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Wednesday 3 March 2021

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

A Butterfly walk through the Olives.
Second Lock down Day 47, released to Provincial area.
 
Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).

Once it warmed up I went for a walk out into the Olives, once I crossed the Barranco I again started to find nice species but I was even happier to meet the farther and son who farm these Olive groves, I had a talk with them and found out that they do deliberately farm ecologically and let the wildflowers grow with out spraying everything. 
Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).
He said they do things as eco as possible but they do have to spray the trees but at least quite a lot of wildlife still thrives on their land and when I showed them the Fan-lipped Orchids (Anacamptis collina) they seemed genuinely pleased to have them.
Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).
In the area just over the Barranco I found Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus) x3, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) and plenty of Clouded Yellows (Colias croceus).
Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).

Plants included Cynoglossum cheirifolium, Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), White Mignonette (Reseda Alba), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule) and Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum).
Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca).
Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis).
I continued on along the track to the farm, on the way I had the first of several
Western Dappled Whites (Euchloe crameri), a single Green-Striped (Euchloe belemia), several Small (Pieris rapae) and some Large Whites (Pieris brassicae) which seemed to be happy nectaring on the Field Marigolds.
Large White (Pieris brassicae).
Large White (Pieris brassicae).
As I walked through the far side of the Olives I had flight views of a
Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea) and overhead House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) were feeding.
Provence Hairstreak (Tomares ballus).
Small White (Pieris rapae).
As I walked back to house I had my first male Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides) of the year but it didn't hang around for me to get a photograph.
Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).
Hoverfly a Parageron sp.
Wasp Species.
I did however get a couple of Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) as well as a Hoverfly and Wasp species which still need a name.
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
In a damp part of the Barranco I had a White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and in the surrounding brambles Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

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