African Swarm
I've just returned from a fabulous ten day break in Jandia, at the southern tip of Fuerteventura. This was my fifth winter visit to the island and as always it provided welcome respite from the worst of British weather.
I had every intention of continuing my pursuit of the Long-tailed Blue and that looked to be on the cards when I found a fresh specimen roosting on an
Aloe vera plant in the hotel grounds before checking in. That was the last Long-tailed Blue I saw during my visit! I also saw about a dozen Painted Ladies and a Red Admiral, but it was the African Grass Blue (
Zizeeria knysna that stole the show.
In the past I've only ever found this species in ones and twos around the Canarian hotel gardens, and they've usually been worn and torn individuals. However, after spotting a few on the bank behind the sports area I decided to investigate a small patch (c.1000 square metres) of rough but irrigated ground adjacent to the hotel. I'm glad I did, as I was treated to one of the most spectacular displays of butterfly abundance that I've ever experienced.
The ground over this entire area was literally swarming with these minute butterflies, with concentrations of up to 10 per square metre in flight and up to 30 per square metre while at roost over some patches of grass and low scrub. The flight was probably beyond its peak as the vast majority were faded, but a careful search revealed a few fresh specimens and mating pairs. Over the course of several days I did my best to calculate the number present, always ending up with a conservative figure of 3000 - 5000.
There were also some interesting birds around the hotel and adjacent area, including Fuerteventura Stonechat, Berthelot's Pipit, Trumpeter Finch, Sardinian Warbler, Hoopoe and Southern Grey Shrike, the former two species being very tame.
As always, this quieter end of the island provided plenty of sunshine and the chance to unwind. Once the naked Germans had retreated to their hotels, the beautiful sandy beaches became surprisingly uncluttered. The sunsets were consistently spectacular. With only a four hour flight time I'll be returning to Fuerteventura many more times in the future.
African Grass Blue
African Grass Blue habitat
Fuerteventura Stonechat