Heading out West into Castilo Y León, Spain.

Out looking for a Mega Butterfly species.

The Habitat which was similar to the site but I forgot to take one there.

I was out quite early and drove out to the west and then I took a minor road North to a spot which a good friend had given me for a species I had long wanted to see, the Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine) but he warned me it was extremely difficult and he was certainly not wrong about this as it took me to 5.5 hours to get one brief view without a chance of a picture but it was worth it.

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus).

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus).

Purple Hairstreak (Quercusia Quercus).

On the way to the site I had White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Red-backed Shrike (Alcaudón Dorsirrojo / Lanius collurio), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Black (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus).

Dark-green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja).

Dark-green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja).

I parked and walked on to the site picking up Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) and just over the river we picked up Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus), Purple Hairstreak (Quercusia Quercus), Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia celadussa) and Dark-green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja) before I started to search the woodland glade and meadows.

Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) female.

Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis).

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus).

As I searched I saw and heard Blackcap, Cirl Bunting, Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Marsh Tit (Carbonero Palustre /Parus palustris), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Middle-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Mediano / Dendrocopos medius) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera).

Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia).

Dark-green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja).

As the morning went on more and more butterflies were on the wing which included Marbled White (Melanargia galathea), Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus), Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia), Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Adonis (Lysandra bellargus), Common (Polyommatus icarus), Holly (Celastrina argiolus),  Long-tailed (Lampides baeticus) and Turquoise Blue (Polyommatus dorylas), Weaver's Fritillary (Boloria dia), Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua), Rock Grayling (Hipparchi alcyone), Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis), Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) and Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Wood White (Leptidea sinapis), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) and Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi).

Zygaena transalpina probably.

Hypomecis punctinalis.

Rock Grayling (Hipparchi alcyone).

Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia).

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus) female.

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus) female.

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus) female.

I walked back to the car for a drink and some food finding a male Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii), Betony (Stachys officinalis), Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense), Common (Malva sylvestris) and Musk Mallow (Malva moschata), Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon), Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor) and Common Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria).

Chalk Hill Blue (Polyommatus coridon asturiensis).

Chalk Hill Blue (Polyommatus coridon asturiensis).

Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii).

I sat down by the river next to another couple where I saw another Common Golden Ring, more Heath Fritillaries and another new species for me, a Chalk Hill Blue (Polyommatus coridon asturiensis) which kept landing on the hand of a lady who kindly let me take some pictures as it was taking minerals from her skin.

Weaver's Fritillary (Boloria dia).

Weaver's Fritillary (Boloria dia).

Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus).

Dark-green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja).

Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia).

After a sit down I returned to the wooded meadows and continued to search and after quite a lot of walking round I suddenly saw a butterfly in the grass for just a moment before it flew up and quite quickly way in the wind but I had a good enough view of it on the ground and through the Bin's in flight to confirm it was a very smart Woodland Brown.

Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino).

Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino).

Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia).

By this point I was absolutely knackered and didn't think it was worth chasing the Brown as it was whipped away on the strengthening wind so I returned to the car where I watched at least 3x Berger's Clouded Yellow moving around a field of Bugloss before starting to head back to the hotel.

Dusky Large Blue (Phengaris nausithous) habitat.

Dusky Large Blue (Phengaris nausithous).

Dusky Large Blue (Phengaris nausithous).

Dusky Large Blue (Phengaris nausithous).

Dusky Large Blue (Phengaris nausithous).

On the way I remember a few words of wisdom from Ed, if you see Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) in any of the hay meadows stop and check it for Dusky Large Blue (Phengaris nausithous), so when I spotted the plant I stopped and very quickly found the first of several of this new Blue species for me, over the moon. 

Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna).

Spanish Heath (Coenonympha glycerion iphioides).

Spanish Heath (Coenonympha glycerion iphioides).

Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe).

In this same area I also recorded Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino), Spanish Heath (Coenonympha glycerion iphioides), Purple-edged (Lycaena hippothoe) and a single Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae), Heath Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata) and a very unexpected Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna).

Fuente de, Cantabria, Spain.

Bird, Butterflies and Wild Flowers up high in the Mountain.

The view down into the valley from near the upper station.

I set off quite early as I wanted to get up onto the tops as early as possible and it worked well because as soon as I got there I got my ticket and went straight up, once at the top I went out along the main track towards the spot where in the past I have seen the Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

On the way I saw Red-billed (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).

Yellow Rockrose (Helianthemum nummularium).

Malling Toadflax (Chaenorhinum origanifolium).

Imbricate Sandwort (Arenaria tetraquetra).

Erodium daucoides.

Linaria Species.

Silene Species.

There were also good amounts of plants along the side of the path including Yellow Rockrose (Helianthemum nummularium), Malling Toadflax (Chaenorhinum origanifolium), Erodium daucoides, Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea), Purple Gromwell (Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum), Fairy Foxglove (Erinus alpinus), Rock Jasmine (Androsace villosa), Iberian Greenweed (Genista legionensis), Matted Globularia (Globularia repens), Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima ssp. alpina) and Pink Sandwort (Arenaria purpurascens).

Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

Galium Species.

Alpine Toadflax (Linaria alpina ssp. filicaulis).

Saxifrage species.

The start of the Scree crags.

At the junction in the track I turned left and walked along the scree slopes and down to the next junction where I spent quite a while looking for the Wallcreeper, on the way I had my first views of a pair of Snowfinches  (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis) and quite a few patches of Alpine Toadflax (Linaria alpina ssp. filicaulis).

Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis).

Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis).

Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis).

Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis).

I spent a while at the next junction before continuing on along the track as the sun was already out on the slopes, as I walked I had my first Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis), Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and then a very confiding pair of feeding Snowfinches.

Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis).

I turned around and worked my way back down to the first junction and then I started to head back to the Cable Car, as I came around one of the corners I again bumped into friends Monica and Ed, I told them about what I had seen but they had just decided to turn around so I joined them.

Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans).

Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans).

Lefebvre's Ringlet (Erebia lefebvrei).

Common Brassy Ringlet (Erebia cassioides).

Common Brassy Ringlet (Erebia cassioides).

Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia palustris).

Pyrenean Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana occidentalis).

We dropped down off the main track to go to a small pool they had found on the way up seeing Lefebvre's (Erebia lefebvrei) and Common Brassy Ringlet (Erebia cassioides) on the way which were both new species for me.

Wild Aquilegia (Aquilegia vulgaris).

Foxglove Species.

Down by the small pool they had see we had some lunch before checking the margins for puddling Butterflies and we soon found Turquoise (Polyommatus dorylas), Small (Cupido minimus), Common (Polyommatus icarus) and Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua), Marbled (Carcharodus lavatherae) and Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides).

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus), Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus) and Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis).

Turquoise Blue (Polyommatus dorylas).

Turquoise Blue (Polyommatus dorylas).

Turquoise (Polyommatus dorylas) and Gavarnie Blue (Agriades pyrenaica form asturiensis).

Mazarine (Cyaniris semiargus) and Turquoise Blues (Polyommatus dorylas).

Small Blue (Cupido minimus).

Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus).

While we were there a group of Butterfly hunters came down to the spot, it was great to meet up with their guide, friend Pau Lucio, chat to a couple of people who I had taken out in the past and hear that they were having a great time on their trip.

Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus lavatherae).

Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides).

Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides).

We also had a nice male Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) and as we walked back to the Cable Car we also saw Spurge Laurel (Daphne laureola), Pyrenean Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana occidentalis), Phyteuma orbiculare, Wild Aquilegia's (Aquilegia vulgaris) and a Foxglove species that still needs a name.

Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta).