Granada Province.

Another new Orchid out in the hills again.

Algerian Butterfly Orchid (plantanthera algeriensis).

I arrived at the meeting place just before Juan and found some nice spikes of Bug Orchid (Orchis coriophora) right by the side of the road and also picked up Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Bonelli’s Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) on the bird front, plus Brown Argus (Aricia agestis), Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) and Spanish Gatekeeper (Lobito listado / Pyronia bathsheba) for the Butterflies.

Algerian Butterfly Orchid (plantanthera algeriensis).

As soon as Juan arrived we push on to our main objsctive a very rare Orchid which I have been looking for for many year which Juan had found a site for. We arrived at the parking place and walked out to the damp meadow where there plants grew and before long I had Algerian Butterfly Orchid (plantanthera algeriensis) on the list. 

Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata).

The only down side was that there was only a single flower which was almost out on all 27 of the spikes we found. We also saw several spikes of Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata) and some of the Common Twayblades (Listera ovata) we had seen a couple of weeks ago were still in good flower. In the surounding woods we heard of saw Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Bonelli’s (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Subalpine Warblers (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans). 

Bug Orchid (Orchis coriophora).

A couple of Common Golden Ringed Dragonfly's (Cordulegaster boltonii subsp algirica) were also seen skimming around the woodland clearings along with a single Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and Scarce Swallowtail Butterfly (Chupaleches / Iphiclides podalirius feisthameli). 

On the walk back to the car we saw several more Bug Orchids, Lizard Orchid (Himantoglossum hircinum) and Purple Limodore (Limodorum abortivum). 

Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta).

From the cars we continued on seeing more Bug Orchids and a couple of sikes of Small Woodcock Orchid (Ophrys picta) but little else of interest.