Fuente de Cable Car, Cantabria, Spain.

Going up high to the Amazing Hill above Fuente De.

Karen and Rob, Day Eight.

 

Before breakfast, I again checked the Garden and rio, starting the day list with Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Fuente De Cable Car.

After breakfast we started by driving up to Fuente De, where after parking we walked up to the lower cable car station and then spent a while seeing what was about as we were a little early.

On the way up, with the Lower Station at the bottom.

Amongst the Pines surrounding the Cable Car station we saw and heard Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla) heard only and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) before we headed off up to the top.

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis).

False Meadow Saffron (Colchicum montanum).

Pyrenean Eryngo (Eryngium bourgatii).

Small-flowered Foxglove (Digitalis parviflora).

Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) ♂.

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) ♀.

Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera).

Once up there we took in the view and then walked out onto the grass-covered areas, on the rocks we found a couple of Common Wall Lizards (Podarcis muralis) and in the grass Pyrenean Eryngo (Eryngium bourgatii), False Meadow Saffron (Colchicum montanum), Small-flowered Foxglove (Digitalis parviflora) and Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus), the first  Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans) x20+ and Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera) x15+ of the day.

Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus).

Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans).

Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans).

Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans).

Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans).

Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans).

Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans).

As we continued to walk around we added Pyrenean Germander (Teucrium pyrenaicum), Orviedo Bellflower (Campanula arvatica), Clouded (Colias croceus) and Mountain Clouded Yellow (Colias phicomone) which was a lifer for me (well happy), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina).

Mountain Clouded Yellow (Colias phicomone).

Mountain Clouded Yellow (Colias phicomone).

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

After a while I left Karen and Rob (as they didn't want to walk too far out) for a while and made my way out to a small pool where I was hoping to add a few more species, as I walked I found Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x5, the first of several Western Brassy Ringlets (Erebia arvernensis) x4 and a good number of Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna mixta) x25+.

 Western Brassy Ringlet (Erebia arvernensis).

 Western Brassy Ringlet (Erebia arvernensis).

I found a pool, not the one I was looking for but it did the job as I soon found Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis) x2 as well as Marbled (Muschampia lavatherae) and Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius), Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow, Turquoise Blue (Polyommatus dorylas) and Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Enjoying the Pico's, a brilliant place.

The small pool which came with its own dead horse off to the right.

Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis).

Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis).

Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis).

Turquoise Blues (Polyommatus dorylas) and Marbled Skippers (Muschampia lavatherae).

Turquoise Blues (Polyommatus dorylas).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Marbled Skipper (Muschampia lavatherae).

Western Brassy Ringlet (Erebia arvernensis).

In this area I also had Spurge Laurel (Daphne laureola), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Eurasian Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and White-winged Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis) but only a flyover.

Pyrenean Germander (Teucrium pyrenaicum).

Spurge-Laurel (Daphne laureola).

Small-flowered Foxglove (Digitalis parviflora).

I walked back to meet up with Karen and Rob who I found in the cafe so I joined them and had a coffee and a slab of cake, just outside I watched both Red-billed (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) before we headed back down to the lower station.

Looking down from the Upper Station.

Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).

As we walked back to the car we saw  Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) before we headed back towards Potes.

On the way we made a brief visit to the parking spot at Argüébanes, here we saw Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) x1, Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) x2, Common (Polyommatus icarus) x1, Lang's Short-tailed (Leptotes pirithous) x2 and Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus) x3 and Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) x4.

We dropped back to the Hotel and chilled before going out later for something to eat and drink. 

Hotel Toscana, Los Llanos and near Argüébanes, Potes, Cantabria, Spain.

Staying a bit more local today.

Karen and Rob, Day Seven.

Before breakfast I again checked the garden and River from my room window seeing or hearing Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

White-throated Dipper (Mirlo Acuático Europeo / Cinclus cinclus) juvenile.

