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 williamsi) 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 x3 which was a great find, nearby we saw another couple before we left the site.

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara williamsi).

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara williamsi).

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara williamsi).

Nevada Grayling (Pseudochazara williamsi).

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 Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra albicans).

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.

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).