Rochetaillee, Val d’Isere, Rhone Alpes, France – June 2011

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks David, I do appreciate your comments

To be honest, revisiting our trip from last summer is keeping me going during the winter.

It will be here before you know it, I'm sure - plus you still have our wonderful spring species to look forward to first!

Best wishes,

Lee

[Wurzel]

This is great reading but I'm experiencing both extremes of the Marmite scenario. I love the prose and photos and at the same time I hate it as we're stuck in January, the spring seems like a million miles away and so to read about your experiences is starting to make me sick with envy!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Wurzel - personally, I love marmite

[Lee Hurrell]

Monday 20th June - Part 1

I had a pre-breakfast stroll along the tracks and woodland rides near the campsite and as far as the river this morning and it was lovely, just as the day was warming up.

I’m not sure what this plant is but the locals were loving it!

Ringlet

Ringlet

White Admiral

Marbled Fritillary

In pre-breakfast total, I saw: 1 White Admiral, 1 male Silver Washed Fritillary, 8 Marbled Fritillary, 2 Lesser Marbled Fritillary, 1 Comma, 10+ Meadow Brown, 30+ Ringlet, 1 Pearly Heath, 2 Small Heath, 1 male Brimstone, 1 Black Veined White, 2 Green Veined White and 2 Large Skipper.

I also heard a Cuckoo and saw this dragonfly, although I'm not sure which one it is.

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Lee,

Lovely pictures, your Dragonfly looks like a male Migrant Hawker.

All the best,

Nick.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks for your kind comment, Nick, and for the Dragonfly ID

Best wishes,

Lee

[Matsukaze]

If it was in the UK, I'd call the dragonfly as female Southern Hawker - the broad yellow stripes on the front of the thorax and the anal appendages being the diagnostic features. It could easily be something that doesn't occur here though.

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Lee,

I`ve just looked again at your Dragonfly, and i`m wrong, Matsukaze`s id is right.

Nick.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Nick and Matsukaze.

Best wishes,

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Monday 20th June - Part 2

Later on I returned to some of the other places I’d visited.

At the lay-by at the end of the road were: 1 White Admiral, 4 male Silver Washed Fritillary, 6 Marbled Fritillary, 1 Peacock, 10+ Ringlet, 5 Meadow Brown, 3 Marbled White, 1 male Chapman’s Blue, 1 male Scarce Copper, 4 Black Veined White, 3 Green Veined White, 2 Large White, 2 Small White and 3 Large Skipper.

Peacock

At the next lay-by along the road leading to the track where I first saw a High Brown Fritillary on Sunday 12th, along the track there was a 2 metre stretch which held 1 White Admiral, 1 Marbled White and 6 Comma, 5 Hutch, 1 Starsky.

Further into the clearing another new species, although a familiar one, was present; a Red Admiral. Also here were 4 Marbled Fritillary, 1 False Heath Fritillary and a Clouded Border.

Clouded Border

Moving on, I took the track the opposite side of La Romanche, from the road toward Allemont.

La Romanche

The banks here were covered in thistles and Knapweeds, which proved very popular with various species, plus this amazing beetle.

Unknown beetle

High Brown Fritillary, male

High Brown Fritillary, male

High Brown Fritillary, male

Dark Green Fritillary, male

Silver Washed Fritillary, female

Marbled White, male

Marbled White, male

High Brown Fritillary, male

High Brown Fritillary, male

La Romanche

Sightings along here were: 1 White Admiral, 6 High Brown Fritillary, 1 Dark Green Fritillary, 1 female Silver Washed Fritillary, 10+ Marbled Fritillary, 10+ Comma, 1 Peacock, 50+ Marbled White, 50+ Ringlet, 30+ Meadow Brown, 2 female Common Blue, 10+ Large White, 10+ Black Veined White, 1 Real’s / Wood White, 5 Large Skipper, 5 Small Skipper and 3 Essex Skipper.

[Lee Hurrell]

Monday 20th June - Part 3

As I was heading that way, I drove toward the track leading to Baton Mogen from the hamlet of La Perniere. Driving through the village I noticed a large thistle covered in large brown butterflies. I had to stop. They were Great Sooty Satyrs! There were at least 6. Here they are sharing the nectar with a Marbled White.

Great Sooty Satyrs, Marbled White

Great Sooty Satyr, female

The males have a beautiful blue sheen which the female lacks – I mistook the female for a Large Wall until I got home and checked. They were on the thistle and then off along a rock face and up onto a bank. I climbed up here and noticed a male on a flower. I crept in and crept in until I could have touched it. Which I was able to as unfortunately, he was dead. Pristine, but completely dead. Here he is – check out the sheen.

