Looking for an uncommon butterfly in Granada Province.
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| Habitat photo with Astragalus alopecuroides. |
I headed down to Huétor where I had breakfast at Paqui's before we headed out to a site where I had seen
Spanish Zephyr Blue (Plebejus hespericus) a couple of years earlier.
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| Astragalus alopecuroides. |
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| Astragalus alopecuroides. |
We arrived on site and soon found good numbers of
Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x1,
Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x4,
False Ilex (Satyrium esculi) x18+ and
Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini) x15+, as well as
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x1,
Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus) x1 and Black-eyed Blue (Glaucopsyche melanops) x2,
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x6,
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x4 and Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) x25+.
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| Spanish Zephyr Blue (Plebejus hespericus) ♂. |
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| Spanish Zephyr Blue (Plebejus hespericus) ♂. |
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| Spanish Zephyr Blue (Plebejus hespericus) ♂. |
A little further down the track we came into the area where the
Astragalus alopecuroides the food plant of the
Spanish Zephyr Blue was growing and almost straight away we saw the first ♂♂ and then found at least 4 pairs mating, in total I would say there were at least 20 individuals.
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| Spanish Zephyr Blue (Plebejus hespericus) ♂ and ♀. |
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| Spanish Zephyr Blue (Plebejus hespericus) ♂ and ♀. |
Whilst we were getting some photos of these stunning Butterflies we also saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Yellow Phlomis (Phlomis lychnitis), Thapsia villosa, Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).
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| Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini) |
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| Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini) |
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| Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini). |
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| False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi). |
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| False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi). |
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| Black-eyed Blue (Glaucopsyche melanops). |
On our way back to Paqui's we called in at Aldi and the to a Garden Centre before having a nice lunch, later we went up to the fields where we recorded
Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Common Woodpigeon,
Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto),
Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos),
Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius),
Barn Swallow,
European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster),
Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica),
Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti),
European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola),
Common Nightingale,
Common Blackbird,
Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata),
Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and
Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
We finished our walk and then returned to Paqui's for a meal before I headed back home at around 23.00, as I got there I could hear at least 2x
Red-necked Nightjars (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis).
