Realenga de Agicampe, Granada Province

Back on the Olive fields looking for the Butterflies again. 

Second Municipal Lock down Day 41.

 

Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia).

After finding a couple of new butterflies for the patch yesterday I decided to go back and see if I could get some better shots of the Green-Striped Whites (Euchloe belemia) and the Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus). 

Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia).

The wind was better than yesterday but the sky was full of Sahara dust and the sun didn't get through very strongly which I thought might help but the White's were still very active as were the Common / Southern Blues (Polyommatus icarus / celina) and Clouded Yellows (Colias corcea).

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).

Eventually one and only one of the Whites sat a couple of times and gave me the chance to get some shots and fortunately it was the one I wanted and I was pleased to get upper and under-wing pictures.

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).

As I walked back I also had a couple of Provence Hairstreaks in the same spot as yesterday, this is a species that is never common and is very local in small colonies. 

Linaria species which needs a name.

I also found a very small Linaria type plant which needs a name and a couple of spikes of Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Realenga de Agicampe, Granada Province, Spain.

A Butterfly walk through the Olives.

Second Municipal Lock down Day 40.

 

Before I cross the Barranco.

After another morning in the garden I went for a walk out into the Olives at the back of the house and then followed several of the tracks. 

After I crossed the Barranco.

As before the first part of the walk had been sprayed out by the land owner but as soon as I crossed the second barranco it was very different as the more environmentally minded farmer allows the wild flowers to grow, what a difference it makes.

Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea).

There were lots of Clouded Yellows (Colias corcea) throughout the walk but as with almost all of the species the bank just over the barranco was the best area and just after crossing the stream I had the first of a few Common / Southern Blues (Polyommatus icarus / celina), a single Mallow / False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae / tripolinus) and found a single spike of Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina) which was my first of the year.

Mallow / False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae / tripolinus).

At the top of the slope I turned left and found the first my Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) of the year which was in perfect condition and several Small (Pieris rapae) and Bath Whites (Pontia daplidice).

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

In the Olives it was pleasing to see a good number of Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) as they had been quite scarce all winter, there were also lots of singing Blackbirds (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Blackcaps (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).

Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

After a while I turned around and walked back to the slope and then took another left and followed this almost as far as the farm, on the way I had a fast flying Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) come past me but then it surprised me by landing for a few seconds giving me the chance to get a shot.

Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina) male.

Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina) male.

At the furthest point I again had a couple of Small Coppers (Lycaena phlaeas) which were landing on the track and a single Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) which played hard to get but eventually landed on one of the thousands of Field marigold (Calendula arvensis) flowers just long enough for me to get a single shot.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum).

I turned around and then walked back but followed a small track amongst the olives where there were more butterflies including my first local Green-Striped Whites (Euchloe belemia), one was obviously a female which was egg laying.

Large White (Pieris brassicae).

Small White (Pieris rapae).

I also had several Large Whites (Pieris brassicae) and when I got back to the slope just before the Barranco I found a single Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) and then the second new species for my patch, a Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus) and as I tried to get shots of it I found that there were at least three of the in the area.

Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia) female.

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).

In the same area I had Andaluz storksbill (Erodium primulaceum), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule), Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum) and White Mignonette (Reseda Alba).

Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea).

Realenga de Agicampe, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Count.

 

9206 Cucullia calendulae.

Even though I knew the temperature was going to drop quite low I put the trap on but I was not expecting it to go as low as +3.

I checked the trap and found just 4 moths of 3 species which were 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x1, 9206 Cucullia calendulae x1 and 10226 Cerastis faceta x2.

10226 Cerastis faceta.

Huétor Fields and Realenga de Agicampe, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk back from Huétor and a few hours in the garden and on the terrace.

Second Municipal Lock down Day 39.

 

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

I dropped down into Huétor where I dropped the car off for a few minor bits of work but due to shortages of mechanic's Paco wanted the car for three days but as we cant go very far yet this really did not matter.

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

I walked back across the fields but did not see anything unexpected but the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) were still around and there was a good flight of around 25 Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which flew past as I was watching a nice pair of Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) on the wire near the bar.

Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) male.

Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) male.

I continued on up the road back towards the house, as I walked through the Olives I found a small group of 4 Woodlarks (Totovia / Lullula arborea) possibly some of the birds I have been hearing from the garden.

Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) female.

Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) female.

I got back home and went out into the garden for a while and then sat up on the Terrace, during this time I had a nice male Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) sat in the tree in the Barranco along with lots of male and female Blackcaps (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).

Huétor Fields and Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

Morning walk along the Arroyo and then later a stroll around the woods at Hacho.

Second Municipal Lock down Day 38.

Ebird List.

 

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

I parked at the half way point as I was coming up from Huétor after booking the car in for some work and followed the Arroyo up to the area where I normally park. The Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) were on the same area of Lucerne but were more spread out than usual and the Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) was stalking some food in the deeper areas along the one edge of the fields.

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

I reached the parking place adding Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and the first 6 of quite a few passage Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

I turned around and headed back to the car, along the way finding Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and as I reached the car lots of House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and a couple of Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) as well as several Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

Almond blossom at Hacho.

Almond blossom at Hacho.

I stood by the car for a few minutes to see what was on the Asparagus fields and I was pleased to see my first Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) for the year on the patch, a male which sat up on a small stick before moving quickly off up the field when two guys arrived to pick the Asparagus.

More Almond Blossom.

Very active Bee hives on the lower slopes at Hacho.

Continuing on along the Arroyo I found Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).

On the far stretch down to the railway bridge I stayed on the Northern bank of the Arroyo which was not the best idea I have had as it was very muddy after yesterdays rain but I still found a couple of Bluethroats (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and the first Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) for a week or two.

I turned around and walked back to the car, it was warming up slightly by now and I had a couple of both Clouded Yellows (Colias corcea) and Small White (Pieris rapae) and a single Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum Robertiana).

Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum Robertiana).

I reached the car and returned home where I had some lunch and then went out up to Hacho, I parked down by the road and walked up the track through the stunning trees covered in Almond Blossom, there were still some nice spikes of Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) but the majority had gone passed there best.

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys fusca / foresteri).

When I reached the main pine woods I did a count of the Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum Robertiana) and I soon reached 300 flowering spikes with many many more leaf rosettes ready for future springs.

There were good numbers of Somber Bee Orchids (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) also in flower right the way along the main track and up into the woods.

Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum Robertiana).

Birds included Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) and a pair of Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila-azor Perdicera / Hieraaetus faciatus) which passed over quite high.

Realenga de Agicampe, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Count.

Second Municipal Lock down Day 37.

 

Possible 1736 Agonopterix heracliana.

Slightly warmer last night as it did not drop below +10 so as expected there were a few more moths but still low numbers really.

6496 Evergestis isatidalis.

They included a possible 1736 Agonopterix heracliana which would be a new species if confirmed, 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x12, 8328 Nebula ibericata x1, 10226 Cerastis faceta x2 and 10343 Shuttle Shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) x1.

8328 Nebula ibericata.

10226 Cerastis faceta.

10343 Shuttle Shaped Dart (Agrotis puta).