Sierra Nevada, Granada Province, Spain.

Going back up high to avoid the heat and get Paul some lifers.

Day One with Paul Selby.

 

I started the day by picking up Paul Selby from Granada Airport, I sat at the side of the motorway where I could view the Airport for a while as I was a tad early and saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

The Habitat.

Once the plane was on the ground I drove around and met Paul and we headed straight up to the car park at Hoya de la Mora and then walked up hill, as we started off we saw Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) and as we got closer to the height we wanted to be at we added Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

Common Kidney-Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria).

Our main reason for coming here was to try and find the uncommon and vulnerable Zullich's Blue (Agriades zullichi) but unfortunately we were a tad late and we only managed to find good numbers of the uncommon Spanish Argus (Aricia morronensis) as well as Spanish Brassy Ringlet (Erebia hispania) x15+ and Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus) x30+, these last two were both new species for Paul. 

Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus).

Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus).

Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus) and Spanish Argus (Aricia morronensis).

Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron).

Paul seeing his first Apollo (Parnassius apollo nevadensis) a new subspecies for him

As we searched we also saw Apollo (Parnassius apollo nevadensis) x2, Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron) x3, Bath White (Pontia daplidice) x6, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x3, Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus) x3, Escher's (Polyommatus escheri) x4 and Idas Blue (Plebejus idas) x3, Southern Mountain Argus (Aricia montensis) x8+, Niobe Fritillary (Fabriciana niobe) x1, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x2, Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) x1 and Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) x3.

Nevada Blue (Polyommatus golgus).

Spanish Brassy Ringlet (Erebia hispania).

Escher's Blue (Polyommatus escheri).

Other species included Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Mountain Stone Grasshopper (Eumigus monticola), Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Carpentor Bee (Xylocopa violacea), Nevada House Leek (Sempervivum minutum), Eryngium glaciale, Silene boryi, Ptilotrichum spinosum, Sideritis glacialis, Digitalis purpurea,  Sideritis glacialis, Erodium cheilanthifolium, Erigeron frigidus, Euphrasia willommii, Plantago nivalis and Common Kidney-Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria). 

Silene boryi.

Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron).

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).

Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe).

Once we decided to cut our loses and head lower we started to make our way back to the car and then dropped down to another spot not to much lower down at around 2225m where we did another walk, just next to the car we saw a Black Satyr (Satyrus actaea) x2, Wood (Leptidea sinapis) x1, Small (Pieris rapae) x10+ and Southern Small White (Pieris mannii) x1 which I missed,  Blue Spotted Hairstreak (Satyrium spini) x2, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and  Purple-shot Copper x3, Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) x2, Cardinal (Argynnis pandora) x1 and Dark-green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja) x4, Clouded Yellow x8,  Bath White x11, a single Spanish Brassy Ringlet x1, Comma (Polygonia c-album) x1, Large (Ochlodes sylvanus), Silver-spotted (Hesperia comma), Safflower (Pyrgus carthami) and Spanish Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia rosae) x1 which I missed, a very smart and unexpected Hermit (Chazara briseis) x1, Southern (Polyommatus celina) x5, Mazarine (Cyaniris semiargus) x2 and Idas Blue x4, Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) x1, Niobe Fritillary x2, Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x1, Oriental Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lupina) x15+, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x1, Rock (Hipparchia alcyone) x3 and Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe) x2.

Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami).

Oriental Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lupina).

We also added Gentiana boryi, Blue-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens) and Saddleback Bush-cricket (Ephippiger ephippiger).

Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus).

Spanish Brassy Ringlet (Erebia hispania).

Hermit (Chazara briseis).

Hermit (Chazara briseis).

Hermit (Chazara briseis).

Our next stop was a bit lower down along the old road to Güéjar Sierra, we parked and searched the area of grass and herbs finding Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and European Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).

Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus).

Butterflies included Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli), Purple Hairstreak (Favonius Quercus), Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus), Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), Lang's Short-tailed (Leptotes pirithous) and Southern Blue, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus) and Cardinal Fritillary.

Dark-green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja).

Mother of Pearl Blue (Polyommatus nivescens).

Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma).

Our last stop on our way back to the house was up near the visitors centre along side the main road back to Granada, here we found Mother of Pearl Blue (Polyommatus nivescens), Dark-green Fritillary, Silver-spotted Skipper, Long-tailed, Lang's Short-tailed and Southern Blue, Southern Brown Argus and Small Copper. 

We got back to the house and had a couple of beers and some food before hitting the pit after a very good day. 

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A quick visit to the fields.

Ebird List. 

 

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I just did a short walk along the Lucerne fields again to see if the Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) were still hanging around but I only managed to find one of the adult birds.

Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Other species of interest were the male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), a dozen or more European Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua),  European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and a single White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Alpujarra area, Sierra Nevada, Granada Province, Spain.

Another morning looking for butterflies with Andy Tweed.

Ebird List for the area.

 

I left the Hostal early and met Andy for Breakfast in Restaurante La Abadía where we left my car and headed up to a spot in the hills above Lanjarón in the Alpujarra's, on the way we saw several Striped Grayling (Hipparchia fidia). 

We parked and walked up over one of the Acequia's to a wet area in mountainside meadows amongst a large area of Pyrenean Oaks (Quercus pyrenaica) where the calls of the many Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) was the first thing to greet us.

As we walked up to the site we saw a Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) disappear quickly ahead of us through some pine trees, up in the Oaks we added Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and European Crested Tits (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Eurasian Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada) and European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis).

Once we reached the more open area we started to find big numbers of Iberian Marbled Whites (Melanargia lachesis) x150+ which were still roosting in the bushes and clumps of grass and sedge but as it warmed up they became very active and we realised that there were a great many more than first thought.

Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe).

Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe).

Southern Marbled Skipper (Muschampia baeticus).

Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).

Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).

Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).

Rosy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus onopordi).

As it started to warm up we found Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe) x25+, Small (Thymelicus sylvestris) x2, Lulworth (Thymelicus acteon) x2, Southern Marbled (Muschampia baeticus) x5, Rosy Grizzled (Pyrgus onopordi) x8 and Criptic Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia rosae) x2, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small White (Pieris rapae) x3, False Ilex (Satyrium esculi) x3 and Purple Hairstreak (Favonius Quercus) x6, Southern (Polyommatus celina) x1, Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus) x2 and Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus) x2, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x8, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x4 and Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia) x1.

False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi).

False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi).

Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus).

Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

As the sun reached the wet area we started to search for the target Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae) x1 and fairly quickly Andy found a single insect still roosting in the grasses and which sat nicely for some photo's but as it warmed up became slightly more active but still sat well in several spot.

Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae).

Andalusian Anomalous Blue (Polyommatus violetae).

Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera).

In the same area we also found Libelloides baeticus x2, Red-veined (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x4 and  Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x2, Blue-winged (Oedipoda caerulescens) and Red-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda germanica), Chorthippus jucundus, Saddleback Bush-cricket (Ephippiger ephippiger),  Great Green Bush-Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Woodlark (Alondra Totovía / Lullula arborea), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

 Great Green Bush-Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima).

Chorthippus jucundus.

Saddleback Bush-cricket (Ephippiger ephippiger).

On the walk back down to the car we had just a single Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe) x1 and Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) x2.

Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros).

We dropped back down to the motorway via a different route and returned to my car, Andy headed off to spend the rest of the day in the city with his wife and I headed Home.