Our activity for the day was a trip to the beach: Andy’s Beach Cabopino, in my view the best beach on the Costa del Sol. Andy’s beach comes equipped with a busy beach bar serving food and drink; live (“retro”) music from Steve Nelson (now only Wednesdays and Sundays … he’s getting on a bit
) and best of all it has a nature reserve Dunas de Artola o Cabopino tagged-on at its western end (Marbella side) 
. The reserve is criss-crossed with elevated board walk-ways designed to encourage beach-goers to stay off the fragile habitat. There is much litter among the dunes to show that it isn’t entirely successful
. Mind you, in all the times I visited I didn’t see anyone else checking out the flora and fauna ..… it’s a job for only mad dogs and Englishmen 
. The first thing you notice along the seaward edge of the dunes are the beautiful and seemingly unlikely Sea Daffodils (Pancratium maritimum), lush blousy flowers amongst a sea of scrub and woody plants. Most of the other (herbaceous) flowers are reduced in size on stunted plants adapted to surviving in harsh dry conditions.
. I think (based on its distribution) that this is Ishnura graellsii the Iberian Bluetail. . In winter 2015 the lanterna was visited by Painted Ladies; African Grass Blue; Small Copper and Speckled Wood. However, when I got further into the dunes I got my first small butterfly. Initially I took it to be a Southern Brown Argus from the prominent orange lunules but closer inspection showed it to be a female Common Blue Polyommatus Icarus.
. I believe some authorities afford Celina specific status: - the Southern Blue - Graphosoma italicum, Striped Shield bug
. I was 90% certain it was P. machaon. Also seen was the occasional Small White (or Southern Small White?) always on the move, never landing.So, after missing out on a Swallowtail, I remained with the blues: - This included a female ovipositing on Lotus creticus Southern Bird’s-foot-trefoil
.
) this was a most striking little bee. I believe it to be a cuckoo bee of the genus Thyreus which preys on the Blue-banded bee Amegilla sp. shown in part 1 ). If anyone would like a stab at its I.D I have other pics which may help 
. . Difficult to photo as they would make a mad dash for cover after spotting you This one was taken in the early part of the foray.- The lizards find the sand hot too
. Tiredness from heat exhaustion and dehydration had set in so like it or not it was time for me to return. These was the hardest parts, taking the decision to call it a day and the effort required to make the ½ mile trek to get back to the others. I knew though, that after this experience I would definitely be making more ventures to the Dunas de Artola o Cabopino
. 08/08/17.
Again, I was up early before the others had surfaced to explore MP1. We were planning to have our day in Malaga so I had to be quick. The morning came as a bit of a shock as a thick fog had shrouded the view and our beach towels were still wet on the clothes horse. By the time I was ready the sun had begun to do its work and burn off moisture.
The big surprise on MP1 was the large number of Argiope spider webs now highlighted by the dew (had I been walking onto them before
). This one is (I think) Argiope trifasciata the Banded Wasp Spider.- Orthetrum chrysostigma, Epaulet Skimmer
. - did the builders go on strike?
. Prices were slightly cheaper too than in Spain.In the town’s Main street outside of the courtroom gardens, I spotted a fast-flying white butterfly which I think was an African Migrant but it disappeared before I could get a better look. Also, there was the occasional small butterfly flitting around the top of the pergola which may have been a Long-tailed or Lang’s Short-tailed Blue but again I couldn’t be sure. Time would not allow me to hang around waiting for a confirmatory sighting
.As well as the shopping and sightseeing visit to the town we had a minibus to take us to the end of the peninsular (to see the mosque and the straits across to Morocco) and of course up the rock itself to see the Barbary Macaque monkeys
. - Sympetrum fonscolombi, Red-veined Darter
. We were warned not to try and feed the monkeys (severe fine if caught) and that their behaviour could be aggressive. But from what I saw I would say they were the opposite. They seemed content to just hang around and chill-out. They couldn’t even be bothered to pose for the camera when people were taking snaps and selfies (unlike the Gibbons in Marwell zoo)
. - Dartford Warbler?
: a large butterfly whose fast flapping and gliding flight reminding me of an Emperor. I stood their transfixed for about 20 seconds or so before reaching for my camera, but it was too late, the butterfly was gone and I was broken from my reverie by a shout of “dad we’re up here … come on hurry up!” from my daughters reminding me we had little time left to explore the caves 
. Anyway, no photo but a definite sighting, 100% sure
. The tally now: - Geranium Bronze; African Grass Blue; Speckled Wood; Sage Skipper; Southern Gatekeeper; Mediterranean Skipper; Common Blue; Swallowtail (90%); Small (Southern Small) White and Two-tailed Pasha.
On the way back to Fuengirola (between Estepona and San Pedro and heading to Marbella), came the sound of sirens from fire engines racing past the coach, and the sight of clouds of smoke. A helicopter already on the scene tackling flames not far from buildings. As far as I’m aware Spain unlike Portugal has had no ‘serious’ fires this year but this was a reminder that this danger is never far away.
