Sierra Nevada and Sierra Huétor, Granada Province, Spain.

Up in the hills of the Sierra Nevada looking for an on the brink species of Butterfly.

Day two with Paul Selby. 

 

In search of our target.

We were out early-ish and heading for the Sierra Nevada where we were hoping to see the ultra rare Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara hippolyte) but we walked the track out to the site with very very low expectations as we were well aware that this is an insect right on the edge of extinction. 

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

Oriental Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lupina).

Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami).

We started the walk and picked up Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Small (Pieris rapae), Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), Oriental Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lupina), Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini), Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Panoptes (Pseudophilotes panoptes) and Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina). 

 Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris).

Arenaria pungens.

Pilosella castellana.

Bird wise we saw Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes),European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Western Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasqueña Occidental / Curruca iberiae). 

Black Satyr (Satyrus actaea).

Idas Blue (Plebejus idas).

Idas Blue (Plebejus idas).

We reached the higher ground and walked on to a hilltop where we soon had the first of between 15 to 20 Apollo's (Parnassius apollo nevadensis), Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron), Black Satyr (Satyrus actaea) x8, Idas Blue (Plebejus idas) x4, Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) and as we checked the area around a high point I heard Paul call and I went over to him to see he had found our target species, a stunning Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara hippolyte) x3 which was a great find, nearby we saw another couple before we left the site.

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara hippolyte).

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara hippolyte).

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara hippolyte).

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara hippolyte).

Paul looking a tad happy with the Grayling.

As we walked off the tops we also picked up Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus) x3, Grayling (Hipparchia semele) x2, Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Pilosella castellana, Arenaria pungens, Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris).

Apollo (Parnassius apollo nevadensis).

Apollo's (Parnassius apollo nevadensis).

Apollo's (Parnassius apollo nevadensis).

Apollo (Parnassius apollo nevadensis).

Apollo (Parnassius apollo nevadensis).

Apollo (Parnassius apollo nevadensis) female with sphragus. 

Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus).

Grayling (Hipparchia semele).

On the way back down we followed a small series of wet flushes back to the car, on the way we saw Criptic Red-underwing Skippers (Spialia rosae) all dancing around their food plant a Rose species which was common in the area, Dark-green (Speyeria aglaja) x6 and Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x1, Lang's Short-tailed (Leptotes pirithous), Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus), Large (Ochlodes sylvanus) and Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma), Rock Grayling (Hipparchia alcyone), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) and a very nice Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis).

Criptic Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia rosae) habitat.

Criptic Red-underwing Skippers (Spialia rosae).

Criptic Red-underwing Skippers (Spialia rosae).

Criptic Red-underwing Skippers (Spialia rosae).

Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

We pushed on and headed for Sierra de Huétor and stopped off at Venta del Molinillo where we walked along the banks of the Arroyo de Prada Negro, new species were Copper (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) and Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo), Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus), Southern Damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale), Southern (Pyronia cecilia) and Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Spanish Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra albicans), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) along with more False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi) and as we were leaving we had a Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).

Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba).

Southern Damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale).

Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus).

Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus).

Large Pincertail (Onychogomphus uncatus).

Birds seen and heard included Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola Europea / Oriolus oriolus), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius) and Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Our final stop of the day was in the Pine woodlands near Los Mimbres but butterflies were few and we only managed to add Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) along with Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops) and European Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus).

Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus).

By now it was getting damn hot so we returned to the house and then later we went down to 3 Calles for some food and a beer or two to celebrate the Grayling as neither of us really thought we would see it and it was a lifer for Paul.