Mirador del Alto de Hondonero, Malaga Province, Spain.

In search of an anomaly.

Tree Grayling (Neohipparchia statilinus).

After getting a message from friend Alvaro that he had seen an Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae) at a spot near to the Mirador del Alto de Hondonero I decided to give it a go as I have only ever seen this species once before.

Tree Grayling (Neohipparchia statilinus).

Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia).

I arrived and spent a few hours walking around the site checking the patches of Penny Royal (Mentha pulegium) until it just got too dam hot, I didn't connect with the Blue but I did find several Tree (Neohipparchia statilinus) and Striped Graylings (Hipparchia fidia), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathsheba), Small (Thymelicus sylvestris) and Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus),  Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis) and Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

I also had a good view of  a couple of very smart Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) dragonflies which were in the Hawthorns and rushes along the only wet area on the site.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus).

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

As I walked I also saw several birds which included Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Rock (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula). 

Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii).