Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk along the Lucerne Fields with Paqui.

A well placed Cloud.

We met at the walnut trees and walked out to the gate, on the way we saw the two remaining Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) a ♀ and a juvenile bird.

The view over the fields.

Other species included Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Rio Frio, Granada Province, Spain.

An early morning walk before the heat arrives again.

Paqui and I headed down to Riofrio and had a walk along the river, to start with we sat by the River on one of the benches for a while and enjoyed the coolness of the early morning.

As we sat by the river and during the walk we saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) ans Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian (Urraca Común / Pica pica) and Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

We walked along the river to La Casa del Pastel where we had some breakfast before returning to Huétor where I dropped Paqui at home before topping up the car with fuel as it looks like the price is going to jump again.

I got back home and got on with a few jobs, out on the terrace I could hear several European Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

Later in the Evening Paqui and I went around to one of her friends where we watched the final of the World Cup which we were all very pleased to see Spain win. 

Presa y Meandros del Genil, Granada Province, Spain.

A  couple of hours in the cooler campo.

Ebird List for the Presa.

 

The Sunrise on my way down to Huétor.

I picked Paqui up in Huétor, and we headed through Villanueva Mesía to the Presa y Meandros del Genil, where we chilled for a while in the cooler morning air.

As we sat there, we saw and heard Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Down on the Patch with Paqui looking in on the Montagu's.

 

Sunrise through the Calima.

Paqui and I met down at the Walnut trees and walked out to the gate and back again, during the walk we saw a couple of Montagu's Harrier's (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), a ♀ and the last remaining juvenile that still remain at the site after all the other birds have moved off.

Other species recorded included Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) calling from the Lucerne, Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Venta del Molinillo, Arroyo de Prado Negro, Sierra de Huétor, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk along the River with Paqui looking for Butterflies and Dragons.

 

We set off early and, on the way, stopped for breakfast at Gasolinera Huetor Santillan, then continued to the Arroyo de Prado Negro.

Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

Around the parking area, we saw the first of a good number of Small Pincertails (Onychogomphus forcipatus) including several ♀♀ which were far happier to sit for the camera, Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius) and Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♀.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♀.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂♂.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♀.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) ♂.

As we walked up the valley and checked the meadows and the margins, as we walked we saw Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) x50+, Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) x1, Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) x2, and Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) x4 dragonfly wise.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) .

Butterfly numbers were fairly good, we recorded Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) x2, Small (Pieris rapae) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x1, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x5, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x1, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x2, False Ilex (Satyrium esculi) x6 and Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris) x2, Lang's Short-tailed (Leptotes pirithous), Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus), Holly (Celastrina argiolus) x1, Adonis (Lysandra bellargus) x2, Southern (Polyommatus celina) x12+ and Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra albicans) x3, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x4, Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) x14+, Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora) x3, Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x3, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x3, Rock Grayling (Hipparchia alcyone) x2, Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) x30+ and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x3.

False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolinus).

Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris) .

Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra albicans) .

Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra albicans) .

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Other species included European Hornet (Vespa crabro), Carpentor Bee (Xylocopa violacea), Blue-winged (Oedipoda caerulescens) and Red-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda germanica), Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Spanish Oyster Thistle (Scolymos hispanicus), Viperine Snake (Culebra Viperina / Natrix maura), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Iberian Green  (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), 

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Sierra Nevada, Granada Province, Spain.

A day in the hills searching for butterflies with Richard Trip from the UK.

 

The habitat.

I met Richard at bar La Mora just off the A92, where we had coffee before continuing on to a site in the Sierra Nevada, where we parked at 2040m and walked a track up to around 2380m where we spent quite a while searching for Butterflies.

Looking North.

Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae).

Apollo (Parnassius apollo nevadensis).

Apollo (Parnassius apollo nevadensis).

Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron).

Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe).

Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe).

Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe).

Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe).

During the walk we found Cryptic Red-underwing (Spialia rosae), Mallow (Carcharodus alceae), Small (Thymelicus sylvestris) and Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma), Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Apollo (Parnassius apollo nevadensis), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Small (Lycaena phlaeas) and Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron), Cardinal (Argynnis pandora), Dark-green (Speyeria aglaja) and Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe), Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), Idas Blue (Plebejus idas), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis), Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), Black Satyr (Satyrus actaea),  Grayling (Hipparchia semele), Rock (Hipparchia alcyone) and Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) and 8097 Idaea sericeata, a well-marked moth species.

Idas Blue (Plebejus idas).

Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis).

Black Satyr (Satyrus actaea).

Grayling (Hipparchia semele).

Grayling (Hipparchia semele).

8097 Idaea sericeata.

Other species seen included Sierra Nevada Saddle Bush-cricket (Baetica ustulata), Blue-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens), Mountain Stone Grasshopper (Eumigus monticola), Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Alpine Gentian (Gentiana alpina), Marsh Violet (Viola palustris) and Alyssum granatense. 

Sierra Nevada Saddle Bush-cricket (Baetica ustulata).

Alpine Gentian (Gentiana alpina).

Richard photographing Silver-spotted Skippers (Hesperia comma).

Birds recorded included Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

We returned to the car, just before we got there we had great views of a very thirsty-looking Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus) in the picnic area.

Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus).

We travelled back to the meeting point, where we had a coffee and went through some of Richard's photos before I headed off home, but I went to see Paqui on the way, I was very pleased to see that she had kindly prepared a cracking plate of food for us, thanks Paqui, your food is amazing.

Eggs, Poor-man's Potatoes, Morcilla and Green Peppers, beautiful.