Bulgaria 2023

[Ian Pratt]

Here a few photos from April when I was with a small group in south western Bulgaria and northern Greece. I hope you enjoy them.

[petesmith]

Hi Ian - nice selection! I enjoyed those. I shall be heading out to Northern Greece and SW Bulgaria myself in just over 3 weeks time with my wife and another couple. We shall almost certainly be too late for Gruner's OT, but I would love to see Inky Skipper! One of my top target species for the trip but pretty localised by all accounts...well done on getting that one!

[selbypaul]

Thanks for sharing, lovely photos.

[Padfield]

Hi Ian. Lovely pictures!

Can I suggest your chequered blue is actually a female eastern baton blue, Scolitantides vicrama?

Guy

[Ian Pratt]

Hi Guy,
Well done, you found my deliberate errors!! You are correct. Here are the chequered blue photos. Many thanks for your eagle eyes!

[BarrieS]

Hi Ian - A really great series of pictures, including two very much sought after butterflies - Inky Skipper and Grunner's OT, both scarce and very local in the area you visited, I believe.
Was your trip organised by British Bulgaria Society? Their tours are always excellent and i'm looking forward to going back with them again in July.
Back in June 2019 I was on one of their tours and we visited a site in SW Bulgaria where Inky Skippers are known to hilltop, but unfortunately we didn't see any. Our Bulgarian guide spotted known butterfly collectors leaving the site, which may explain why there were no butterflies. Sadly, this disgraceful activity does go on in parts of the county.

[Ian Pratt]

We saw quite a few Grüner's orange tips and also a good number of inky skippers at the top of a hill. We just seemed to be in the right place at the right time.
Also, another quite rare sighting was this eastern greenish black tip below.

[David M]

Loving this, Ian. Some fabulous butterflies thus far.

[Ian Pratt]

Loving this, Ian. Some fabulous butterflies thus far.

Saying this just makes it worthwhile posting the photos. Thank you.

[Ian Pratt]

Another photo of the inky skipper in better light.

[essexbuzzard]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of the Inky Skipper on these forums. Well done!

And the Greenish Black Tip. What a sighting!

Fabulous stuff.

[David M]

Certainly is a super image. I hope these are still about when I visit N. Greece in early June.

[BarrieS]

A stunning Eastern Greenish Black Tip image Ian - well done. You certainly struck gold on your trip - are there any more goodies to come?

[Ian Pratt]

Here are some skippers for your perusal. I think the IDs are correct but please feel free to amend as necessary.