Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

Year Tick in the Garden.

Winter is on the way so I was out getting some logs in from the pile in the garden and as I was coming back past the pool a cracking male Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) flew in and had a drink. The Siskin was the 296th species for the year, the 300 is getting closer. I stood and watched it for a minute before it flew into the Quince tree and then off down the barranco. Earler in the day I had good views of a pair of Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) that came in, I will have to get the hide out and try for some shots.

Home near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Chiffchaffs and Hawfinhes.

Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) male.

Whilst out in the garden today I had good views of a pair of Hawfinches (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) which dropped into the Almond tree above the pool but did not drop down to the water as I flushed them off. During my time out there I also saw several Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) one of which came to within a few inches of me near the pool, Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Around the pool there were several Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) which dived straight into the pool as I came through the gate and there was a male Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum) holding territory.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 20th Oct 2017.

15W Actinic on the terrace.

1 Moth of 1 Species.

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

 

A new Moth species for the garden, 9462 Spodoptera littoralis (Mediterranean Brocade).

 

9462 Spodoptera littoralis (Mediterranean Brocade).

Padul, Granada Province.

A dip in the wetlands of Padul.

Juan's shot of the YBW taken on the 18th October.

Jayne and I went over to Padul after getting info yesterday afternoon from good friend Juan Pérez Contreras that he had found and photographed a Yellow-browed Warbler (Mosquitero Bilistado / Phylloscopus inornatus) along the stinking stream. It was typical that the car was in for some work when he rang so I could not get there and had to settle for a lunch time visit today which ended as a dip even though we put a few hours in searching and listening for it. We did however see Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) x2, White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) x3, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) x1♀type, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) x4, Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta) x1♀, Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) x2, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x1, Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) x1, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) x1, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) x5, Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) x3, Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) x1♀, Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops). 

During out walk out to the closed visitors center we also saw Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta), Common (Sympetrum striolatum) and Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).

After some lunch on the outskirts we headed home adding Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) on the motorway through Granada and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) on the fields near Huétor.

Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

A morning in the mountains with friends Pat and Peter.

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

I picked up friends Pat and Peter Love from their house which looked up to Sierra de Loja where we were heading to this morning, they have been in the area for 16 years and had not visited the area before. 

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

We drove along the track from the service station and picked up a male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Further up along the crags we saw the first of several Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Once up on the tops we drove quite quickly out to the furthest point out past Charca del Negro where we soon picked up the first of several Ring Ouzels ( Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), as well as a group of four Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana) which took off as we came along the track, lots of Blackbirds (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and then just as a bit of a shower worked its way in a group of 23 Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) came in low, some landed on a distant ridge before flying right past us giving us all great views.

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

As we watched the Vultures a couple of Alpine Accentors (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris) flew over calling and we also had more Red-billed Choughs, Rock Buntings, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

From here we drove slowly back down the hill between some quite heavy showers, we added Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Once we were down we dropped trough Loja and the up to Pat and Peters house where we finished the morning an back home via the fields North of Huétor adding quite a few species to the list including Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 11th Oct 2017.

15W Actinic on the terrace.

?? Moths of 5 Species.

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

6503 Evergestis politalis.

A few of the species seen including 6503 Evergestis politalis, 9651 Aporophyla nigra (Black Rustic), 9724 Polymixis lichenea (Feathered Ranunculus) x1, 9743a Mniotype occidentalis x1 and 10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic) x3.

9651 Aporophyla nigra (Black Rustic).

9724 Polymixis lichenea (Feathered Ranunculus).

9743a Mniotype occidentalis.

10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic).

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Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 9th Oct 2017.

15W Actinic on the terrace.

156 Moth of 19 Species.

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

8328 Nebula ibericata

1655 Ethmia bipunctella x1, 6531 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty Dot Pearl) x4, 7598 Petrophora convergata x2, 7725 Menophora japygiaria (Brassy Waved Umber) x2, 7926 Aspitates ochrearia (Yellow Belle) x1, 8211 Rhodometra sacraria (The Vestal) x34, 8328 Nebula ibericata x1, 8823 Bryophila microglossa x1, 9368 Heliothis nubigera (Eastern Bordered Straw) x1, 9534 Pseudenargia ulicis (The Berber) x1, 9621 Episema gruenri x86, 9628 Leucochlaena oditis (Beautiful Gothic) x13, 9653 Aporophyla canescens x1, 10156 Eugnorisma glareosa (Autumnal Rustic) x1, 10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic) x2, 10273 Euxoa temera x1, 10326 Eucoptocnemis optabilis x1, 10335 Agrotis lata and 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x2.

9368 Heliothis nubigera (Eastern Bordered Straw).

9534 Pseudenargia ulicis (The Berber).

9621 Episema gruenri.

9621 Episema gruenri.

9621 Episema gruenri.

9628 Leucochlaena oditis (Beautiful Gothic).

10156 Eugnorisma glareosa (Autumnal Rustic).

10326 Eucoptocnemis optabilis.

10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic).

7598 Petrophora convergata.

10335 Agrotis lata.

8823 Bryophila microglossa.

9653 Aporophyla canescens.

10273 Euxoa temera.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Dragons and birds in the garden.

Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum).

Whilst doing a bit of gardening I noted a few species around the pool and in the trees including Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum) which was a new species for the garden, Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), a female Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

RAM at Peñón de Jolúcar and Charca Suarez, Granada Province.

Counting the Sea birds and a visit to the wetlands, a busy morning.

Shags (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

I met Juan Pérez Contreras and then later we picked up John Ross on our way down to Peñón de Jolúcar on the coast near Motril.  On the way we were pleased to see a flock of 20 Shags (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis), some on the rocks and others on the sea, most were immature birds but there was at least one nice adult amongst the and a ringed bird which had come from a site in Mercia.

Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

We arrived and walked out to the watch point seeing the usual hoards of Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) with a few Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and an adult Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

During the time we were carrying out the watch we saw good numbers of both Balearic (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and Cory's Shearwaters (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea), Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) x1, Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda) x2, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and a single Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

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

Other species seen during the time there were several migrating Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

On our way to Charca Suarez we boosted the list with Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Once in Charca we made our way to Laguna del Taraje seeing Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and from the hide we had good views of three squabbling Western Swamp-hens (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).

Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

We moved on to the hide at the far end of the same pool and found three female type Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) but there was little else so we had a look at the hide over looking Álamo Blanco. 

Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta).

The water level was very low and there were not many birds around, however we did see a female type Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), 2 very distant Black Storks (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra) which were circling with a dark and a light phase Booted Eagle, Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) as well as Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta), Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) and Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

We walked around to the main hide over looking Laguna de las Aneas, here we picked up 2x Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), single females of both Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera) and Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), 2x immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Cormorant, Little and Western Cattle Egrets, Grey Heron, Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

We moved further on around the reserve visiting the last three hide over looking Laguna del Trébol and Laguna del Lirio finding Red-knobbed Coot (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata), Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Small White (Pieris rapae), Monarch (Danaus plexippus), African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii), Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), 2x Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) and several of the introduce Tortoise but I am not sure which species they are. 

Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon).

On the way home I added a Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) on the side of the motorway just north of the coast and then on the local patch Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and a male Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra).

Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon).