IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE BLOG ON A PHONE PLEASE CHANGE TO WEB VIEW AT BOTTOM OF PAGE AS IT WILL LOOK BETTER, THANKS MICK.

Tuesday 21 May 2019

Sierra Nevada botanical Gardens and Old Road, Granada Province.

More Orchids, Birds and some even better Butterflies.
Karen and Rob, Day Four.

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).
For the last time I met Karen and Rob and we headed up through Granada and to the Botanical Gardens where we walked down to the visitor centre, on the way we had Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major).
Veronica turbicola
We dropped down on to the meadows below and as things warmed up we started to get the first butterflies including Provençal (Melitaea deione), Knapweed (Melitaea phoebe) and Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Small White (Pieris rapae) and a rather tatty looking Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi).
Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).
As we walked down to the far end of the rockery section seeing Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Andalucian Wall Lizard (Podarcis vaucheri), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) and a rather tatty Spanish Festoon (Zerynthia rumina).
Andalucian Wall Lizard (Podarcis vaucheri).
There were lots of the plants in flower including Lizard Orchids (Himantoglosum hircinum), Veronica turbicola, Blue Hedgehog Broom (Erinacea anthyllis), Common Asphodel (Asphodelus albus), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Hop Trefoil (Trifolium campestre), Woad (Isatis tinctoria), Mediterranean Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Navel-wort (Omphalodes commutata), Polygala boissieri, Rabbits bread (Andryala integrifolia), Tassel Hyacinth (Leopoldia comosa), Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis), Upland Peony (Paeonia coriacea), Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa) and Gum Cistus (Cistus ladanifer).
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).
We walked back up to the car and then dropped down on to the old road but stopped breifly near the Visitors centre and checked the road side where we saw Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi),  Common / Southern Blue and then on some grassland a little further along the road we found a couple of Lesser-spotted Fritillaries (Melitaea trivia), Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) as well as the day flying Moth Synaphe Moldavica,
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).
Crested Tit, a soaring Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Onosma tricerosperma ssp granatensis, Curry Plant (Helecrisum stoechaes), White (Helianthemum apenninum) and Yellow Rockrose (Helianthemum nummularium), Berberis hispanica and Thymus mastichina.
Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).
Again we dropped down the hill making our next stop ata road side fuente near the Seminario Diocesano but it was much quieter than I had expectered, however we did find a very tatty Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis), Small White, Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus boeticus), Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathsheba), a singing Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), another couple of soaring Booted Eagles and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).
Provençal Fritillary (Melitaea deione).
Just a short way down the road we stopped again and walked from the edge of a wet roadside ditch where we had none flowering Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata) and the much rarer Epipactis fageticola.
Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii).
As we walked down the road we found a pair of Green-veined Whites (Pieris napi) with the male chasing the female around the brambles and umbellifers.
Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii).
In the same area we picked up Comma (Polygonum c-album), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Clouded Yellow, a female Provence Orange-tip, another Lesser-spotted Fritillary and more calling but unseen Golden Orioles.
Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).
Our final stop of the day was down at the bottom of the valley along the Rio Genil where we looked for butterflies coming down to collect minerals from the damp gravel areas and we soon had several Small (Thymelicus sylvestris) and Southern Marbled Skippers, Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes), Provençal Fritillary, Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Common Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) and over on the grassy areas a pair of courting Provence Orange-tips with the male flying around trying to turn the females head.
Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).
Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).

Lesser-spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia).
Lesser-spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia).
Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis) or what's left of it.
Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).
Lesser-spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia).
Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes).
Green-veined White (Pieris napi).
Green-veined White (Pieris napi).
Green-veined Whites (Pieris napi).
Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes).
Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes).
Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus boeticus).
Common Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines).

Provence Orange-tips (Anthocharis euphenodes).

























Monday 20 May 2019

Sierra de Huétor, Granada Province.

Orchids, Birds and some good Butterflies.
Karen and Rob, Day Three.

Barton's Orchid (Dactylorhiza insularis).
I again picked Karen and Rob up from the Cortijo de Tajar and we headed out East along the A92 to the stunning mountains of the Sierra de Huétor just to the North of Sierra Nevada where we parked just off the Los Mimbres exit.
Orchis Cazorlensis.
We started the day off with a walk through the pine woods and almost straight away we found good numbers of the beautiful Barton's Orchid (Dactylorhiza insularis) as well as quite a few over with Dense-flowered (Neotinea maculata) and a later nice population of the rarer Orchis Cazorlensis as we returned to the car.
Orchis Cazorlensis
As we walked on we saw and heard Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).
Latticed Heath Moth (Chiasmia clathrata).

During the walk around this woodland we also had Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), Pitch Trefoil (Psoralea bituminosa), Spotted Rock Rose (Tuberaria guttata), Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca), Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena), Polygala boissieri, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia) and Latticed Heath Moth (Chiasmia clathrata).
Queen of Spain Fritillary.

We moved on east to the Venta de Molinillo and along the Arroyo de Prado Negro where we walked just 800 meters but it took several hours whilst we searched for more butterflies. 
Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia).
It was warming up and a few more species were on the wing including Spanish Marbled White (Medioluto Inés / Melanargia ines), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Knapweed (Melitaea phoebe), Provençal (Melitaea deione) and Queen of Spain Fritillaries, Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychlorus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Spanish Gatekeeper (Lobito listado / Pyronia bathsheba), Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), my first Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) in Granada Province, Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) which were all seen on the first meadow.
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta),

Birds seen during the walk included Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) which we only heard, Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Rock (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and several Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages).

On the far meadows and along the Arroyo we had more butterfly species including both Provence (Anthocharis euphenodes) and Common Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi), Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) and Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea).
Provençal Fritillary (Melitaea deione).

We had a single Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) as well as a pair of Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) which flew up into some poplars just before a couple of Golden Orioles also went into the same trees.
Provençal Fritillary (Melitaea deione).

During the walk back we added Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Subalpine (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).
Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).
We dropped back on to the motorway and stopped at the services on the way to Sierra de Alfacar where we had some lunch before checking out the area near to the Botanical gardens / arboretum where we walked a couple of tracks finding Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi), Large Tortoiseshell, Provence and Common Orange-tip, Wood White as well as a pair of Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Lizard (Himantoglosum hircinum), Langes Orchids (Orchis langei), Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanatera longifolia) and some not in flower yet Violet Limodore (Limodorum abortivum) Spikes.
Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).
Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).
Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).
Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).
Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).
Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychlorus).
Common Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines).
Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanatera longifolia).
Langes Orchid (Orchis langei).
Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes).
Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes).