Whittington, Staffordshire and Hoo Farm, Telford, Shropshire, Britain.

Three generations out together.

Zach (Birthday boy), Ryan and Finn.

My Son Alan picked me up from Albrighton and took me back to their place where I watched 4 year old Grandson Zach open his birthday presents.

Ryan, Becki and Alan.

He had been given a very smart radio controlled buggy so the 3 lads and I went out onto the field in front of the house and played for a while before heading off over to Hoo Farm at Telford.

The noisy T-Rex.

We all (Finn, Zach, Ryan, Becki, Al, Deb-Becki's Mom and I) headed in and wandered around the Dinosaur World area for a while, looked at the animals and then the kids had a great time on a big bouncy pillow and in the play park, later we all headed for Mcdonald's and then Al dropped me back in Albrighton, knackered after a brilliant day.

Albrighton, Shropshire, Britain.

A walk around the edge of the Village.

Ebird List for Albrighton and Donington NR. 

After a visit to the local garden center with Mom and John for a Cornish Cream Tea we collected some flowers from Deb, a local florist and then they dropped me off at Donington Church where I spent a while cleaning up the area around Jayne's plaque and her Mom and Dads.

I then went to Albrighton Church and tidied up around my Dad's stone as well, whilst there I saw and heard Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and a Common Treecreeper (Agateador Norteño / Certhia familiaris).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

I walked back to Mom's, collected the Bin's and Camera and walked back down to the pool on the Albrighton and Donington NR, there I found Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), and then over on the fields along the brook I added Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris), Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Treecreeper, Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and 2x Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus).

I decided to walk up to Green Lane and check out the fields but cut up alongside the pool again where I bumped in Dave Grif who I hadn't seen for a good few years and whilst we were chatting a Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) flew in and landed in one of the trees a the far end of the pool.

I reached Green Lane and walked to the far end and then across some of the fields on public footpaths on the way back, new species seen included more Skylarks, Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) x2, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) x2, Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii) and Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).

Albrighton, Shropshire, Britain.

Mom's Garden and out for a meal with Jayne's Family.

I spent the day around the house catching up with a few bits on the computer, whilst there I saw Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Later I walked up to the new Italian Restaurant called Rosello where we had a very very Good meal and an all round nice night.

Chasewater, Whitemore Haye, Barton Pits, Small Meadow Pits and back to Chasewater, Staffordshire, Britain.

Out for a good days birding around Staffs with Friends Sharon and John.

Ebird List for Chasewater.

Ebird List for Whitemore Haye.

Ebird List for Barton Pits.

Ebird List for Dunstall Road.

Ebird List for Small Meadow Pits.

Ebird List for Chasewater.

Goosander (Serreta Grande / Mergus merganser).

John picked me up outside my Mom's just before 08:00 and we headed back over to his place where Sharon got us a bacon sandwich and a coffee ready before we all headed out towards dam end of Chasewater where we parked and checked the Reservoir.

Goosander (Serreta Grande / Mergus merganser).

Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

Almost straight away we saw two of my favorite water birds, Goosander (Serreta Grande / Mergus merganser) and Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula) along with Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), European Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) male.

Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) female.

In the trees and surroundings there were Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula) FFM.

Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula) FM.

Goosander (Serreta Grande / Mergus merganser).

We moved on and headed up the A38 towards Alrewas and then out and around the Gravel Pits, Lanes and fields, we looked for a wintering Slavonian / Horned Grebe (Zampullín Cuellirrojo / Podiceps auritus), we failed to find it but we did add Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus).

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).

We moved up the road and parked in a disused part of the road where we scanned the fields and pools, there was quite a lot of disturbace as people were working in the area we were looking for a regular Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius), as expected we didn't see it but we did add Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii).

Greylag Goose (Ansar Común / Anser anser).

European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus).

We moved around to another couple of spots on the lanes finding Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella) and European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

We moved on again and headed a couple more junction's up the A30 to Barton Gravel Pits where we had a walk out to a spot over looking over Ashy Pits (I think thats right) where along with a couple of local birders we added Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Stock Dove (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) to the day list.

Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).

We popped just up the road after being told about a couple of Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and soon found them feeding in large garssy field with a flock of sheep.

Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus).

Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus).

Just down the road in Barton-under-needwood we parked and went for a walk fown a track to view Small Meadows Pits where we scanned the old pits to our right and the working ones to the left only finding 2x Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) that were new for the day.

Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).

Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), European Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and adult Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides).

We headed back to the car and headed back to Chasewater for the Gull roost, we arrived and walked out to the balcony and set up the scopes and after a bit of a search we located the 3 Great Northern Divers (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) which had been around for a few days.

The Gull Roost.

JJ at the Gull Roost.

Other new birds seen included Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis), Common (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus), Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), Caspian (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans) and an adult Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides).

We went back to Sharon and John's place where we had a nice meal and John and I tried a couple of very nice Irish Whiskey's John had, very nice.

Albrighton in Shropshire and Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, Britain,

Had to go to Specsavers !!!!!!

Today I had to catch the bus up into Wolves for an appointment at Specsavers as I needed some new reading / Computer Glasses as mine were broken during security checks at the airport yesterday.

John and I caught the bus in the village and we were soon up in town, John headed off and did his tasks and I went to a few places before going to the appointment and then went to the bus station again and back to Albrighton, during the walk around and on the way back I saw Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), European Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

Back at Mom's I sat and watched what was knocking around in the garden finding Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Travelling to UK.

Travelling back to Britain to see the Family.

I left home early and made my way down to friends Barbara and Derek's place where I left the car, on the way down I saw Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

After a coffee and a chat they kindly dropped me to the Airport for my flight to Birmingham, so far so good but it was about to go down hill rapidly but that's a story for another day, anyway I got to the gates and met friends Kiersten and Richard, I had a coffee with them before headed off to catch the flight, my last bird in Spain was a White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

The flight was extremely bumpy and the landing was by far the scariest I have been on but the pilot did a fine job and got us on the ground safely under horrendous conditions.

Nest stage was getting from Birmingham international to Albrighton, usually nice and straight forward but due to building works and very bad signage at the Airport this took quite a lot longer than necessary, I eventually got the train into Birmingham and had just enough time to get a coffee and something to eat.

So after a stop at the Pasty Shop I was on my way to Albrighton on a nice new looking but filthy train, on the way I saw Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), European Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Feral (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

My Mom and John were at the station to meet me and we headed to the house where we chatted and caught up as I hadn't see them since September.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A quick walk around the Lucerne Fields.

Ebird List, 24 Species.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I parked at my usual spot and then walked out around the Lucerne fields and took the track by the Walnut trees out to the goat sheds, main species were 10x Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) x2, Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 20th Jan 24.

15W Actinic on the terrace.

14 Moths of 5 Species.

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

 

6496 Evergestis isatidalis.

6496 Evergestis isatidalis x7, 9206 Cucullia calendulae (Marigold Shark) x2, 9676 Xylocampa areola (Early Grey) x1, 10346 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon) x2 and 10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth) x2.

10346 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon).

10346 Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon).

10351 Agrotis segetum (Turnip Moth).

 

Punta del Santo, Charca de Suárez, Tajos de los Vados, El Temple, the Cacín Valley, Huétor Fields and Balsa de Regidor, Granada Province Spain.

A morning birding with Juan Perez and the some more birds on the way home.

Ebird List for Punta del Santo, 17 Species.

Ebird List for Charca de Suárez, 41 Species.

Ebird List for Tajos de los Vados, 9 Species.

Ebird List for El Temple, 1 Species.

Ebird List for the Embalse, 14 Species.

Ebird List for Balsa de Regidor, 20 Species.

Dawn at Punta del Santo.

I started the day by driving down to Punta del Santo on the Granada Coast near to Motril where we set up the scopes and did a sea watch, new birds for the year were Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) x103 and a single Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) which did a couple of flypasts one going east and then west.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) Adult.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) Immature.

Other species seen from here included Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) x112, Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda) x4, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon).

Our next stop was at Charca, I dropped Juan and Chika off near their place and then went into the reserve and walked an anti-clockwise route around the hides starting at Laguna del Lirio where I picked up Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon).

As I walked around to the first of the hides overlooking Laguna del Treból I picked up the first of a couple of Kingfishers (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) and from the hide a female Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and lots of Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) which we saw from all the hides.

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) Female.

I continued on around to the other hide over looking this pool but the light was awful as the sun was shining directly onto the water right in front of the hide, however I still managed to find the wintering Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon) in the reeds opposite but the photo's are horrendous, other species included Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) x Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

After a while Juan joined me again and the  Moustached Warbler showed again briefly for him and then we moved around to the main hide, unfortunately the light wasn't much better here but we did managed to add Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) x4, Yellow-legged Gull, Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) x2.

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) x Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

We moved on around to the northern end of the Laguna del Taraje where we saw a Hybrid between Eurasian and Red-knobbed Coots before heading to the new hide and adding just Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) x Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

Our last stop was at the hide at the southern end of Laguna del Taraje where we saw Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

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

Time was up so we made our way towards the exit where we meet Beatriz and Chika before I headed off and took the old road up towards Granada, after a few KMs I stopped on the roadside at a spot that Juan had told me about and searched the skies for Raptors and soon found a Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) sat on a pylon which was followed by a displaying Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus).

Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

I continued on and took to the tracks of El Temple finding 2x Long-eared Owls (Búho Chico / Asio otus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and my first Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) of the year and I think probably my earliest. 

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

I took the depresing drive over to Cacín again through all the Solar devistation seeing several Rabbits (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and a Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus) on the way to the village and then carried on up the valley to the Conta-embalse de Bermejalis where I saw many of the species already seen but added Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x2, Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) as well as 2 more Marsh Harriers.

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).

Once I had finished my scan of the Lake I headed home and got the fire going and did a bit of tidying up before heading back out to survey the roost at Balsa de Regidor, on the way I drove past the Lucerne fields finding Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x10.

It's not much but this is the first time in nearly 2 years since none irrigation water ran along the Arroyo Vilano.

I parked by the Balsa and started to scan the lake and picked up 31 Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and a single Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) x1, Grey Heron x2, Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) x275 approx, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and 19 more Common Pochards but no Great Cormarants coming into roost which was what I was there to look for.

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).