The Rambla, Valencia, Valencia Province, Spain.

A quick look at the Rambla, a drive into Valencia and an afternoon around the Oceanogràfic València.

Karen and Rob, Day Six.

Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba).

We packed and after Breakfast we headed just up the road to the Rambla and had a short walk along the track finding Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus), Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto), Rock (Hipparchi alcyone) and Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia), Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) and Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).

Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia).

Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia).

Once we were done at the Rambla we drove towards Valencia picking up Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), 30+ Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Teira Batfish (Platax teira).

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Later, after checking in at the hotel we went for a visit to the Oceanogràfic center on the other side of the city, we had a nice walk around and apart from the captives we also saw Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

In the Tunnel.

We returned to the Hotel where we had a rest and then had what can only be discribed as a very rough Burger before turning in as we have a very early start in the morning.

Red Sea Aquarium.

Moscardón area, Teruel Province, Spain.

Back to the Amazing Meadow near Moscardón.

Karen and Bob, Day Five.

The Grayling Species weren't difficult to find.

We were out looking out over the town before breakfast picking up Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Male Azure Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra caelestissima).

Female Azure Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra caelestissima).

Female Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus).

Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami).

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris).

After Breakfast we headed to Moscardón again, on the approach we again saw Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

The Monumental Pine !!!!

Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe).

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus).

Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino).

Rock Grayling (Hipparchia alcyone).

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

We parked and started with a walk to the meadows where the Monumental Pine stood, here we found Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), both male and female Azure Chalkhill (Lysandra caelestissima) and Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus), Great Banded (Brintesia circe), Rock (Hipparchia alcyone) and Grayling (Hipparchia semele), Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Safflower (Pyrgus carthami) and Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides).

Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides).

Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides).

Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis).

Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta).

Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta).

We crossed back over the road and started to walk towards the water troughs, on the way we saw and heard Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Me trying to get some shots of the Mother of Pearl Blue (Polyommatus nivescens).

Mother of Pearl Blue (Polyommatus nivescens).

Mother of Pearl Blue (Polyommatus nivescens).

Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe).

Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe).

Rock Grayling (Hipparchia alcyone).

New butterflies kept coming including an Iberian Sooty Copper (Lycaena bleusei) which Karen saw, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis), Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), Lesser Marbled (Brenthis ino), Silver-Washed (Argynnis paphia), Knapweed (Melitaea phoebe) and High Brown Fritillaries (Fabriciana adippe), Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides), Comma (Polygonia c-album), Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto) and then a semi tatty, slightly washed out looking Mother of Pearl Blue (Polyommatus nivescens).

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).

Provençal Fritillary (Melitaea deione).

Around the concrete troughs, on the beds of Thyme plants we found False Grayling (Arethusana arethusa), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina), False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi) as well as a female looking Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus).

Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus).

Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus).

Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma).

False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi).

As we walked back up towards the car again we checked the area around the wooden troughs finding Provençal Fritillary (Melitaea deione), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta), Silver-spotted (Hesperia comma), Small (Thymelicus sylvestris) and Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus), Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon) and Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).

Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami).

Mating pair of Azure Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra caelestissima).

Mating pair of Azure Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra caelestissima).

Concrete Water Trough.

Wooden Water Trough.

We returned to the car and went up the road to El Molino where we went straight down to the Puddling spot where we saw the a few days ago, today there were still good numbers but not as many and included Damon (Polyommatus damon), Oberthur's Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus fabressei), Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus), Small (Pieris rapae) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice) as well as Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus), Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens), Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Getting down to their level.

Oberthur's Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus fabressei).

Oberthur's Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus fabressei).

Damon Blue (Polyommatus damon).

Damon Blue (Polyommatus damon).

Damon Blue (Polyommatus damon).

Azure Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra caelestissima).

Azure Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra caelestissima) a few of the masses.

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

We went back to the Meadows but checked the pool and saw Common Spreadwing (Lestes Sponsa), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella), Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) and a Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).

Common Spreadwing (Lestes Sponsa).

Common Spreadwing (Lestes Sponsa).

Back at the meadows we parked in the same place but walked up the meadow in a different direction adding Damon and Oberthur's Anomalous Blues to the site list for our trip. 

Oberthur's Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus fabressei).

Oberthur's Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus fabressei).

False Grayling (Arethusana arethusa) on Karen's Arm.

Later we returned to the Village and then went out for a meal.