Great Sooty Satyr, male

Great Sooty Satyr, male

Nearly as soon as I got out of the car a Spotted Fritillary landed on my right hand and started drinking. Being right handed, I had to carefully transfer him to my left hand to try this:

Spotted Fritillary, male

It was quite funny, he was on there a good 10 minutes – all the while I was watching the Satyrs and a Mazarine Blue. I even forgot he was there! I placed him back on the ground and within seconds another had landed on my arm.

Sightings here: 5 male and 1 female Great Sooty Satyrs, 3 male Spotted Fritillary, 3 Weaver’s Fritillary, 8 Marbled White, 1 male Mazarine Blue, 3 Small Skippers.

I carried on to the Baton Mogen track. Once again it was alive: 2 Southern White Admiral, 8 Comma, 1 Queen of Spain Fritillary, 3 High Brown Fritillary, 4 Silver Washed Fritillary, 8 Heath Fritillary, 3 False Heath Fritillary, 10+ Weaver’s Fritillary, 6 Marbled Fritillary, 1 female Spotted Fritillary, 25+ Marbled White, 25+ Ringlet, 10+Meadow Brown, 3 Pearly Heath, 2 Purple Hairstreak, 2 Holly Blue, 1 Mazarine Blue, 4 Small Blue, 2 Common Blue, 25+ Black Veined White, 3 male Brimstone, 1 Real’s / Wood White, 8 Large White, 5 Green Veined White, 5 Large Skipper, 8 Small Skipper, 3 Dingy Skipper, 1 Marbled Skipper and 1 Tufted Marbled Skipper.

Southern White Admiral, male

Spotted Fritillary, female

Spotted Fritillary, female

Species added today:
Red Admiral
Great Sooty Satyr

[David M]

That's a beautiful shot of the Southern White Admiral, Lee. Thanks too for the snap showing the bluish sheen on the Satyr - not something I've been aware of before.

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Lee,

some more lovely photos. I especially like the Peacock picture,the colours are amazing, What a beauty.

All the best,

Nick.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks, David and Nick, for your (too) kind comments.

David, I had my copy of Tolman/Lewington with me (although not in the field), and it doesn't depict this sheen in the male. So I had no idea it would be present and it was lovely to discover something like this on my own with a new species to me. It may perhaps lose the sheen after a few days, I don't know, but that male looked very fresh (apart from being deceased ).

Best wishes,

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Tuesday 21st June - Part 1

Another pre-breakfast wander, this time to the High Brown Fritillary lay-by. To be truthful I was search of Him, but it wasn’t to be. It looked promising yesterday, with other woodland species, a sunny track, fresh dog poo etc but I think a lack of sallow proved my downfall. However, present were: 2 White Admiral, 2 Dark Green Fritillary, 1 Heath Fritillary, 3 Marbled Fritillary, 5 Marbled White, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Blue, 1 Large White, 1 Green Veined White, 2 Large Skipper and 1 Small Skipper.

Dark Green Fritillary, male

Dark Green Fritillary, male

With today being our last full day, I had return to my two favourite places of the holiday. I wanted to say goodbye to the Apollos and headed for the last time over the iron bridge to the Alpine meadow. It was sunny at first but after an hour it clouded over and a strong wind blew.

My last view from the meadow:

This male Spotted Skipper gives an idea of how strong the wind was blowing at one point!

Spotted Fritillary, male

These mating Small Skippers clearly show the difference in antennae colouring and eye size in the male and female (female left, male right).

Mating Small Skippers

I’m still not sure if this is Heath or Meadow…probably Heath but he is a beauty.

Heath Fritillary, male

Heath Fritillary, male

This one I think was Heath.

Heath Fritillary, male

Heath Fritillary, male

This female Spotted Skipper had a lovely lilac hue.

Spotted Fritillary, female

While this female Red Underwing Skipper was busy egg laying.

Red Underwing Skipper, female

Red Underwing Skipper, female

Another new species was this rather worn Green Underside Blue.

Green Underside Blue, male

Green Underside Blue, male

And these beauties were why I came back.

Apollo

Apollo

For my last visit to the Alpine meadow, I saw: 5 Apollo, 1 White Admiral, 1 High Brown Fritillary, 1 Dark Green Fritillary, 2 Silver Washed Fritillary, 15+ Weaver’s Fritillary, 5 Meadow Fritillary, 6 Marbled Fritillary, 20+ Heath Fritillary, 3 Spotted Fritillary, 1 Knapweed Fritillary, 2 Common Blue, 1 Chapman’s Blue, 2 Small Blue, 1 Brown Argus, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Green Underside Blue, 1 Mazarine Blue, 1 Clouded Yellow, 15+ Black Veined White, 2 Large White, 1 Green Veined White, 40+ Marbled White, 10+ Meadow Brown, 1 Pearly Heath, 15+ Ringlet, 10+ Small Skipper, 10+ Essex Skipper, 1 Tufted Marbled Skipper and 2 Red Underwing Skipper.

I waited and waited for the clouds to pass in the wind for one final look at the Apollo and eventually the wind dropped and the sun returned. I went to where I’d found an Apollo roosting from the cloud and wind, but it had gone. So I walked about the site one last time and was about to leave when this one literally landed at my feet! But it was time to say farewell.

Apollo

[Colin Knight]

Great posts Lee, I have enjoyed reading them On Monday I visited the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum and was pleased to see a great butterfly photo exhibited (a rarity) - it happened to be the Apollo so it was good to see your pics of this lovely butterfly. This is the photo:
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/ ... 45&group=3

[David M]

You saved the best till last, Lee. That Apollo shot is a cracker.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Colin and David, you're very kind

Colin - that is a lovely image of an Apollo.

Best wishes,

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Tuesday 21st June - Part 2

I drove back toward Allemont and stopped at La Perniere, where I had found the Great Sooty Satyrs. By now it was roasting hot again and I stopped for longer this time to have a better look around. I risked life and limb trying to get up on the steep grassy bank above the road where I could see one flying but it was so steep I didn’t get much higher than before. But once again, I found lots of butterflies and yet more new species. Following on from the pristine but deceased Satyr, I found a pristine Large Wall a similar state, perhaps a road traffic accident. (The Satyr was upon the bank, the Large Wall on the roadside).Up on the bank were: 2 Spotted Fritillary, 2 Weaver’s Fritillary, 10+ Marbled White, a further Large Wall, 3 Great Sooty Satyr, 1 Marbled Skipper, 1 Small Skipper, 4 Black Veined White, 2 Small White, 1 Real’s or Wood White, 2 male Reverdin’s Blue and 1 male Adonis Blue.

Reverdin’s Blue was another first, both for me and the trip.

Reverdin’s Blue, male

Reverdin’s Blue, male

There is just something about Marbled Whites…

Marbled White, male

This Large Wall sat here for ages.

Large Wall, female

Just along the road were another 2 new species. The steep grassy bank gave way to a rocky outcrop and along here was a male Damon Blue, which looked amazing in flight, almost chalkhill blue in colour with bright tan undersides giving the impression of a half blue, half brown butterfly in flight – quite amazing to watch.

Damon Blue, male

Suddenly a huge dark brown and white thing flew past – it had to be a Great Banded Grayling. I saw 3 in total and managed a few shots. I saw one flying a short distance away and it looked HUGE.

Great Banded Grayling

I carried on the short distance through La Perniere to the track leading to Baton Mogen for my final trip of the holiday. As with the other times I had been here there were butterflies everywhere!

Brimstone, male

False Heath Fritillary, male

Large Grizzled Skipper, male

Large Grizzled Skipper, male

Large Grizzled Skipper, male

Silver Washed Fritillary, female

Wood White

Wood White

Heath Fritillary, female

Even walking back to the car this wonderful site threw up yet more surprises. There was some discussion about whether this blue is Reverdin’s or Idas when I posted the ID thread, although I’m going to plump for Idas (and hope ) as it appears a little different to the earlier Reverdin’s from part one of this day’s report.

Idas Blue, male

Idas Blue, male

Yet another new species for me and the trip, a male Lulworth Skipper.

Lulworth Skipper, male

Lulworth Skipper, male

My last view from the track.

Sightings: 2 Southern White Admiral, 2 White Admiral, 10+ Comma, 4 male and 1 female Silver Washed Fritillary, 8 Marbled Fritillary, 4 False Heath Fritillary, 20+ Weaver’s Fritillary, 15+ Heath Fritillary, 2 Meadow Fritillary, 25+ Meadow Brown, 20+ Ringlet, 30+ Marbled White, 1 Speckled Wood, 2 Pearly Heath, 2 Brown Argus, 1 male Idas Blue, 2 Common Blue, 2 Chapman’s Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 7 Purple Hairstreak, 5 Real’s or Wood White, 3 Black Veined White, 1 male and 1 female Brimstone, 5 Large White, 1 Mallow Skipper, 6 Small Skipper, 5 Essex Skipper, 1 Large Grizzled Skipper, 1 Lulworth Skipper and 1 Hummingbird Hawk moth.

Species added today:
Brown Argus
Green Underside Blue
Reverdin’s Blue
Damon Blue
Idas Blue
Great Banded Grayling
Mallow Skipper
Lulworth Skipper

[Lee Hurrell]

Wednesday 22nd June – Rochetaillee to Troyes

We stopped overnight in Troyes on the way back up to Calais but this time we were right in the middle of town and very pretty it is too.

On the way there we simply had to stop at Aire de Mionnay near Lyon again though, just in case.

No sign of Little Him this time though but I did add my final new species for the trip – 2 Small Coppers seemingly fighting to the death – they didn’t stop their aerial battle for the 10 minutes I watched them. Also seen here, along with the Small Coppers: 4 Holly Blue, 4 Large White, 1 Small White and 2 Green Veined White.

Species added today:
Small Copper