White-throated Dipper (Mirlo Acuático Europeo / Cinclus cinclus) juvenile.

We had breakfast and then headed off along the road towards Fuente de, when we got to the Walnut plantation near Los Llanos, the parking / Picnic area was full of Camper Vans, we walked over to the River through the rubbish, from the occupants of at least 7 vehicles.

White-throated Dipper (Mirlo Acuático Europeo / Cinclus cinclus) juvenile.

White-throated Dipper (Mirlo Acuático Europeo / Cinclus cinclus) juvenile.

We checked the river where we had nice views of a juvenile White-throated Dipper (Mirlo Acuático Europeo / Cinclus cinclus) along with Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus) ♀, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla) and Grey Wagtail.

Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

We walked back towards the car and checked the woodland on the other side of the road where we saw one of the occupants of the camper vans coming back out of the woods with his toilet roll in hand where he had been to do his morning business, this is a problem all over Spain where these inconsiderate prats who are too tight to pay for a proper camping site are fowling the countryside for everyone, disgusting behaviour.

Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).

We found Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) before moving on to a spot I really like back towards Potes near the village of Argüébanes, as it was a stiff walk up to the site I dropped Karen and Rob off as high up as I could get them and then dropped back to the parking spot below the village.

Looking back down the track.

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).

I walked back up to them and we walked the last few hundred meters out to the butterfly area, along this wooded part of the track we picked up Middle-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Mediano / Dendrocopos medius) which was calling in the trees on the far side of a small meadow and we seen in flight, Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x4 and Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) x8.

Comma (Polygonia c-album).

White Admiral (Limenitis camilla).

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus) ♂.

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus) ♂.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) ♂.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) ♀.

Tawny Longhorn Beetle Paracorymbia fulva).

As we came out onto the main meadow we checked out a bank below us finding Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x4, White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) x4, Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus) x2, Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) x15+ and Tawny Longhorn Beetle Paracorymbia fulva) x1.

Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) ♂.

Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea nevadensis).

Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) ♀.

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea).

Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania).

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) ♀.

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) ♀.

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) ♀.

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) ♂.

We walked up the hill a short way to where the concrete part of the track starts Large (Ochlodes sylvanus) x6 and Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius) x1, Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) x2, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x8, Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) x3, Silver-Washed (Argynnis paphia) x5 and Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea nevadensis) x2, Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) x12, Comma (Polygonia c-album) x2, Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) x1, Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania) x8, Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) x3, a nice ♀ Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) x1 and a Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) x2♂.

Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae).

Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus).

Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus).

Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus).

Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus).

Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus).

Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus).

Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages).

We spent a while at this site, waiting to see what came in to take some minerals from the damp seepage, species seen included Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) x2, Mallow (Carcharodus alceae) x4, Oberthür's Grizzled (Pyrgus armoricanus) x11, Dingy (Erynnis tages) x2 and Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon) x1, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x2, False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi) x3, Turquoise (Polyommatus dorylas) x1, Adonis (Lysandra bellargus) x1 and Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) x3, Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino) x2, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x2, Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera) x1 and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x6.

Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus).

False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi).

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).

Turquoise Blue (Polyommatus dorylas).

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) ♂.

Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) ♂.

White Admiral (Limenitis camilla).

White Admiral (Limenitis camilla).

Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino).

Large Wall Brown (Lasiommata maera).

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

As we walked back down the hill we had a Purple Emperor species flying around the roof of the houses, we couldn't get good enough views to ID it, a Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli) x1, further down we checked a small stream, finding more Beautiful Demoiselle x5 and Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus) x2♂.

Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli).

Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus) ♂.

We spent a while sat in the bus shelter seeing what we could find in the grass, Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) x3 and Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x2.

I was a hot day and we were going up the Fuente De Cable car tomorrow so we decided to call it a day a little earlier and chill for a little while longer before we went out for something to eat later in the Evening.