Near Huétor Tajar, Loja to Zafarraya Road and Embalse de Bermejalis, Granada Province, Spain.

A day Orchid hunting with Friends Lynn and Steve from Cornwall.

Ebird List for Small Pool.

Ebird List for Embalse de Bermejalis.

 

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

I started the day by setting up the washing machine for later, as I did this I had a calling Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) on the wires and a singing Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) in the garden.

I then went down to Huétor to meet Lynn and Steve, on the way and in Huétor I saw European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Nightingale, another Little Owl, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).
When Lynn and Steve arrived we all headed out towards Loja and then south towards Zafarraya, out first stop was in an area of cereal fields where we sat on the side of a track and watched several Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), at least 4 males and a couple of females.

We also saw European Turtle Dove, Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), European Bee-eater, Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum) and Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum).

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).

We continued on South to a spot on the roadside where we had a cracking patch of Pink Butterfly Orchids (Orchis papilionacea) as well as lots of Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea), a few over with Somber Bee (Ophrys lupercalis), some Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum), Common (Asphodelus aestivus) and Hollow Stemmed Asphodel (Asphodelus fistulosus), Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca), Tassel Hyacinth (Leopoldia comosa) and Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata).

Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).

Next stop was at a site which Lynn and Steve had been to before but was new for me, a nice natural pool which was surrounded by some nice Limestone Pavement areas which had quite a lot of very smart orchids including 100s if not 1000s of Yellow Bee Orchids as well as good numbers of Conical (Neotinea conica), Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera) most finished, Mirror, Fan-lipped (Anacamptis collina) finished, Southern Early Purple (Orchis olbienis) and a couple of past their best Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana). 

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

Other species seen were Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum baeticum), Southern Knapweed (Centaurea pullata), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Common Vetch (Vicia sativa), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Southern Red Bartsia (Parentucellia latifolia), 7926 Semiaspilates ochrearia (Yellow Belle), Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

Bird wise I was pleased to pickup 3 year ticks Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris) as well as Western Orphean (Curruca Mirlona Occidental / Curruca hortensis) and Garden Warblers (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Other species seen were Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) immature, Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) x2, Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle Dove, Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater, Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), European Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Spotless Starling, Western Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).

Our next stop was just a short way along the valley in an area of Oak woodland, here we found a single good spike of Sawfly Orchid under a large Oak tree, Late Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys ficalhoana) but not quite in flower yet, Mirror, Lizard (Himanthoglosum hircinum) leaves only, Conical, Southern Early Purple Orchid and Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanathera longifolia), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small Heath, Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides), Clouded Yellow, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) and Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina).

Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanathera longifolia).

Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanathera longifolia).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

We dropped into Ventas de Zafarraya and got some lunch in Bar Pension Aquí Te Quiero Ver before going back up the Valley a short way to a hillside of abandoned Almonds, as we walked around we saw large patches of Pink Butterfly Orchids as well as more of the other species already seen plus a few spikes of Small Woodcock (Ophrys picta) and Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora) which were also new for the day. 

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).

Pink Butterfly Orchid (Orchis papilionacea).

Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta).

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora).

In the same area Lynn and Steve had Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) and Meloe tuccius an Oil Beetle Species,  I picked up Spanish Festoon, Western Orphean Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

Meloe tuccius.

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum).

Steve getting stuck in to some Orchid photography.

Once we got back to the car we headed back to Ventas de Zafarraya and then onto Alhama de Granada and finally on wards to the Embalse de Bermejalis seeing a second Golden Eagle, a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), we parked by the large inlet channel and then walked the Pine woodlands seeing good numbers of the beautiful Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica), Ophrys x juanamarii which were pretty much over with, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Short-toed Treecreeper, Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Western Bonelli's Warbler.

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

Lynn and Steve admiring the Italian Men !!!!!

We returned to the car and made our way back up to Lynn and Steve's Bus, I then set off home.

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Ophrys x juanamarii.

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

 

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 16th April 25.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +11

19 Moth of 9 Species.

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

 

1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back).

1525 Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back) x1, 6531 Udea ferrugalis (Rusty Dot Pearl) x1, 6719 Nomophila noctuella (Rush Veneer) x4, 8638 Lithostege griseata (Grey Carpet) x3, 9367 Heliothis peltigera (Bordered Straw) x5, 9433 Paradrina clavipalpis (Pale Mottled Willow) x2, 9435/6 Caradrina noctivaga / flavirena x1, 10199 Xestia c-nigrum (Setaceous Hebrew Character) x1 and 10343 Agrotis puta (Shuttle Shaped Dart) x1.

8638 Lithostege griseata (Grey Carpet).

9367 Heliothis peltigera (Bordered Straw).

10199 Xestia c-nigrum (Setaceous Hebrew Character).

 

 

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 15th April 25.

15W Actinic on the terrace, +5

0 Moth of 0 Species.

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

 

A cold, windy and wet  night so I was not really surprised to find nothing had come into the light.

Huétor Fields, Balsa de Regidor, Cacín Valley and Balsa de Regidor, Granada Province, Spain.

A cracking day out birding locally with Barbara and Derek Etherton.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

Ebird List for Balsa de Regidor.

Ebird List for Contraembalse de los Bermejales.

Ebird List for GR-4304, Cacín Pine Woods.

Greater Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla).

I started the day with a blood test in Loja Hospital and then met up with Barbara and Derek Etherton at Combustibles Gómez where we had some breakfast and then went out onto the fields nearby where we started the day list off with a group of Greater Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) feeding with House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris).

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

We went out onto the road / track along the Lucerne fields where we heard Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Iberian  (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

 We left the Lucerne fields and went up to my house as I had been seeing European Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) up there regularly for a few days, on the way we also had a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) on a post and at the house 2 of the Doves we wanted.

 As we were driving towards Mesia we finished the sites list off with a group of at least 16 European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster).

Male Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula) and a female Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina).

Male Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula) and a female Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina).

Once we were through Mesia we headed towards the Motorway and took the service road down to Balsa de Regidor, we parked and straight away we found a nice male Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula), a local rarity in amongst a good number of Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina).

Male Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula).

Male Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula).

Other species seen here included Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Kestrel, Sand (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Barn and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Sardinian and Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).

Male Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula) and a male and female Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina).

We dropped down the Cacín Valley as far as the Contraembalse de Bermejalis calling in at the two stops along the Moraleda Crags where we saw a single Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica) but nothing else so we moved on to the Contraembalse.

Yellow Bee Orchids (Ophrys lutea).

We turned the car and then parked and scanned the air, lake and margins finding Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Eurasian Coot, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta) year tick, Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Sand Martin and Western House Martin, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea) and Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Our next stop was just a short distance away on the track down to the Dam, we parked at the far end of the channel and checked the pines and poplars adding Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Nightingale, Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and Yellow Bee Orchid.

Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo).

Back up at the bridge over the Cacín we parked again and scanned the surrounding hillsides where we found a very nice roosting / sun bathing Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) on a ledge a few 100 meters away but looked amazing through the scope, initially Barbara and I watched the bird while Derek walked back to the car to get the scope and as we did this an immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) came into view and passed a little too close to the Owl which it didn't like so it flew up and saw the Eagle off which then flew off a little higher and it then got mobbed by a couple of Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) being mobbed by a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Before we pushed on to our last stop we spent some time checking the trees by the bridge seeing Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Common Woodpigeon.

Our last stop of the day was a bit further up the valley where we stopped amongst the Pines finishing the day with Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Iberian  Magpie and Common Nightingale.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around the Lucerne Fields.

Ebird List for the Fields.

 

European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).

As it had stopped raining for a short while I went for a walk and for the first time in a while managed with some care to get to my usual parking spot and did a walk out to the Walnut Trees and then to the Goat sheds.

Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

As I walked I recorded Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) heard, Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Common Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a single Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).