another pool on the course on the way but this produced nothing new.

Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

We then started to make our way home via the agricultural areas near Charca but again we added nothing new there so we made our way back to Granada and then I headed towards home. I took the short cut from the Motorway across through Mesia and over the fields, just after turning on to the first track I picked up a flock of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) which were feeding on weeds near a couple of new pools dug out in the fields. When they went up I counted 37 birds but missed a fewso I guess that there were somewhere between 40 and 45 birds in the flock, before I got home I also so saw 55+

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 120+ Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Thanks for a cracking day Juan, see you soon.

Huétor Fields and Balsa de Rigedor, Granada Province.

On the local patch with Juan Perez.

Juan and Beatriz made their way over to our for a few hours of English work for Jayne and Beatriz whilst Juan and I went birding. We started down on the Rio Vilano behind the bar where we scanned the newly sown fields and quickly picked out a large flock of Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) with a good number of Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) mixed in with them and a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) perched high above them all on one of the pylons. We also checked the river where we found the first of several Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Further on near to one of the Poplar plantations we had the first of several desent sized flocks of Iberian  (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), a single Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs). Our next stop was along the far section of the Rio where we parked and walked along the southern bank looking for the flock of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) I had seen a few days earlier but with out success, however we did find a male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) in a fallow field which had become covered in Juncus and grasses.
We walked back towards the car and added Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Feral Pigeon (Columba livia), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major). We retraced out way back along the track and then headed out along the track to the Mesia road, on the way we had a second Bluethroat in a trackside ditch, Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).
We drove through Mesia and made our way to the small manmade pool on the side of the A92 called Balsa de Rigedor. On the water we soon picked out Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).
On the dead trees which lay in the water we saw loads of Common Chiffchaffs, a single Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and a few early arrival Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which had come into roost. By the time we were leaving we had got the count up to 77 Cattle and 5 Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), along with a fast moving Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) which flashed passed and disappeared into the nearby Olive trees. As it dropped dark at just before 19:00 we drove back to the house had a warm drink to thaw our selves out before Juan and Beatriz headed off home.

Charca de Suarez and Padul Wetlands, Granada Province.

A day around the two wetlands.

Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon).

I set off from home and made my way down to the coast at Motril to spend the morning birding at Charca de Suarez, I was a little early so I checked out the wet areas to the north-west of the main reserve. 

Once on the small back road I parked and scanned the nearby fields and soon started the day list off with a fine male Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), several Red Avadavats (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and 2 Eurasian Hoopoes (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I moved a little further along the road and again parked on the verge, as I got out of the car a Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) flushed up from a small patch of water nearby, three more Western Marsh Harriers and a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) were all in air and a cracking male Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) scolded me from the walls of a nearby ruin. 

At the Junction at the far end of the track I made a third stop before I headed in to the reserver and added Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), European Greenfinch  (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

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

I headed around towards the entrance but I was still a bit early so I had a walk out on to the beach and checked the small channel that runs from Charca and had a look-out to sea. 

In the channel I located a single Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) and on the sea several Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean  (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and more Yellow-legged Gulls before returning to the gates where Pepe was just taking the padlock off. I went round the reserve in an anti-clockwisedirection checking the hides as I went, from the first I saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall  (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

I continued on around to the second hide which looks over Laguna Trebol and started to check through the birds, I soon added Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), three of the intrduction Red-knobbed Coots (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) to the growing day list. 

John and Jenny Wainwright then joined me in the hide and after a while we all had very nice views of a Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon) which was moving along the iris beds just above the water, a cracking bird.

Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

After a while I decided to move around to the hide over looking Laguna Taraje via the main hide where I had a very quick scan over the pool seeing Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and two more of the Red-Knobbed Coots. Once in the hide at Taraje I was lucky to have views of a second Moustached Warbler which was again moving along the reed beds just above the water, along with a fine male Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina). 

After a while I picked up the warbler again but this time on the near shore just to the right of the hide, as I was watching it, it stared to called and to my surprise it was answered by a second bird on the opposite side of the pool in the reeds, I scanned the reeds and soon found this bird as well.
Whilst on the reserve, I also heard lots of Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis) and saw a single Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterfly. 

 A little later I was again joined by John and Jenny and then by Steve Powell and his wife Elena and we all had sightings of the two birds and I managed to get some OKish shots of the one. 

Time had rattled on and it was 13:00 and time for the reserve to shut so we all made our way back to the cars and Steve, Elena and I headed North to Padul, a site that they had not visited before.

Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Just as we started to head towards Granada we had a Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus) over the motorway and less nice were the roadkill bodies of both Red Fox (Vulpus vulpus) and Beech Martin (Martes foina). 

Unfortunately it was much windier at this site which kept the birds down and we did not see agreat deal but at least they found out where it was. 

On our quick tour we did see several Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) along the sticking Channel but little else new so Steve and Elena headed off and I went and sat on the edge of the reeds on the reserve with my camera and got some shots of the Water Pipits and a nice male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

I also heard a couple of Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and saw Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), European Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) before leaving. 

On the way home I was delayed by an immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) which was being heavily hassled by dozens of Western Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula). Nearer to home I finished the day with some regular birds on the local patch including Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A walk around the local patch which produce a couple of new patch species.

Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

Jayne was heading out to Trabuco for the weekly craft group meeting and dropped me off at the bar at the bottom of the road (sounds bad!!) from where I started a walk around the local patch. I walked along the Rio Vilano following the track on the southern bank to the road and then continued on the second track down to the railway bridge.

Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

Along the first section I had good views of a couple of Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), both White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Once over the road I checked out the poplar plantations and reedbeds on the far bank and soon caught up with a large flock of around 45 or so Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis). As I approached the railway bridge a group of 10 birds flitted up in front of me and crossed the rio and settled in a scrubby bush giving me the chance to ID them and the turned out to be a flock of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) which was a new species for the local patch and with in seconds the second patch tick appeared in the shape of a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) which skulked around under the dead Iris leaves.

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

I continued on to the end of the track before turning around and retracing my steps back to the bar, on the way I added Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) in a Rush filled ditch along with a couple of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), also seen was a Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) which was roosting in a lone poplar tree along the track side, several Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and just as I reached the bar I picked up a Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) sat out on a large clod of soil in the field on the far side of the river.

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

On the return journey I did call in for a swift beer before returning to the house along side the barranco, on the way I saw Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).