Spain

Some preliminary images from the past few days exploring eastern Andalucia. Huge thanks to Martin Corley, Eduardo Marabuto and Martin Honey for their assistance with identifications.

Aves

Lesser Flamingos Phoeniconaias minor, Fuenta de Piedra Lagoon
(Three of five we saw distantly from the visitor centre)


Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber, Fuenta de Piedra Lagoon


Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus, Fuenta de Piedra Lagoon


Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, Fuenta de Piedra Lagoon


Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis, Almerima Golf Course


Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina, Almerima Golf Course


White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala, Cañada de las Norias


Family party, Rambla de Morales


Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris, Rambla de Morales


Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus and Garganey Anas querquedula, Rambla de Morales


Slender-billed Gull Larus genei, Roquetas de Mar Salinas


Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator, Sierra de Camarolo


Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe, Estación Invernal, Sierra Nevada



Odonata

Southern Skimmer Orthetrum brunneum, Las Guiraos


Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii, Fuenta de Piedra Lagoon


Iberian Bluetail Ischnura graellsii, Cañada de las Norias



Neuroptera

Nemoptera bipennis, Las Almoderas


Lepidoptera

Pale Shoulder Acontia lucida, Cortijo el Campillo


Thetidia plusiaria, Cortijo el Campillo


Idaea circuitaria/rainerii, Cortijo el Campillo


Queen of Spain Fritillary Issoria lathonia, Estación Invernal, Sierra Nevada


Southern Gatekeeper Pyronia cecilia, Cuevas de los Ubedas


Dusky Heath Coenonympha dorus, Cabo de Gata


Probably Southern Marbled Skipper, Carcharodus boeticus, Cabo de Gata


Herpetiles

Large Psammodromus Psammodromus algirus, Caba de Gata



Marsh Frog Rana ridibunda, Almerima Golf Course


Apocrita

Velvet Ant Mutilla sp., Cuevas de los Ubedas


Arachnids

Wolf Spider (Lycosidae), Cuevas de los Ubedas


Scorpion (Buthus occitanus), Cuevas de los Ubedas


Orthoptera

Acrida ungarica, Cuevas de los Ubedas



Egyptian Grasshopper Anacridium aegyptium, Cuevas de los Ubedas



Mantids

Mantid nymph, probably Rivetina baetica, Cabo de Gata


Coleoptera

Oxythrea funesta (Chafer Beetle), Cuevas de los Ubedas


Diptera

Bee-fly (Bombyliidae), Cuevas de los Ubedas


Mammalia

Spanish Ibex Capra pyrenaica
Estación Invernal, Sierra Nevada


Sierra de Camarolo

Isn't she lovely

She's even lovelier now she's turned up on our patch. Terrific job by Jonny Taylor picking this up flying in from the east as he worked near the Dog in a Doublet. And even better he managed to see it go down on the High Wash floods opposite Holly Tree along the north bank of the Nene. Most of the time the bird stayed out of sight behind the river bank but with some effort (see below) it was soon located.

What with the Grafham bird failing to show today and this being a bright female it is clear we are talking about the the same bird. An amazing local record and only the second ever in the Peterborough area following one also on the Nene Washes on 27-28 Aug 1979.

Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor


Me (the berk on the roof), Jim and Max

© Bob Davis

Eyed Hawk-moth

The weather hasn't been right for mothing in the garden recently but gave it a go last night and came up with these. The first Eyed Hawk-moth in the garden for three years.

1980 Eyed Hawk-moth (Smerinthus ocellata), 1
2063 Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica), 2
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta), 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica), 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens), 1
2450 The Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita), 1

Eyed Hawk-moth Smerinthus ocellata



Nikon Coolpix P4

Wilson's Phalarope, Grafham

What an amazing spring bird. The only other one of these I've seen was also in Cambridgeshire at Ely Beet Factory some years ago but that was a first winter.

This one was faithfully swimming along behind a couple of Mallard around the sludge lagoons at Grafham Water picking insects from the surface of the disturbed water.

Wilson Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor



Digiscoped wit Nikon Coolpix P4 and 20x Leica APO77

Boardwalk Damsels

Some more year firsts today. As well as those pictured here there were a couple of Hairy Dragonflies, Comma, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Green-veined White, Holly Blue and Speckled Wood butterflies and four singing Garden Warblers.

Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx Splendens, male


Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans, male



Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
Male

Female


Nikon Coolpix P4