Guadalhorce Pools, Malaga Province.

Waders, Gulls and Terns along with a few other bits along the way.

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Jayne and I headed down to Malaga airport for her trip back to the UK to spend some time with the family including our Son and Grandson. After I made sure she was safely through the security checks I went and parked near the reserve and walked on. 

Collared Pratincoles (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Between the car and the bridge I started the day list off with Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Once over the bridge I headed straight to the main hide over looking Laguna Grande, on the way I heard a singing Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and the first of a good number of Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Once I was in the hide I stayed there for the next couple of hours scanning the lake but started with a few good species on the mud bar right right infront of me including 4x Collared Pratincoles (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola), a smart lookng summer plumaged Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), 3 Curlew Sandpipers (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea) in different stages of plumage including a good summer bird, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and more Slender-billed Gulls and several Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Further out on the lake there were 5x Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), 3x Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 1x Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), 2x Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), 1x Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Gull-billed Terns (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica) which were sat on the far side of the lake and over the water Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

I walked around to the hide over looking Laguna Escondida, on the way a flock of 19 Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) came in over the reserve and the flew off East without landing. From the hide I added just a single male White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and a perched Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

I continued on around the site to the two far hides adding Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola) before I reached the sea watch point where I had views of 2 Great Crested Grebes (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) and a chasing Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) which was making life difficult for the Gulls.

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

I walked along the beach and then back in to the reserve and to the main hide again see a male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) on the way. From the hide I had two more new species for my year list when both Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus) and Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea) flew across infront of the hide. 

Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

After a while I walked back to the car and finished the visit with a fine male Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis) in the trees near the bridge.

Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

Collared Pratincoles (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), 3x Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) and a Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).

Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

Gull-billed Terns (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Arroyo Vilano, Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

15 minutes on the patch.

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

On my way down to Huétor I made a quick stop on the banks of the Arroyo and scanned river and the fields on the far bank. On the river there was a pair of Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

On the fields there were at least 4 Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and several Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

La Malaha and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province, Spain.

A brilliant days birding with Phil from the UK.

Male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I met Phil at his accommodation in Durcal  and we headed straight out in to the country about 20 minutes away and parked at an old semi-ruined Cortijo where we had good views off around 15 Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) as well as good numbers of Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), a singing Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and down in the rush filled dry Barranco a female Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), male Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), male Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and at least 3x Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) which were checking out some tunnels for nest sites.

Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).

We made a brief roadside stop near La Malaha and had another male Pied Flycatcher, singing Nightingales, Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis).

Just up the road we had the first of quite a few Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and a few hundred meters further on a cracking male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which was calling from a weedy fallow field, this was followed by at least 3 more birds in the same area.

Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis).

As we watched the Bustards we heard a calling Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) off in a distant Almond plantation, I set up the scope and we had views of a male standing right next to a Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and soon we were watching a pair flying from the Almonds and away.

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

We saw another male on one of the side tracks so we drove down to the spot to get a better view but instead we had a pair of stunning Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) which flew around us a couple of times and the headed off east.

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

In the same area we heard a calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and as we drove through the olives towards our next birding area we had European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), 2x Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and in amongst an Almond Grove with lots of wildflowers we had a female Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), a small day flying Moth which still needs a name, Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), the Purple Poppy like plant Roemeria hybrida and on the fields a few Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).

We made a stop on the road out to the Cacín Valley where we had a short walk picking up more Nightingales, a male Sardinian Warbler, the first Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and then a stunning Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) came over the top of us calling and later we had a pair chasing each other around some dead trees.

Roemeria hybrida.

As we walked we had a single African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna) which was a most wanted species for Phil along with European Bee-eater, another male Pied Flycatcher, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Aquila pennatus) back down the valley.

Moth species.

A little further on we checked the dead trees and had two Rollers fly off around the next corner and out of sight but whilst we checked the next bend in the road in the direction they had flown a large raptor came up over a nearby ridge and then flew away from us quickly but not before it did a couple of turns and letting us see that it was an immature Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas).

We drove around to another view point a few Kms further on to see if we could pick up the Eagle again but it did not show up, on the way round we had a female Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus).

Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

From the view point we had both Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) passing over us in good numbers and as we dropped down into the village of Cacín a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) came up of a pylon and we had a Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) on the Rio Cacín on the far side of the village before we headed North along the valley to the Contra-embalse de Bermejalis.

Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis).

Up at the lake we scanned the water and soon boosted the day list with Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), a single male Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and a pair of Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) on a small area of remaining mud.

Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor Perdicera / Aquila faciatus).

In the same area we also picked out a male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), a White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), a calling Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus) and for the whole time we were there we were sang to by loads of Golden Orioles (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).

Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor Perdicera / Aquila faciatus).

Our next stop was just up the road at the bridge over the Cacín, after parking we had a walk on to the bridge and then down to the dam adding Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), yet another male Pied Flycatcher, Hoopoe, a Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) which flushed up from reeds near the bridge and a very unexpected Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis).

Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

On the walk down to the dam Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), male, female and 3 immature Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) which came down to drink in the main irrigation channel, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Common Redshanks (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

We turned around and dropped back down the valley to the south and made a stop at the Roman bridge on the way seeing a nice male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), several Rock Sparrows and just a little further on a fine male Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus) which was being mobbed by several Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula). 

Hybrid Ophrys x chobautii.

Also flying in the gorge were lots of House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and a few Crags (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Mirror Orchid ( Ophrys speculum).

Again we dropped down south to the main Embalse where we parked and checked out one of the main water inlets, on the channel we found 2x migrating Common Redshanks (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) and just down the road lots of Orchid species including Fan-lipped (Orchis colina), Giant (Himantoglossum robertiana), Naked / Italian Man (Orquídea italiana / Orchis italica), Mirror ( Ophrys speculum), Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera subsp tenthredinifera), Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), Somber Bee (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and the rare Hybrid Ophrys x chobautii.

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera subsp tenthredinifera).

Our final stop of the day was at a roadside spot where we scanned some nearby cliffs and had a view of half of an Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) in one of the holes, we also had a couple of Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and another eagle but it was so far away it could not be identified for certain but I suspect it was a Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Orchis colina).

From here we headed back to Durcal and I left Phil at his accommodation after a really good day out on the far end of my local patch.

Naked / Italian Man Orchid (Orquídea italiana / Orchis italica).

Padul Wetland, Granada Province.

Dipped on a Greater Scaup seen by Juan Pérez Contreras on the day before.

After getting a call from Juan I went down to Padul wetland and to a view point Juan had told me about where you get a good view out over the lake. I scanned but could not see any sign of the Greater Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila) in the 2.5 hours I was there but I did see at least 4 female and 2 male Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) x12, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) x2, Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) x3, Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) x2, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) x1, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) x3, Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x2, Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) x1, Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) x30 and Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros).

For the last half an hour I walked along the smelly channel where I was able to see quite well that the management of the reserve was still as bad as it has been for a year or two but I still saw Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Iberian Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Ibérico / Phylloscopus brehmii), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), a possible bumb end of a Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Sierra de Loja and the western slopes, Granada Province.

Low cloud, Rain, High Winds and just a Tad of sun made for a mixed day.

Torcal Toadflax (Linaria anticaria).

I met Pauline, Niki, Anne and Andy at the Abades service area and even though the weather was not great we gave the Sierra a go and started off with a walk up to the second quarry. 

Lichen on the sierra.

As we walked we saw a couple of Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), a male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Viola dementria, Southern Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris ssp. australis) which were not in flower, Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), White Mignonette (Reseda Alba), Torcal Toadflax (Linaria anticaria), Rusty-back Fern (Ceterach officinarum), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), Mediterranean Catchfly (Silene colorata), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Common Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Andalusian Storksbill (Erodium recorderi), Southern Early Purple (Androrchis Olbiensis) and Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

We returned to the car and the drove right out to the far side adding several Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Black-eared Wheatears (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) including a rather soggy youngster and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae). 

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

As we continued on the weather really closed in and the cloud and rain became so bad that we decided to cut our looses and turn round and drop back down the hill adding a fine singing male Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

In the woodlands lower down we found Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera subsp tenthredinifera), Buckler Mustard (Biscutella frutescens), Spring Rockcress (Arabis verna), Mediterranean Catchfly (Silene colorata) and Eruca (Eruca sativa).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Down lower near the motorway we had several spikes of Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana). 

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Our next stop was unplanned but we had a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) fly across in front of us and as we watched that we picked up 8 passing Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) which we saw again further down the valley a little later.

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis Papillionacea).

Next we stopped at an area of fields along the western slopes of the sierra and had fantastic views of more than a dozen Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), this was truly brilliant birding experience. 

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

We also had House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) as well as Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae). 

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

Just down the road from this spot we stopped on the roadside and took pictures of a group of Pink Butterfly Orchids (Orchis Papillionacea) and found Common Asphodel (Asphodelus albus), Mallow-leaved Bindweed (Convolvulus althaeoides) and Common Snapdragon (Antirrhinum major).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Down the valley we made another stop in amongst the Oaks and soon found several species of Orchid including Yellow Bee Orchid, Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanatera longifolia), Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica), Giant Orchid and Southern Early Purple Orchid as well as a really annoyed Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) which was flashing it crown at us as we walked through it's territory.

Pink Butterfly Orchids (Orchis Papillionacea).

We again moved further down the valley to an area of disused Almond groves in a large area of terraced grassland where we again found several of the same orchid species along with Mirror Orchid ( Ophrys speculum), Fan-lipped Orchid (Orchis colina), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major).

Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).

We headed back North up the valley and made one last roadside where we found several spikes of Pink Butterfly Orchids (Orchis Papillionacea) and another spike of Sawfly Orchid.

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertiana).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Orchis colina).

Mirror Orchid ( Ophrys speculum).