Sierra Loja with the Wainwrights

A very humid day but at over 1000m a very nice breeze.

As we had two or three hours to kill before Jenny's craft club we popped up to Sierra Loja.

In the quarry area we found Goldfinch, Wood Pigeon, common Kestrel, Spotless Starling, Woodchat Shrike, a large family of Long-tailed Tits and several Azure-winged Magpies.  (No Eagle Owl to be seen for several weeks now.)

Onward to the cliffs where we saw Rock Sparrow, Blue Rock Thrush, two Common Kestrels, a huge party of Jackdaws and Chough lifted off the cliff-top as a Peregrine Falcon came "stukaing" across them, and then round the cliff face to land out of sight of us.

Black-eared Wheatear  Collalba Rubia  Oenanthe hispanica

At the shrubby area we spotted two male Sardinian Warblers, a pair of Stonechats, Linnets, Black-eared Wheatear (John's photo), Blue Rock Thrush and nice views were had of a Spectacled Warbler as he foraged in the bush top.

We carried on to the substation in the valley and here we located a female Northern Wheatear (our first for over a month).  Also here lots of juvenile Black-eared Wheatears, three Hoopoes, Stonechat, Woodchat Shrike, House Sparrows, Blackbird, a Red-legged Partridge with an entourage of very young chicks, Linnets, Chough and Thekla Larks.

Lots of butterflies about today including Small Copper, Cleopatra, Brown Argus and Painted Lady plus also a beautiful Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Jenny's photo).

Hummingbird Hawk-moth  Macroglossum stellatarum

It may have been only a few hours but it certainly sounds as if you found plenty to see.  Shame that you did nor see the Eagle Owl, the chick(s) must be well-grown by now) and, judging by the above account, the Rock Thrushes also seem to have eluded you.  I now look forward to some exciting birding come Friday - even if the forecast promises higher temperatures on the coast

Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information.