Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk around the lower loop dodging picnicking families.

 

Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium).

I parked at the bottom of the hill just up from the bins and started to walk up the main track but I suddenly remembered that it was Sunday as the area was full of families with there picnic tables out enjoying the sun. Just after leaving the car I found a fresh Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium) which was the first of the year and the only one of the walk. 

Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).

As I walked up towards the quarry I was horrified to see that two elderly Spanish Ladies how were with there Grandkids had a little vase on the table with several Giant Orchids (Himantoglossum Robertiana) in it.

Grey-leaved Cistis (Cistis albidus).

I continued on up the hill seeing a Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) which zipped passed me and off down into the quarry, lots of surviving unpicked Giant Orchids, as well as Somber Bee (Ophrys fusca / foresteri) and Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).

Conical Orchid (Neotinea conica).

On the lower track which circles the quarry I had a couple of Provence Hairstreaks (Tomares ballus), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis).

On the Orchid front there were again plenty of the very smart but compact Conical Orchids (Neotinea conica) and during the walk I found around 400 spikes in all, most were in the top part of the walk but there were well over a hundred spikes in the Oaks down by the road.

Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina).

Even more common was the Southern Early Purple Orchid (Orchis olbienis) which I estimated was flowering in the thousands, possibly as many as 3000 spikes which were in bloom all the way around the walk.

Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).

Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).

I also saw Fan-lipped Orchid (Anacamptis collina), Snake's Head Fritillary (Fritillaria hispanica), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).