RAM, Port Beach, Charca de Suarez and Local Patch, Granada Province.

A cracking day down on the Granada Coast seeing 81 species with Juan Pérez Contreras and John Ross.

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

I met Juan near Granada and then we picked up John down near Lecrin before heading down to Peñón de Jolúcar near Torrenueva, on the way we had a fly over Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and several Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which were flying out from their roost sites.

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).

We parked and we walked up to the high point to do the monthly seabird count, on the way up we saw Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), European Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and a fly over Eurasian Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) which called nicely. 

Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

During the count we had a good mix of species including 1x Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua), 1x Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus), 1x European Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), 1x Cory's (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea), 2x Med / Yelkouan (Pardelas Mediterráneas / Puffinus yelkouan), good numbers of Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and 2x Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

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

We finished the count and walked the short but steep way back to the car to see if there were any orchids in flower, and found a few spikes of Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) with one in flower. 

We also saw Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), Climbing Groundsel (Senecio Angulatus), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum) and Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima).

Once back at the car we headed to the beach just down the road near the port, again we parked and walked over the river down to the beach. On the way we saw Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

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

On the beach we had a group of 5 Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and a preening Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta). Juan then heard a group of Common Waxbill and after a search we found a couple of Black-rumped Waxbills (Estrilda Culinegra / Estrilda troglodytes) which flew out n to a nearby field where we saw lots of finches feeding. On the field we also found Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and a couple more Waxbills which turned out to be Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild). 

In the same area and back on the beach as we walked back to the car we saw Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), a single Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), a Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which was sat on the port wall and finally as we recrossed the river a Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

Our final stop of the morning was at the wetlands of Charca de Suarez one of my favorite place to do some birding, on the way to the site we picked up Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata). 

We walked around to the small hide which overlooks the southern end of Laguna del Taraje and boosted the day list with Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) heard and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) as well as the first of several Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Yellow-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and calling Stripe-less Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis).

Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis).

We moved around to the hide at the other end of the pool seeing Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) on the but saw little from the hide. We continued on to the new hide over looking the new lagoon where we saw several Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) and a few Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

Wild Boar (Jabalí / Felis silvestris).

Again we walked on around to the main hide and scanned the pool looking for new species but the light was not great so it was a struggle but we eventually located Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), a male Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), a winter plumaged Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and just as we were leaving the hide we heard a large splash as a family group of 9 Wild Boars (Jabalí / Felis silvestris) swam past the front of the hide.

We continued on around to the exit via the two hides that look over the Laguna del Trebol adding just Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and a female Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla).

9x Wild Boars (Jabalí / Felis silvestris).

We left the reserve hearing the news that David Jefferson had seen and photographed the Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana) that had been wintering at the site. From the exit we went out on to the road to the rear of the area to have a look for the Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which was also wintering on the site, we found the bird but we only had very distant views as it hovered a long way off. We also saw and heard Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Eurasian Penduline Tits (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus). 

We went back to the car and then back up towards Granada, dropping John off at Lecrin on the way. I left Juan at his apartment and the headed off home.

A view from the hide to the Kingfisher posts. 

On the way I had a quick look out on the fields around Huétor Tajar and increased the list with Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cyanus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Green Sandpiper Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), 200+ Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), 18 x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

Gibraltar and Tarifa area, Cadiz Province.

Day two down in Cadiz Province with Jayne, Allan and Lesley.

View out to Tarifa Island.

We had a nice breakfast st the AC hotel in La Linea before heading over the border again but this time it was just a quick visit to the supermarket before going further west to Tarifa.

Tarifa Beach.

Whilst we were in the supermarket it was nice to bump into Penny and John Hale as we had not seen them for quite a long while, after a chat we did the shopping and the headed for the crossing and straight through. Once we were in the town at Tarifa we had a coffee before walking through the streets down to the port and the out onto the beach near the causeway out to the Island.

5x Grey Plovers (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola).

Here I saw a few bits including several Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
After we got back to the car we headed just down the road to Los Lances beach where we walked out to the hide and I scanned the pool and see.

Group of Gulls and Terns.

On the way I added Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus). On the pool and around the hide we saw a small group of 5 Grey Plovers (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), as well as a single Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and a couple of Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Sanderling  (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), a single immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and a fishing Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

View of Getares Beach.

We walked back to the car and made our way to Getares just to the west of Algeciras where we had a very nice luch watching the Kite Surfers on the beach. Later we drove home adding just Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) to the list.

Gibraltar.

Day one of a visit to Gibraltar with Jayne and friends Lesley and Allan Brisco.

Looking down to the town from the Rock.

We drove down to the crossing and went on to the Rock and to the car park near the cable car station where we left the car and headed to the top. The weather was not great and by the time we were at the top we were in the clouds.

Jayne, Allan and Lesley on the Cable Car.

We walked back down to the halfway stop seeing plenty of Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus) including several youngsters. During the walk I also saw Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Wild Clematis (Clematis vitalba), Common Snapdragon (Antirrhinum major), Common Snapdragon (Antirrhinum major), Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca) and Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia baetica).

On the way down to a damp town.

One thing I really like was a road sign on the way down with a Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) Warning.

Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus).

Later we had a nice lunch and a walk around the town before spending a very nice evening in the town of La Linea.

Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus).

Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia baetica).

Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) Warning sign.

Hacho, Loja, Granada Province.

A walk up the 1024m hill Hacho to the north of Loja.

The Top.

Jayne and I headed just up the road to the back edge of a local hill called Hacho and walked up to the summit and back down again.

Jayne on the way Down.

On the way there and back I saw Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), lots rosettes of next years Ophrys forestieri and Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum robertiana), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Broad leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Iris planifolia) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Sierra Nevada off in the stance.

Looking in the opposite direction.

Sierra de Loja.

Looking to the summit.

Moraleda Fields and Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A day on the local patch with Alisa and Indigo from Australia.

I met Alisa and Indigo in Plaza Nueva then we walked back to the car and then made our way out of the city and along the A92 to the fields near Moraleda. On the way through the nearby urbanisation we started the list with several species sitting on the wires including White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and on a small area of waste ground a flock of Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) with a couple of nice male Serin's (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) in the same mix. Out on the fields we did a loop along the main track and during this drive we picked Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and our main target birds with 3 Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) being seen at first at quite a distance but later we had better views but in flight.

Our next stop was down in the Pine woods along the road down in the Cacín Valley just above the river where we had a walk and recorded Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

We made another stop along the river at the bridge but we did not add anything new to the list so we pushed on up to the reservoir and scanned the water picking up Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea). On the way along the road towards the gorge we had a very nice Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) and several Woodpigeons (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) sat on the wires.

In the gorge we stopped a couple of times seeing a good flock of Jackdaws and a pair of Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus) which sat on the cliff giving us nice views and then equally good flight views. 

We worked our way back along the Valley and then up on to the ridge above Cacín where we looked for raptors but only added Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) as well as Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Small White (Artogeia rapae) butterfly on the fields near La Malaha before heading back into the city.

Rio Velez, Malaga Province.

Another fairly unproductive, uncomfortable visit to the river mouth.

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Jayne and I had a nice morning around Frigiliana further along the coast and a pleasant walk around the main town of Torre del Mar before I dropped her off at the shopping centre. I then went and parked at the far end of the track along the side of the river by the beach and had a walk out on to the sand seeing a couple of Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterflies and the first of several Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta).

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

On the sea I found good numbers of Gulls including Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) as well as Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and a very late migrating Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) which flew over my head from up river and out to sea.

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

On the pool at the beach end there was just a single Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), several Eurasian Coots (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and in the reed beds Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and a quite unexpected Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) which was the first time I had seen this species at this site.

Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

I then walked up along the river trying to find a track that was not occupied by some wirdeo hanging around. I eventually dodged the problems and made it out to the river seeing Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

I later went back to the car and then walked back to the bench near the hide where I sat and waited to see what popped past and added Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus). I met Jayne later and we headed back North via Zafarraya adding Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cyanus).

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

Lunch with some special birds.

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

Jayne was going to the Trabuco craft groups Christmas lunch so I dropped her off and continued on up my favourite place Sierra de Loja. I drove straight over the area to the furthest point that I intended to visit and started birding there and did not get very far before I started to find some interesting species.

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

I walked up through the rocky Hawthorn covered slopes well beyond the Goat Cave area and soon picked up a single Ring Ouzel ( Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), a good number of Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and whilst I sat eating my lunch a group of 23 or so Alpine Accentor's (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris) flew in to the small gorge just below me and work there way up towards me and gave great views.

Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

As I walked back to the car I saw several Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica), 100s if not 1000s of Broad leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Iris planifolia) and a couple of fresh looking Small Coppers (Lycaena phlaeas).

Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).

I started the drive back down the hill but only made it a short way before I saw the first of at least 3 Fieldfares (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) fly across the road and into a group of Hawthorns. Whilst watching this locally very rare bird I also had views of Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Rock Buntings (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). I moved on again and before long I was watching another 2 Fieldfares sat on a rock pile below the road and what was possibly the same Ring Ouzel seen earlier.

Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).

Around the crags nearer the Goat Cave I picked up Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis). 

Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).

Past the pools at Charca Negro I added Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and further down there was a male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus) and a very confiding Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) which gave me great views and sat nicely for the camera.

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

Right at the bottom of the hill amongst the Oaks and Pines I found Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), and Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater).

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

Some views of the Sierra.

Today I spent the day in one of my favourite places birding for a few hours.

El Purche, Botanical Gardens and Genil River in the Sierra Nevada, Granada Province.

Hills, Woods and Water all on a frosty morning.

El Purche area, looking up to the Walnut plantations.

I dropped Jayne off in the city center where she was going to do some shopping and I headed off up the hill to a cracking spot called El Purche where I walked out to rocky out crop with a base area of Hawthorn scrub. As I walked through the site I had calling Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), a group of a dozen or so Woodlarks (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a calling Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).

El Purche area.

In amongst the Hawthorns I had several Ring Ouzels ( Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), a couple of fleeting Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) along with Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) which almost took my head off as it came out of a track side tree, Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

I walked back towards the car over the frost covered slopes which were still in the shade of the ridge, on the way I picked up Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I dropped back down to the road again and saw Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

The next stop was at the botanical gardens but when I got there they were closed so I just had a look at the small water source at the far side of the pine belt near the entrance to see what came in for a drink but after a hour or so it had only been visited by a group of three Firecrests (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) all of which were quite agitated to find each other there. In the area I did see and hear Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

I walked back to the car and went up to the car park at just above 2500 meters and parked before walking over to the crags and pines near the by, on the rocky slopes I had a group of 5 Alpine Accentors (Acentor Alpino / Prunella modularis) but they were way down below me and well out of range of the camera so I continued on through to the pines were there were another 30 or so Siskins, several Coal Tits (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and a couple of Spanish Ibex (Cabra pyreaica hispanica) which were sat on rocks way up on the slopes behind the hotel in the sun.

View from Sierra Nevada.

My last stop of the day was down on the side of the Rio Genil just above the outskirts of the City, I walked across the sluice gate bridge and soon added Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus) to the day list and a final surprise was a very smart male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) which hoped out on to the track by the bridge as I walked back to the car before going and meeting Jayne.

Winter colours along the Rio Genil.

On the way home and on the local patch I boosted the list with Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and the flock of Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).