Near Camping La Viorna, around Argüébanes and La Molina, Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain.

A day with Ed Mckrill photographing butterflies in the hills around Potes.

Ed looking at the hill we had just come up, looks steeper than I thought.

I got to the Camp site where Monica and Ed were staying, partly for a nice coffee Monica had said she would make me and to see their set up which was very impressive.

Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) male.

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

After the coffee Ed and I headed out to a nearby spot he had found, on the way we had Black (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and once we were on the track we added Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea nevadensis).

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea).

Butterfly wise we started the day with Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) which were followed by several Beautiful Demoiselles (Calopteryx virgo), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes).

Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon).

Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus).

We came out of the woods into the first of three more open areas of grassland where we saw Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea nevadensis), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Green-veined White (Pieris napi), Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) and Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) flying around or nectaring on Soapwart (Saponaria officinalis), Dwarf Elder (Sambucus ebulus), White Stonecrop (Sedum album) and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) male.

Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae).

As we continued on up the hill we added Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis) x1, False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi) x4, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x4, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x2, Lulworth (Thymelicus acteon) x2, Small (Thymelicus sylvestris) x1 and Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) x4, Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus) x3 and Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) x1, Wood (Leptidea sinapis) x2, Large (Pieris brassicae) x1 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x5, Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) x4, Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) x2, Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) x1 and Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae) x1. 

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus).

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus).

We returned to the camp site and then off to our second site of the day which was near the village of Argüébanes, we parked and we were soon looking at the first of at least 3x Sooty Coppers (Lycaena tityrus) seen around this site and as we started to walk up through the village we saw Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli) x1, Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), lots more Beautiful Demoiselles and out on the next section of the walk we had both Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) and Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) before Ed stopped me in my steps, literally when he spotted the first of two stunning Purple Emperors (Apatura iris) x2 which were on the ground puddling, to say I was over the moon to see this species was a very big understatement.

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Purple Emperor (Apatura iris).

Purple Emperor (Apatura iris).

In the same area we also some other nice species including Short-tailed Blue (Cupido argiades), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Southern Heath Fritillary, Southern Grizzled (Pyrgus malvoides), Dingy (Erynnis tages) and Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius), a very nice Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) and a couple of Common Golden Ringed (Cordulegaster boltonii).

Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia sertorius).

Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages).

Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides).

Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides).

Large (Ochlodes sylvanus) and Southern Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvoides).

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus).

We continued on up the track and out on to a large area of pasture with a wet strip running through it, in the wet strip we saw large numbers of adult and teneral Keeled Skimmers (Orthetrum coerulescens), Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) and at the top of the field near a quite largish farm building and along side the woodland we saw at least one more Purple Emperor, several Silver-Washed Fritillaries (Argynnis paphia), Purple Hairstreak (Favonius Quercus), a Weaver's Fritillary (Boloria dia) which played hard to get amongst the grass and a mating pair of Wall Browns (Lasiommata megera).

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) Male.

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) teneral female.

A rather old and tatty female Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens).

Bird wise we heard and saw Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and a calling Middle-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Mediano / Dendrocopos medius).

Walking up to the top of the meadow.

Short-tailed Blue (Cupido argiades).

Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).

Weaver's Fritillary (Boloria dia).

Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) Male.

We started to drop back down again and checked out the wet channels again where I managed to get shots of some of the Silver-washed and Heath Fritillaries, and then spent a while sat beside a bit of cow poo and watched the Skippers and other species come to take minerals.

Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).

Southern Heath Fritillary (Melitaea nevadensis).

We dropped back down to the car and headed to another nearby site, we parked on the side of a side track and then went for an uphill walk to some meadows higher up one of the valleys, as we walked up to a bramble patch Ed had found a few days earlier we had many of the species seen earlier but we did add Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe) on the way up and a lot more Silver-washed around the Brambles as well as another Weavers, a rather tatty Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene), Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) and an immature female Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea).

Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).

Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).

Silver-Washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene).

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) immature female.

On the way back down to the car we finished the day off with Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini), Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) and another nice Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus).

Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe).

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus).

Back down the Valley.

We returned to the car and returned to the camp site, later after freshening up at the hotel I went back and had a meal with Monica and Ed before turning happy but knackered after a good days walking. 

Travelling North to Ojedo in Cantabria, Spain.

Going North to do some Butterfly hunting.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) 8 of the 20 or so.

I set off at just after 04.00, made a stop at around 09.00 for some breakfast and then pulled off again around an hour south of Madrid for a break and a bit of birding. 

Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

I drove along some tracks in a large area of mixed agriculture, a site I have visited several times but over the years it has change from a vast area of cereal crop to an area which is now starting to be dominated by Olive trees and is becoming more and more sterile.

Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda)

However for the moment there are still some good areas and they still hold a decent number of the amazing Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda), today I managed to see around 20 birds in two groups along with Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

I continued on and eventually got around Madrid via a rather convoluted route after the Sat-nav had a bit of a Brain-fart, at Aguilar de Campoo I took to the minor roads and went up over the Mirador de Piedrasluengas and then down into Ojedo.

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

On the way I made a couple of roadside stops to stretch the legs, get some lunch and have a look for some Butterflies to start the trip list off with, somewhere between Madrid and Burgos I picked up Great Banded Grayling (Kanetisa circe), Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), Small White (Pieris rapae), Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora), Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) and Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Then later once I was on the minor roads I picked up Red (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) as I drove.

Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba).

At another roadside stop I spent a while trying to photograph an extremely flighty Great Banded Grayling which gave me the run around for a while but whilst chasing it I also recorded Long-tailed (Lampides baeticus) and Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail, Meadow Brown, Pyramidal (Anacamptis pyramidalia) x2 and a very tatty looking Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea).

Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).

Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).

I continued on to Ojedo over Mirador de Piedrasluengas but didn't stop as it was getting on a bit and I wanted to check in at my digs for the next few nights.

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalia).

Later, after getting settled in I went into Potes for something to eat where I bumped into a couple of friends, Ed and Monica Mckrill, who had been camping in the area for a while and were also looking for butterflies.

Great Banded Grayling (Kanetisa circe).

I went with them up to the restaurant on their camp site where we had a meal, chatted and arranged to meet next morning to visit a few nearby sites that Ed had already checked out and had found a few species I wanted, very exciting😀😀😀😀

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 3rd July 23. 
15W Actinic on the terrace, +21. 

46 Moths of 23 Species.

Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks. 

8107a Idaea mustelata.

0663 Trichophaga bipartitella x1, 2214 Enolmis acanthella x3, 4855 Epinotia thapsiana x3, 4887 Crocidosema plebejana x1, 5624 Bostra obsoletalis x10, 5742 Etiella zinckenella x1, 6331 Mesocrambus tamsi x1, 6551 Udea numeralis x1, 6690 Palpita vitrealis x4, 7985 Phaiogramma faustinata x1, 8107a Idaea mustelata x1, 8145 Brachyglossina manicaria x2, 8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal) x1, 8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug) x1, 8828 Raphia hybris x1, 8965 Tyta luctuosa (Four-spotted Moth) x1, 9023 Eutelia adulatrix x1, 9100 Acontia lucida (Pale Shoulder) x4, 9106 Pseudozarba bipartita x1, 9128 Odice pergrata x1, 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x3, 10034 Leucania loreyi x1 and 10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic) x1.

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4887 Crocidosema plebejana.

8211 Rhodometra sacaria (The Vestal).

9128 Odice pergrata.

8145 Brachyglossina manicaria.

0663 Trichophaga bipartitella.

10034 Leucania loreyi.

6331 Mesocrambus tamsi.

9023 Eutelia adulatrix.

10212 Xestia xanthographa (Square-spot Rustic).

8828 Raphia hybris.

4855 Epinotia thapsiana.

8599 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Double-striped Pug).

2214 Enolmis acanthella.

Euchromius Species.

7985 Phaiogramma faustinata.