Refugio de Juanar, Ojen, Malaga Province.

Some more Orchids (39th and 40th species for the year).

Red Helleborine (Cephalanthera rubra).

Today I was lucky enough to find a couple of hours spare while Jayne and Barb were shopping down Fuengirola to visit the Refugio de Juanar. 

Red Helleborine (Cephalanthera rubra).

The main species I was looking for was Red Helleborine (Cephalanthera rubra) and after some searching I found a nice spike in good flower, most were still in bud. 

Bug Orchid (Orchis coriophora).

Also seen were a few spikes of Lange's Orchid (Orchis langei), a couple of Bug Orchids (Orchis coriophora), several well over with spikes of Barton's Orchids (Dactylorhiza insularis) and four nicely flowering Lizard Orchids (Himantoglossum hircinum). 

Epipactis tremolsii.

Birds included Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) and Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius). 

Epipactis tremolsii.

While I was wandering around the woods several butterflies were also recorded and they included Spanish Marbled White (Melanargia ines), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) and Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra). On the walk back to the car I found several spikes of Epipactis tremolsii flowering in some deep shade below the Sweet Chestnuts.