Above Lanjarón, Alpujarras, Granada Province Spain.

A two Butterfly Lifer day.

 

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

I left home at a decent time for once but it was still only just getting light as I drove up to met Kiersten Hartley Rowland in Lanjarón, on the way I saw and heard Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus).

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus).

I reached Lanjarón and after having a coffee I stood on the bridge nearby where I picked up Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and 3 fly over Hawfinches (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes).

Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami).

Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami).

I met Kierston and we set off up the hills above the town in her 4x4, I was quite quickly very pleased that she had bought it as even though I do abuse my car on some not so great tracks even I would not have attempted this in mine.

False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi).

On the way up we had views of Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Cirl (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) which flew in and landed in a large pine tree and as we were walking up to the site we were going visit, Kiersten picked up another raptor high up on the hillside which I was expecting to be a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) but I was surprised to see it was a dark looking Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus) which flew along the ridge and the down behind the Pines.

Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae).

Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae).

Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae).

Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae).

Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae).

Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae).

Once we were correct area we started to search but to start with we could not find any of the Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae) butterflies, however there were hundreds of Iberian Marbled Whites (Melanargia lachesis), Great Banded Graylings (Brintesia circe), Clouded Yellows (Colias croceus), Meadow Browns (Maniola jurtina), Small Skippers (Thymelicus sylvestris), Gatekeepers (Pyronia tithonus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra).

Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum).

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens).

We walked a bit further along a track towards an old ruin, just before the ruin we checked out a wet flush and we were very pleased to find the first of at least 5 Andalusian Anomalous Blues (Polyommatus violetae).

Chapman's Blue (Polyommatus Thersites).

Chapman's Blue (Polyommatus Thersites).

Chapman's Blue (Polyommatus Thersites).

In the same area we also had several male Southern Skimmers (Orthetrum brunneum), False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi), Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora) which flew through rapidly and a Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba).

Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon).

Very pleased with finding the Blue we started to walk back towards the vehicle when we came across a patch of thyme plants which was covered in Butterflies including another Andalusian Anomalous Blue, even more pleasing were a couple of Chapman's Blues (Polyommatus Thersites) which were the second new species for both of us.

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Escher's Blue (Polyommatus escheri).

In the same area we also saw Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon) and on our way back down the hill Escher's Blue (Polyommatus escheri), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Purple Hairstreak (Favonius Quercus) and along side one of the irrigation channels and at a pool near there we had Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa), lots of Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius).

Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii).

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum).

Down by the car Kiersten found a Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) and we also saw and heard Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa).

By now it was starting to get quite hot, even up in the hill so we dropped back down and we headed home after a great morning, I would like to thank Kiersten for her company and for driving up that dreadful road.