Spanish Pyrenees

[Ian Pratt]

I am off to the Spanish Pyrenees (Ordessa National Park ) on Monday for 5 days and wonder what I may see. Any ideas?
Ian

[LancsRover]

Hi Ian, You will see fantastic scenery in the Ordessa valley itself, we stopped at Torla over 10 years ago but I was walking and not looking for butterflies, so not much help to you, although we had a couple of nights in Boltana in April( this year on our way home) and we saw a battered Large Tortoiseshall on our campsite, plus Small Copper and a few Clouded Yellows, I think there will still be plenty flying I'm sure.
Sorry I couldn't help anymore.
Russ

[Chris Jackson]

I'm sure you'll see plenty Ian, even at this time of year. Will we be getting a day by day report, or just at the end?
Cheers, Chris

[Ian Pratt]

I'm sure you'll see plenty Ian, even at this time of year. Will we be getting a day by day report, or just at the end?
Cheers, Chris

Just at the end I am afraid! Ian

[Ian Pratt]

I am now in Torla with free Wi-Fi so can update you.
My wife and I travelled by hire car from Barcelona stopping just off the A2 for a nap near Lleida and I had a quick look for butterflies on the ragwort. Nothing exciting, just what I would expect with one nice surprise on my birthday. Large white, small white, western dappled white, clouded yellow, Berger's clouded yellow, common blue, silver y moth and painted lady. The surprise was a lovely plain tiger- same family as the monarch. Photos to follow! Ian

[Chris Jackson]

Plain Tiger - cool !! Happy birthday Ian.
Chris

[David M]

Plain Tiger - cool !! Happy birthday Ian.
Chris

Ditto on both counts!

I'd love to see Plain Tiger in its natural environment.

[Ian Pratt]

Not much to report today- only wall brown and various large and small whites,plus a fleeting view of a great banded grayling!
The weather forecast was for rain but apart from some short showers it was fine.

[Padfield]

I'm following with interest, never having visited at this time of year. Happy birthday for yesterday - what a great present!

If you go back through Barcelona look out for geranium bronzes. They are now natives of that city!

Guy

[David M]

If you go back through Barcelona look out for geranium bronzes. They are now natives of that city!

...as are South American parrots!! Plenty of them there near the zoo when I stayed there in 2004.

[Ian Pratt]

I had a feeling today would be good when I awoke early to find a cloudless sky. My wife and I decided to walk from the campsite at St Nicholas de Bujaruelo (30 minutes from Torla) to the refuge hut at Otal through the Otal valley.The drive to the start of the walk is along a very bumpy road but it was worth the trip for a number of reasons.
1. Many tens of thousands of autumn crocus in flower
2. Lots of butterflies - more details below
3. Stunning views all round of mountains up to 3000 metres
4. Very few people around
5. Great views of raptors.

We had only been walking for about 20 minutes when I spotted bird of prey high up at quite a distance. I had had a quick look in my binoculars when I saw a large butterfly fly across in front of us. My wife immediately knew it was a Camberwell beauty, and we spent the next 25 minutes having a closer look at this pristine condition butterfly which was feeding on the sap from yew berries.It obligingly posed for photos which I am very pleased with.
The bird of prey happened to be a Lammergeyer!
We continued the walk in a sort of euphoric haze.
The other species seen in order of number seen were:
Large white (with heavy black markings)
Clouded yellow
Wall brown
Long-tailed blue
Small white
Brimstone
Red admiral
Adonis blue
Mountain argus?
On the way back from the refuge hut we were treated to a display of six raptors circling on the thermals of which we think three were Lammergeyers!
We are now back at our apartment enjoying a bottle of wine.

[Ian Pratt]

Today the weather was stunning again!
We decided to go to the spa complex above the ski resort of Panticosa for a short walk in the mountains.
On the way at Biescas we found Geranium bronzes on the lavender in the main square.
Then by the reservoir at Bubal we saw many large whites, wall browns, clouded yellows including a white helice clouded yellow, and one great banded grayling. There was also an unidentified blue which I am working on.
On the walk I saw a red admiral amongst others which I have already mentioned. My wife spotted a new butterfly, a brassy ringlet which I am working on.
Not a bad day all considered.
The white clouded yellow was probably a mountain clouded yellow.
Ian

[Ian Pratt]

I have checked the ringlet from Tristan Lafranchis's excellent book " Butterflies of Europe" and it is either a western or Pyrenees brassy ringlet.
The blue looks like a mountain argus, but I am sure the experts will quickly identify them with the photos. Sorry I cannot upload the photos now. Perhaps when I get to Zaragoza tomorrow where my son Daniel lives I will be able to post some photos!

[Ian Pratt]

Today we went to the Ordesa canyon for a longish walk. I can highly recommend a visit to the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park. The scenery is stunning and the flora and fauna amazing. I can recommend Casa Lordan in Torla for accommodation- see http://www.casalordan.com
As we were mostly walking through deciduous forest the butterflies were few and far between but we did see a wall brown and a European speckled wood, with one small white.
Also we saw three isards- Pyrenean chamois!
The advantage of woodland walks is the bird life and we had good views of nuthatches, a crested tit, a dipper, a willow tit and raven.None of these is easily seen in the UK.
Tomorrow we leave the Pyrenees for Zaragoza so probably fewer butterflies to be seen although the weather forecast is very good.

[Charles Nicol]

Can't wait to see your Camberwell Beauty photos !!

Charles

[Ian Pratt]

Today we left Torla for Zaragoza. The weather is still stunning- between 25 and 32 degrees C!
On the way we stopped for lunch at a picnic site and saw the first Cleopatra, some large whites and the ubiquitous wall browns. Also, there was an unidentified blue plus an amazingly well- camouflaged bush cricket/grasshopper with purple wings when it flew.
The real Spain is so different from the Costas which many UK folk think is all there is of Spain. I recommend a visit soon!

[Ian Pratt]

I have downloaded a few photos using Picasa and theses are attached for comments. They are exactly as they have come off the camera just cropped.

[CFB]

Ian, isn't that a Bath White?

Nice pictures.
--
Colin

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Ian,
Lovely Camberwell Beauty images. Very nice!
BWs, Neil

[Ian Pratt]

Ian, isn't that a Bath White?

Nice pictures.
--
Colin

Thanks Colin you are correct. Thanks for noticing the deliberate mistake!!!