Out in the Gredos with Karen, Rob and Keith.
Karen and Rob, Day Three.
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| Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta). |
We were out early as it was going to be another hot day, before we left the Finca we started the list with
Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto),
Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus),
Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula),
Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada),
Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos). |
| High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe). |
We headed to the North East where our first stop of the day was on a roadside near La Herguijuela, on the way we saw
Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans),
Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei),
Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator),
Rock (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and
Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus) and
European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).
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| Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis). |
At this site, we saw several new species for the trip including Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) x2, Small White (Pieris rapae) x3, Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta) x1, High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe) x2, Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) x10+, Great Banded Grayling () x1 and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x2.
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| Great Banded Grayling (). |
Other species seen included
Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) x1,
Common Chicory (Cichorium intybus),
Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria),
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea),
White Campion (Silene latifolia), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium),
Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix),
Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum),
Western Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta). |
| Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). |
We headed off and made our way to Puerto de Peñanegra, on the way we saw Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola),
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros),
Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes),
Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis),
Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba),
Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and
European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).
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| Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus). |
After parking we moved out into an area of Broom type scrub where we found
Common Quail,
Common Cuckoo,
Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Dunnock,
European Stonechat,
Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Ortolan (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).
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| The Habitat at Puerto de Peñanegra. |
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| Libelloides longicornis. |
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| Chimney Sweeper (Odezia atrata). |
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| Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris). |
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| Essex skipper (Thymelicus lineola). |
During the walk we also saw
Libelloides longicornis, Hummingbird Hawkmoth,
Chimney Sweeper (Odezia atrata) and butterfly wise we found
Small x8 and
Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) x2,
Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron) x2 and
Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora) x5.
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| Iberian Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis). |
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| Iberian Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis). |
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| Iberian Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis). |
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| Iberian Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis). |
As we dropped down the hill from this site we stopped to check a couple of roadside butterflies and Rob then said there are a couple of birds in the bush next to the fence which turned out to be a family group of 3 juvenile
Iberian Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica azuricallis) which showed well, giving us great views of this rare subspecies.
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| Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris). |
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| Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon). |
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| Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron) ♂ right ♀ left. |
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| Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae) ♂. |
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| Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae) ♂ and Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron) ♀. |
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| Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae) ♂. |
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| Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae) ♂. |
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| Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas). |
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| Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides). |
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| Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides). |
A little further down the road we stopped on the roadside and spent quite a while photographing lots of different species which included
Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x4,
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x2,
Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae) x3,
Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x2,
Small Pearl-bordered (Boloria selene) x2 and
Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea
nevadensis) x4,
Esper's (Melanargia russiae) x1 and
Iberian Marbled White x30+
, Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon) x5, Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides) x4,
Mylabris quadripunctata and
Chlorophorus trifasciatus.
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| Esper's Marbled White (Melanargia russiae). |
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| Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis). |
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| Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis). |
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| Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene). |
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| Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea nevadensis). |
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| Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia). |
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| Zygaenidae species ?????? |
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| Mylabris quadripunctata. |
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| Chlorophorus trifasciatus. |
We moved on again and after a drive along different country roads we made a stop at a roadside stream where we found some new species for the day which included a lifer dragonfly for me, a
Yellow-winged Darter (Sympetrum flaveolum) which, if I had realised what it was at the time I would have tried to get better shots of.
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| Yellow-winged Darter (Sympetrum flaveolum). |
Other species seen in this area we picked up
Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo), Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii), Cardinal Fritillary,
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Black Kite,
Woodchat Shrike,
Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail and
Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina).  |
| Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora). |
After we passed through the pueblo of Hoyos de Miguel Muñoz we made a stop at a small roadside pool where we picked up
Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii), Dainty Damselflies (Coenagrion scitulum),
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa), Lesser (Anax parthenope) and Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Clouded Yellow,
Iberian Marbled White, Small (Aglais urticae)
and Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros),
Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and
Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone). |
| Dainty Damselflies (Coenagrion scitulum) ♂. |
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| Dainty Damselflies (Coenagrion scitulum) ♂♀ . |
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| Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) ♂. |
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| Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) ♀. |
Our last stop of the day was going to be in the El Pinar de Hoyocasero woodlands, on the way we called at a spot to the North of Navarrevisca where we were hoping to see Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne) which would be a butterfly lifer for me, on the way we stopped at a roadside spot where Keith found us several
Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris) x5,
Clouded Yellow,
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni),
Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra),
Cardinal and
Niobe Fritillary ( niobe) and Great Banded Grayling.
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| Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris). |
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| Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris). |
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Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora). |
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| Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora). |
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| Niobe Fritillary ( niobe) and a Longhorn Beetle species. |
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| Great Banded Grayling (). |
At the Frit spot we soon found the target as well as a very tatty looking
Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma), Queen of Spain,
Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) and Great Banded Grayling.
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| Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne). |
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| Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne). |
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| Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne). |
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| Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne). |
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| Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia). |
Our last spot was in the El Pinar de Hoyocasero, by now it was warm, so the visit was shorter than expected but it is a place I want to return to as the meadows Keith showed me were spectacular and full of butterflies including
Comma (Polygonia c-album),
Southern White Admiral,
Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera),
High Brown Fritillary (
Fabriciana adippe) and Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia). |
| Comma (Polygonia c-album). |
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| Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis). |
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| Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera). |
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| Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera). |
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| High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe). |
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| High Brown Fritillary (Fabriciana adippe). |
Other species included a
Stick Insect species, a
Martagon Lily (Lilium Martagon),
Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei),
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major),
Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla) and
Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs). |
| Zygaena loti ?????? |
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| Zygaena loti ?????? |
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| Stick Insect species. |
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| Pine Cone Thistle (Rhaponticum coniferum). |
