Cerro Hacho, Granada Province, Spain.

Back out on the closest hill to the house.

 

Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri).

I parked in a bit of shade amongst the Almond trees and spent about an hour searching the south facing slope above the Almonds and started the list with Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea) and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

Sedum mucizonia.

There were still a few Mirror Orchids (Ophrys speculum), Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Sedum mucizonia, Cloven Petalled Campion (Silene colorata), Common stork's bill (Erodium ciconium), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Common Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) with a smart female Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii) egg laying amongst the flower head.

Rock Phagnalon (Phagnalon saxatile).

As I walked around on the rocky slope I saw Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs),  Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linaria tristris,  Ornithogalum narbonense, Rock Phagnalon (Phagnalon saxatile), Red Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea), Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena), Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), quite a lot of Synthymia fixa (Goldwing) a fairly common day flying Moth and even bigger numbers of the smaller Synaphe Moldavica.

Ornithogalum narbonense.

Red Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea).

Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena).

I dropped down to the main track and then spent quite a while searching the North facing slope amongst the Pine trees where I heard and saw Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Coal  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and from further up the slope a calling Scops Owl (Autillo Europeo / Otus scops).

Synthymia fixa (Goldwing).

Panoptes Blue (Pseudophilotes panoptes) Male.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Under the pines I also had Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenodes), Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea), Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium), Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys), Paeonia broteri and lots of signs of Wild Boar (Jabalí / Felis silvestris).

Synaphe Moldavica.

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Exosoma lusitanicum ??????

I dropped back to the track and walked up to the quarry and took the lower track out into the area of Oak scrub finding Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi), Clouded Yellow (Colias corcea) and a large number of Painted Lady's (Vanessa cardui).

Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium).

Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum).

Blue Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum creticum).

Around at the furthest point of the walk I had a two butterfly moment when I photographed a Black-eyed Blue (Glaucopsyche melanops) that then took off and I went after it, it flew behind a bush and when I got there it was on another plant but when I got down to take a shot I realised that this was in fact a male Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) so at some point behind the bust they pulled off a quick swap that had me going for a few seconds.

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

In the same area I had Bombycilaena discolor, Blue Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum creticum), Exosoma lusitanicum a beetle that I was not 100% sure of, Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca Mirlona / Sylvia hortensis) which was still as elusive but singing loudly in the same area of bushes as on my last visit, Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum).

Another heavier shower was approaching so I started to walk back down towards the car finishing the walk off with both Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), a calling Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) which was on the far side of the quarry somewhere, Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and the Scops Owl called again several more times from above ther track in the pine.

Lorquin's Blue (Cupido lorquinii) female.

Black-eyed Blue (Glaucopsyche melanops).

Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus).

Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus).

I reached the car and drove back home, later in the evening I stood on the terrace and listened to calling Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) and a couple of Red-necked Nightjars (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) which were new in all of which were nearly drown out by the amount of noise coming from the Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) in the garden pond.