essex buzzard

[Padfield]

Brilliant butterflies and brilliant photos, Buzzard!

I'm really glad you got your Cynthia's fritillaries. I think they're very special butterflies.

Guy

[essexbuzzard]

Then up to the Col,at 2802M. On a walk here,Yannis pointed out some of the special flowers of this harsh environment , including gentians and some lovely pink and white buttercups. Peak Whites were here,confirmed when David managed a mid-flight shot using sport mode,for this is a butterfly that never stops. Our only Sooty Ringlet of the trip was here,too,a first for me. Several Small Tortoiseshells were hill topping. Visibility was excellent, making for great panoramas.

Then,time to head down,making a couple of stops for orchids and I took a picture of what looks like an olive skipper. Once back,a walk before dinner produced this lovely Spotted Fritillary .

Thanks Guy,me too. I am absolutely delighted with them,and they even showed well for picture taking!

[NickMorgan]

Wow, what a fantastic trip. You seem to have seen an amazing variety of butterflies. I have enjoyed reading about them.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Nick,more to come! I do hope the weather is improving for you north of the border...

[bugboy]

I somehow missed your Cynthia's, superb pictures

[essexbuzzard]

Today was change over day. We had a last pre-breakfast was,sadly the second hotel didn't have a walking area, though there was compensation! The first Great Sooty Satyr looked as if it had done a couple of rounds with a bruiser. A nice Bergers Clouded Yellow was on lavender ,several Darwins Heath were found as was a better Great Sooty Satyr,as well as the by now familiar stuff.

[essexbuzzard]

Heading toward the next hotel,a stop produced a colony of Mountain Alcon Blues in a damp field,supported by perhaps a dozen gentian plants. The females were laying eggs on these,and a mating pair was found. With more cloud today,several females opened their wings halfway,showing the black spots and borders. The males markings were less impressive, a uniform dark blue with a black edge.

Yet more Heath Fritillary were seen,and also a few False Heath Fritillary . Safflower Skippers were on a dung heap,,as were Amanda's ,Small and other blues,and Northern Brown Argus,as well as many common species.

[essexbuzzard]

After our picnic,the next stop was at some very flowery meadows,which we had permission to visit,so long as we didn't trash the site. However,on arrival some of these field were already well trodden,perhaps by rooting wild boar,but probably by people. Not that the butterflies minded,,for there were plenty . A worn Duke of Burgundy was hanging on,and a Clouded Apollo was nearby. Fritillaries seemed to be Meadow Frits,and two Southern White Admiral were together. Blues were abundant,incl. Common, Silver-studded, Eros,Escher's and Turquoise. Dingy and Grizzled Skippers,as were Glanville fritillaries and a mating pair of Spotted Fritillary . Brimstones and Cleopatras were seen. Then it was on to the hotel, where a Geranium Bronze was laying eggs on ivy-leaf geraniums.

[David M]

Your Frit certainly looks like Meadow to me, Mark, but I think your Heath in the earlier post has suffered a typo - Dusky rather than Darwin's!

[Wurzel]

Wow oh wow that trip looks amazing, stunning photos Essex

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Although there were no walks near the new hotel,there was plenty to interest the early risers- a large thistle patch right next to the hotel. This morning,a splendid Niobe Fritillary was present and,when we returned in evening, High Browns and Dark Greens were nectaring.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Dave for the correction!

Today we headed up to Estenc. The scenery was amazing and the butterflies so good,we stayed here all day. Beside a broad walk , mud puddling blues were abundant,with some Dingy and Safflower skippers. Further on,I found this white which I think is Green-veined. Titania's and a few Grisons Fritillaries were in the damp meadows,as were Purple-edge Coppers and a Small Copper near some bistort. Almond-eyed and Piedmont Ringlets were around,at one point I had one of each on my leg! These meadows were full of colour,and attendant butterflies. Lesser Marble, Pearl-border and Glanville Frits, Appolos, Chestnut and Darwin's Heath were identified ,and Orange Tips were beside the river.

[essexbuzzard]

Estenc and turk's cap or martagon lily

[Katrina]

Two butterflies on your leg You are raising the bar a bit there! Great photos!

[essexbuzzard]

But this day really belonged to the blues. The sight of hundreds of blues mud puddling is one of the pleasures of butterfly watching in Europe. Small,Mazarine ,Silver-studded,Idas,Glandon,Adonis, Escher's ,Chalkhill and Eros blues were all present as well as the odd Silvery Argus and Chapman's Blue. Back at the hotel,Dave found a Lesser Purple Emperor .

[Katrina]

The second photo is spectacular!

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Katrina. The sight of these butterflies mud-puddling like this is very special to us more used to a sprinkling of British species!

Thursday 7 July brought more blue skies,and lots of Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites and fritillaries to the thistle patch. We headed up to another Col,first stopping just below the summit. Getting here early proved a winner,for down by the river, we found a photogenic Small Apollo-a first for me! We spent the morning here,seeing Swallowtail , Mountain Green-veined White, Geranium Argus, Glandon, Idas, Amanda's ,Adonis and the lovely little Alpine Blue. Mountain and Shepherds Frits were identified ,I think the photo shows a Mountain. Darwins and Small Heath were seen, along with Large Ringlet. We took lunch here,then headed to the top of the Col.

[essexbuzzard]

Once at the top,amongst many lovely mountain pansies, Shepherds Fritillaries were buzzing around in number,and I found a mating pair. A male Cynthia's Frit was present,too,and a Sooty Copper showed well. Then David found a real rarity,a False Mnestra Ringlet. Lots of Mazarine Blues were even at this altitude ,and another Alpine Blue was briefly seen. Trumpet and Spring gentians coloured the slopes in places,and vanilla orchid were seen in good numbers.

Mid afternoon ,we stopped briefly at yesterday's mud puddling site,where a Damon Blue was spotted. At the hotel,a nice Dark Green Frit was on the thistles. Another super day

[essexbuzzard]

Forgot the False Mnestra Ringlet!

[David M]

Yeess!! Somebody else DID get an image of this species!!

To be fair, Mark, you and Esther were the only ones that followed me to the hotspot (and got a bonus Alpine Blue thrown in too). In future years, I'll make a point of telling people that if they want to see something quite rare, they'd better accompany me!