On Wednesday this week I looked for a new butterfly for my life list, the Green Hairstreak. Friend and fellow photographer Allen Hartley had found them near his house by the Rio-de-la-Miel, and sure enough I located them flying low and settling on ground plants. It is always nice to find a new species, especially when it provides good opportunities for photography, unlike the Cleopatras and Moroccan Orange Tips that were flying around the location but never settling. I hope to try again later for those two.
Green Hairstreak Thursday was a mucky day with low cloud over the hills & not much brighter along the coast. However thirteen determined Axarquia birders met at the Rio Velez for the March outing. Plenty of birds about but nothing really exciting, and with poor light I was not expecting any good photography.
Cormorant with a problem 
However I did snap a passing Cormorant and a close look at the photos revealed something really disgusting eating its way either in or out of the bird´s neck. I have never seen anything like this before but it does look like some kind of creature that had perhaps been swallowed and was eating its way out. Ugh.
No sign of the Garganey today but waders included Redshank, Dunlin, Kentish and Little Ringed Plover, plus a sizeable flock of Sanderling and of course a few Black-winged Stilt. A full list of all 55 birds spotted today can be seen in Bob Wrights excellent Axarquia Birder blog, I will just mention a few more notable species here such as the Raven and a solitary Snipe.
Nuthatch From the Rio six of us drove up to the picnic site above Alcaucin, which provided more interesting photographic opportunities. This Nuthatch for example sat on a wooden fence just a few meters away from me allowing some good close-up shots, which even in the dim light conditions came out rather well.
Great Spotted Woodpecker A Great Spotted Woodpecker entertained us as it probed the trunk of a dead tree, presumably looking for grubs or insect food.
Meanwhile a Rock Bunting and a Crested Tit taking a bath together kept us all enthralled for five minutes or so. Unfortunately the light was not good enough for really clear shots but the novelty effect of two such diverse bird species bathing together makes it worth posting.
Meanwhile a Rock Bunting and a Crested Tit taking a bath together kept us all enthralled for five minutes or so. Unfortunately the light was not good enough for really clear shots but the novelty effect of two such diverse bird species bathing together makes it worth posting.
Crested Tit and Rock bunting sharing a bath
Ellie Wallbeck was intrigued to see a resident Squirrel come down to take a drink from the water channel. Apparently they are not so common around her "neck of the woods", in Marbella.
Wood Pigeons on a crag Other birds sighted include Crossbill, Short-toed Treecreeper, Great and Blue Tits, Chaffinch, Robin, Red-billed Chough and a pair of Wood Pigeon roosting om a rocky crag in the distance. This shot gives an idea of the magnificent landscape here in the wooded foothills of Mount Maromar. To complete this blog entry I think another look at the delightful Nuthatch would be worthwhile.
Nuthatch
