Back at the Sennalpe Bärenschwand farmhouse ‘bar’ and after a few games of cards (in which I won for a change
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_surprised.gif)
… no mean feat as my eldest knows all the card games including Go Johnny Go Go Go Go)
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
, I made my excuses to check out an area which we’d passed on the way in and where I’d seen my ‘Dark green Fritillary’ (I now believe to be High Brown or Niobe male both would-be lifers)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. The ladies were happy to remain seated in the shade. Gone are the days where I could persuade either one of my daughters to come with me looking for butterflies
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
.
Getting in close to take advantage of my macro wasn’t going to be easy. Virtually all the land in Bavarian Germany was fenced off with barbed wire. In England, that Small Copper on the wrong side of the fence? ..no problem …. there’s always a gap in the wire or a gate or a stile to get you over. Not so in Germany. Their fences have been built with Teutonic precision using the minimal amount of wire but still perfectly designed to snare a ‘trespasser’ bold enough to take them on
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
.
If you’re lucky the fence is an electric one
This spot was too good to give-up on so I took on the fence and got away with a small tear in my t-shirt. Trouble was the moment I got in the butterflies went up the bank. When I went up the bank they came down. The constant to-ing and fro-ing made the beer to pour out through my skin
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
. Anyway, the following species were seen: - Silver-spotted Skipper; Sooty Copper; Map and a faded Ringlet
![B 2018.07.24 IMG_5460 Silver-spotted Skipper, Sennalpe Bärenschwand t.jpg (856.33 KiB) Viewed 999 times Silver-spotted Skipper ... so fast in the heat](./files/thumb_10062_94a68f035e387d86b113d7ed6415ec65)
- Silver-spotted Skipper ... so fast in the heat
![C 2018.07.24 IMG_5466 Map, Sennalpe Bärenschwand t i.jpg (1.25 MiB) Viewed 999 times the only one I saw of this species on the entire holiday. It was rather common in the Ariege region of France](./files/thumb_10062_7c421d1244fbdfb0943def3469c687d7)
- the only one I saw of this species on the entire holiday. It was rather common in the Ariege region of France
Others seen were Meadow Brown Common Blue and Silver-washed fritillary.
The baking heat soon had me scurrying back to the farmhouse bar where after taking on more liquid I was soon ready to return. First a shot of a House Martin nest under the eaves then picking up a Comma and another Sooty Copper on my way
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
.
![L 2018.07.24 IMG_5567 Silver Y, Sennalpe Bärenschwand gi t.jpg (664.46 KiB) Viewed 999 times Lots of Silver Y seen on this holiday](./files/thumb_10062_2b110a5019fd51efd456cc2001750919)
- Lots of Silver Y seen on this holiday
Back at my fenced area I found another Fritillary which I initially took to be a High Brown but now I think is Niobe (black scales along the veins and black dot in the light spot (arrowed) (though not sure if this is a reliable ID feature
![Question :?:](./images/smilies/icon_question.gif)
). Both species would be lifers for me
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. Essex skipper was also added to the list
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
.
![R 2018.07.24 IMG_5603 Thymelicus lineola, Essex Skipper, Sennalpe Bärenschwand g t.jpg (1.18 MiB) Viewed 999 times Essex Skipper](./files/thumb_10062_1595d89061c50d0c8545c88b7a432ca6)
- Essex Skipper
Eventually we braved the heat leaving the comfort of the farmhouse shade for the walk back to the cable-car station. At the base of a steep metalled track bordered on one side by woodland (with a shrub margin) and by a grass field and hedgerow on the other, I came across another large Fritillary that wasn’t Silver-washed. This one was quartering the area and going to ground on the shorter grass margins of the track. It was much fresher than my other example but even so I think this one is High Brown and not Niobe
![Question :?:](./images/smilies/icon_question.gif)
. It appeared to be ovipositing but would not remain still for long before moving on and dropping down to another spot usually after flying over the hedgerow or into the woods before returning with its arcing flight. Eventually it didn’t return. The rest of the group un-interested, had moved on leaving me to move at a brisk pace to catch them up. I was absolutely chuffed at seeing that butterfly and I hope the pictures will be good enough for an ID confirmation
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
.
Knowing that the others would be flagging I took some time to explore the grassy gully where I’ve taken some shots of Mazarine Blue on the way in. Common blue was the only species I encountered this time.
Butterfly species seen so far: Meadow Brown; Small Heath; Gatekeeper; Common Blue; Small White; Mazarine Blue; Green-veined White; Swallowtail; Silver-washed Fritillary; Marbled White; Small Skipper (?); Sooty Copper; Silver-spotted Skipper; Map; Ringlet; Essex Skipper; Niobe fritillary and High Brown Fritillary = 18 species (the last two: subject to review)
Phil