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Friday 7 June 2019

Sierra de Huétor, Granada Province.

Back into the mountains for Harry and Peter's last day.
Day three.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) male.
The three of us set off from the Cortijoagain and headed out to the beautiful Sierra de Huétor and made our first stop along the Barranco del Pardo Negro, things were quiet butterfly wise but we did find quite a few fine looking Beautiful Demoiselles (Calopteryx virgo), at first we only found females but then several males were seen sitting on the river side bushes. 
Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) female.
On and around the crags nearby we had a male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Loxostege clathralis.
After a while it warmed up and we started to see a few Meadow Browns (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla), Clouded Yellows (Colias Común / Colias corcea), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina), Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Spanish Gatekeeper (Lobito listado / Pyronia bathsheba) and two species of Owlfly Libelloides baeticus and Libelloides ictericus.
Libelloides ictericus.
At the far end of the walk we heard Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and saw Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus).
Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).
As we walked back towards the car we found a fine looking Common Golden Ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) which sat nicely on a low branch of a Hawthorn bush. We also had Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), Oberthür's Grizzled (Pyrgus armoricanus) and Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi),  Grayling (Hipparchia semele) and the Moth Loxostege clathralis.
Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus).
Other bird species included  Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes), Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina) with missing cell spot.
We dropped back along the motorway a junction and then parked on a track just off the road and explorded the area finding Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) and out on a flower rich more open area Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Adonis (Lysandra bellargus), Panoptes (Pseudophilotes panoptes) and Lorquin's Blues (Cupido lorquinii),  Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Mancha Azul / Satyrium spini), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) as well as plenty of  Armeria villosa and the day flying moth 6478 Eurrhypis pollinalis
Common Golden Ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii).
Our final three stops were up in the Sierra de Alfacar, at the first site we found a small culvert which held water and attracted a Great Banded Grayling (Rey Moro / Kanetisa circe) and in the surrounding area Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi), Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus boeticus) and as we walked back Harry had a Chapman's Blue (Polyommatus thersites). 
Grayling (Hipparchia semele).
In the grassy area along side of the road there were good numbers of Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus illyricus), Bug Orchids (Orchis coriophora) and a couple of going over Violet Limodore (Limodorum abortivum).
Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Mancha Azul / Satyrium spini).
We moved just up the road to the botanical Gardens where we walked along a couple of tracks adding Ecshers Blue (Polyommatus escheri), Mallow / False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae / tripolinus), Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychlorus), Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Lizard Orchid (Himantoglosum hircinum), some better Violet Limodore and some over with Langes Orchids (Orchis langei).
6478 Eurrhypis pollinalis.
Our final stop was on the way back down towards the motorway at an area of grassland covered in wildflowers where we saw Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis), Spanish Marbled White (Medioluto Inés / Melanargia ines), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), loads of Meadow Browns and a Spanish Stick Insect (Leptynia hispanica) which Harry found. 
Armeria villosa and friend.
There was a nice male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) up on the rocks, Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus).
We left the site and made our way back to the hotel where Harry and Peter packed up there car and headed down to Malaga and I went home.
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).
Bug Orchids (Orchis coriophora).
Wild Gladiolus (Gladiolus illyricus).
Violet Limodore (Limodorum abortivum).
Lizard Orchid (Himantoglosum hircinum).
Ecshers Blue (Polyommatus escheri).
Mallow / False Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae / tripolinus).
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla).
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).
Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).
Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).
Spanish Stick Insect (Leptynia hispanica).

Thursday 6 June 2019

Botanical Gardens and Old road, Sierra Nevada, Granada Province.

Back up in to the tallest of the Sierra's with Harry and Peter.
Day Two.

Provençal Fritillary (Melitaea deione) an aberrant insect.
We set off from the Cortijo again and headed around the City, picking up a bit of traffic but we were soon up at the Botanical Gardens, we parked and walked down to the entrance gate but it looked as though it was locked but harry checked the barrel lock and it pushed across so we cold get in.
Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus).
We walked down the steps starting the list with a calling Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).
Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus).
We met the warden at the office and then went down on to the lower meadows and as we walked along the track by the big lawn we had a pair of pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) came up from the valley and drifted past. 
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).
Amongst the flower beds we started the butterfly list with a rather worn Provençal Fritillary (Melitaea deione) and a second which was a strange aberrant insect which was followed by a much fresher looking Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) along with Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi), Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina), Spanish Marbled White
Provençal Fritillary (Melitaea deione).
(Melanargia ines), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), Southern Marbled (Carcharodus boeticus) and Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), several Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria), a couple of Lorquin's Blues (Cupido lorquinii) one of which was tatty but the other was much smarter, Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea) and a stunner of an Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).
Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).
A single Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) drifted as we walked back up towards the car, also seen during the walk we saw Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), a male Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula), Spanish Foxglove (Digitalis obscura) and a Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).
Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).
We dropped back down the hill and made a stop near the Visitor's center where we checked a damp patch on the roadside and found a couple of nice Marsh Fritillaries (Euphydrayas aurinia beckeri), another group of Lorquin's Blues, Common / Southern Blue, Small Skippers with one that I thought was an Essex skipper (Thymelicus lineola) but it was not quite right, shame.
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
We dropped down on to the Old Road and made our next stop on a grassy area where we spent a while and found a couple of really good species including a fine male Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron), Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus) as well as Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Mancha Azul / Satyrium spini), Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail
Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).
Lorquin's Blues again, both Bath (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice) and Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi), Knapweed Fritillary, Clouded Yellow, two Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), a hunting male Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) and a new day flying moth Loxostege tesselalis.
Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).
We dropped down again and parked by the entrance to the Seminario Diocesano and walked back up along the road where we saw a very smart male Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) which sat and showed very well in one of the Pyrenean Oaks (Quercus pyrenaica).
Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).
We also had Small Skipper, Southern Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus boeticus), Comma (Polygonum c-album), Spanish Gatekeeper (Lobito listado / Pyronia bathsheba), a single none flowering spike of the uncommon Epipactis fageticola and singing Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).
Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).
Just down the road we had a spike of Robust Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza elata) which was just starting to flower and more not yet in flower Epipactis fageticola.
Spanish Foxglove (Digitalis obscura).
Our final stop of the day was at a rather windy Rio Genil down in the bottom of the valley, we checked the edge of the water and soon foud several species puddling for minerals including Marsh Fritillaries, Southern Marbled Skippers, Silver-studded Blue, Small Skipper, Spanish Brown Argus, Common / Southern Blue, Black-veined White, Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius), Green-veined (Pieris napi) and Small White, Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Loxostege tesselalis.
We dropped down out of the mountains, around Granada and back towards the Cortijo but made a quick stop at the Balsa de Rigedor to look for some Dragonflies, we found lots of Common Blue Damselflies (Enallagma cyathinerum), White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes), Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata), Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) and Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).
Marsh Fritillary (Euphydrayas aurinia beckeri).
Marsh Fritillary (Euphydrayas aurinia beckeri).
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), the one I thought was an Essex skipper (Thymelicus lineola).


Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Mancha Azul / Satyrium spini).
Grass species.
Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).
Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron).
Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus).
Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Mancha Azul / Satyrium spini).
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).
Green-veined White (Pieris napi).
Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus).
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).
Marsh Fritillary (Euphydrayas aurinia beckeri).

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).
White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes).


Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum).