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Monday, 8 July 2024

Puerto de San Gloria and north of Portilla de la Reina, Castilla y León, Spain.*

A morning up high with Andy looking for Ringlets.

Chapman's Ringlet (Erebia palarica).
I met Andy up at Puerto de San Gloria just before 09:00, he had been there a while and had already seen his main target the Chapman's Ringlet (Erebia palarica) I caught him up and we went up and saw another Chapman's and it was at this point I realised that I had not put my cards back in the cameras after doing a down load last night so we returned to the car and I sorted it.
Chapman's Ringlet (Erebia palarica).

Chapman's Ringlet (Erebia palarica).
Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans).
We then went for a walk down the track along side the road checking the wet flush, we found Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza Majalis), Heath Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata), Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Bistort (Bistorta officinalis), Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor), 
Bath White (Pontia daplidice).
Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae).

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).

Dark-green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja) on Heath Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata).

Butterfly wise we found Meadow (Melitaea parthenoides) x2, Knapweed (Melitaea phoebe) x1, Dark-green (Speyeria aglaja) x2, Southern Heath (Melitaea nevadensis) x5 and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) x2, Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x1, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x6, Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe) x3, Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) x2, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x2, Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina) x2 and Olive Skipper (Pyrgus serratulae) x1.
Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe) male.
Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe) male.
Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe) male.
Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe) male.
Purple-edged Copper (Lycaena hippothoe) female.
As we walked we also saw and heard
Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Tree Pipit (Bisbita Arbóreo / Anthus trivialis), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).
Bistort (Bistorta officinalis).
Heath Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata).

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Olive Skipper (Pyrgus serratulae).

Olive Skipper (Pyrgus serratulae).

We moved back up the track and then back up to the Chapman's area but at the top of the rise the first sign of the coming chest infection showed up when I became breathless, dizzy and felt extremely sick so I curled up on the side of the track for the next 15 minutes or so until the problems passed and I the caught up with and who was watching another nice Chapman's x4.
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene).
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene).
Meadow Fritillary (Melitaea parthenoides).
I decided to walk back to the car and head for my next spot leaving Andy to spend some more time searching the area, on the walk back I saw a
Piedmont Ringlet (Erebia meolans) x1 before moving on.
Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea nevadensis).
Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).
I drove a few Kms to a damp roadside field / hay meadow, on the way I added Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra) and Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino).
Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino).
I parked and then walked back to the spot, on the way I heard
Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone) and then on the field I quickly found around a dozen or so Dusky Large Blues (Phengaris nausithous) x11 which were very active and made getting photo's very difficult.
Dusky Large Blues (Phengaris nausithous).
Dusky Large Blues (Phengaris nausithous).
Dusky Large Blues (Phengaris nausithous).
I the same area I also saw
Common Frog (Rana temporaria), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x3, Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino) x4, Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina) x2 and Spanish Heath (Coenonympha iphioides) x3.
Common / Southern Blue (Polyommatus icarus / celina).
Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).
I returned to the car, I had planned to go on to another site further up the valley but I was still not feeling anything like 100% so I turned around and returned to the campsite and chilled.

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