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Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 9:43 pm
by Wurzel
A cracking start Essex but I need more!
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:52 pm
by essexbuzzard
Several other species were seen here, including lots of Balkan Marbled Whites and a Lesser Fiery Copper,
Here is a black headed bunting, and a view of the scenery,
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 10:39 pm
by essexbuzzard
After lunch was taken in a nearby gorge, where Southern Comma, Blue-spot Hairstreak and Bergers Clouded Yellow were seen, we went to a streamside, where mud-puddling butterflies, especially blues, had assembled. Here is a Pontic Blue:
Other blues included Common, Adonis, Eastern Mazarine and Amanda's. A Loew's Blue was new for me:
Odd-spot Blues were also present:
Eastern Brown Argus was new too:
Here is Amanda's and Silver-studded Blues:
Other species included Marsh and Queen of Spain Frits, Steppe Grayling and Turkish Fiery Copper. Ant lions were common throughout, marking the end of great first day in Armenia.
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 10:12 pm
by Wurzel
Brilliant stuff Essex, that's what I was hoping for - Odd-spot Blues certainly live up to their name
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:03 pm
by essexbuzzard
Aren't they peculiar? I've seen them in Greece, but this is the first time I've managed a picture!
The next day, we headed to the Acharkut beech forest. The road in was too rutted for our minibus, so we transferred to jeeps to get deep into the forest. Again, UKB's own Guy was not far from my thoughts. I know he loves his Cardinals and they were abundant today-every thistle patch had several feeding on it. The sheer size of this fritillary can be seen, when it shares a thistle with a Brimstone;
On the track, we saw Southern White Admiral, Nettletree Butterfly and Silver-washed Fritillary, while this Caucasian Fritillary was new for me;
Several kinds of Grayling were seen. Great Banded were easy to identify, but I'm not sure about the other picture, though Cypress Eastern Grayling and Syrian Rock Grayling were present;
A Large Tort seemed to take an interest in our lunch, but landed only briefly. A Swallowtail didn't land at all! Wood whites were seen along the track, again without stopping. But Sooty Coppers and an Eastern Short-tailed Blue were more obliging;
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:21 pm
by essexbuzzard
This False Small White is new to me, but I've seen Chapmans Blues before, at least that's what I think it is! Another really good day, especially as I saw my first ever black stork!
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:22 pm
by bugboy
You definitely saw an impressive array of species, looking forward to further posts
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:02 am
by Pauline
Some stunning butterflies posted recently Mark. I have seen Cardinals on Guys diary but never appreciated just how big they are. That's a great shot of one with the Brimstone which gives context to it
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:50 pm
by Wurzel
Fantastic stuff Essex - those Cardinals are huge
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
A cracking array of butterflies
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
and Black Stork - they're brill birds
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:25 pm
by essexbuzzard
Just returned from our holiday in the beautiful isle of Purbeck. So getting a bit behind on my diary- I am having a competition with Wurzel this year, who takes longest to get up to date!
Back in Armenia,and next day, a pre-breakfast Waldo produced Dark-veined White and a lovely Scotch Argus.
Later, we were off to the Jajur Pass. A hovering buzzard turned out lo be my first ever long-legged buzzard. On the road verge, an Orange Tip was flying. In the open woodland , Cardinals were again common. Other Frits included Caucasian, Nickerl's, Silver-washed, Dark Green, Queen of Spain, Marsh and Glanville. A Mountain Alcon Blue colony was present,and we found a mating pair. A nice Yellow-Banded Skipper was photographed, with Orb Red-underwing Skipper nearby. Heaths included Chestnut and my first ever Caucasian.
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:53 pm
by essexbuzzard
But even these were eclipsed when we went around the corner. For a leaky fountain had produced a marvellous show of mud puddling Gavarnie Blues-we estimated we saw 200 on the day! Other blues amongst them included a few Pontic Blues. We had lunch here, where we could relax and enjoy the scene.
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:05 pm
by David M
Gavarnie Blue!!! What a sighting, Mark. I'm truly envious. Armenia is full of surprises!
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:09 pm
by Wurzel
I was still reeling from the Yellow-banded Skipper and then you go and drop those Blues on us
Have a goodun
Wurzel
ps - I've so far behind that you'll have to go a long way to out-slow me
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 9:12 pm
by essexbuzzard
Aren't Gavarnie Blues strange things, David? I've seen them in France, and here, a thousand miles away, is another colony!
Thanks Wurzel, though I'm a month behind!
After lunch,we headed up into the hills. Lesser spotted and golden eagle were seen, and lots of Glanville Fritillary and Purple-shot Copper males were on territory along the track. Large and Dingy Skippers were easy to identify, Green Hairstreaks were not, for several kinds occur here. We sent images to a local expert, these were considered to be Sovinsky's Greens.
A Swallowtail flew past, and lots more Gavarnie Blues were found, and a few Eastern Mazarine Blues. Tho only Painted Lady of the trip was also here.
Later, at Gyumri, where we stayed that night, we searched a small waste patch, much to the amusement of the locals, we found several White-letter Hairstreaks.
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 6:21 pm
by Padfield
Hi Buzzard. You don't work for the Armenian Tourist Office do you? I suspect they're going to get a lot of visitors next year, after people have read these amazing posts!
If you've seen Gavarnie blue in France, then I'm happy to give you an armchair tick, as the population in Armenia is
A. dardanus, not
pyrenaica. I think this is accepted now as a distinct species - and if I understand Kudrna right (reading between the lines a bit)
pyrenaica and
glandon are more closely related to each other than to
dardanus (he says
pyrenaicus is a member of the
glandon group but that
dardanus is only possibly a member of this group).
Re the green hairstreaks, I think Sovinsky's green hairstreak is
Callophrys chalybeitincta. Now it's almost impossible to identify
Callophrys from the underside alone - the colour of the upperside and the shape and size of the sex brand are important. But one thing you can see from the underside is the anal lobe on the hindwing. In
chalybeitincta this is quite well developed. In the other two Armenian species (
danchenkoi and
armeniaca) it is much less so. Yours seem to have very little in the way of anal lobe, visible in these pictures, at least. My source is Tuzov -
Butterflies of Russia and Adjacent Territories. I'd be interested to know how the diagnosis of
chalybeitincta was reached - perhaps by ecological or distributional clues.
Love it!
Guy
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:04 pm
by David M
Wow! More surprises, Mark!
Armenia has definitely been elevated in my list of places to visit.
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:42 pm
by essexbuzzard
Hi Guy, I know next to nothing about the butterflies in this region. At least not those that are not found in central or Western Europe, so thanks for your input, especially the Gavarnie Blues-or not!
The Green Hairstreaks, which again I'm not familiar with, were identified by sending site details, habitat and image shot to an Armenian butterfly specialist, of which there are not many! So mistakes could certainly have been made.
Cheers!
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 10:22 pm
by essexbuzzard
Next day, we went to mount Aragat, making several stops. Marsh Fritillaries were surprisingly common in this dry stony habitat. Other Fritillaries included Glanville, Knapweed, Caucasian, Cardinal and Dark Green. Here's a Knapweed;
And a Marsh;
This frit I'm not sure about;
Several blues were seen, including good numbers of Blue Argus;
A nearby field was full of cranesbill flowers, and it was no surprise that Geranium Argus were there too;
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 8:48 pm
by Wurzel
I think Guy's rumbled you Essex
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
- if you don't work for the Armenian Tourist board already then I'd get in touch quick and tap them up for some commission
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
- if it wasn't for work or family commitments I'd be there like a shot
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: essex buzzard
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 9:12 pm
by essexbuzzard
Mud puddling is one of the great pleasures of butterflying in Europe and beyond. Our next stop was for a known site. Here we had the dazzling sight of hundreds of butterflies on the edge of a rocky stream. Some groups were dominated by Black Veined Whites:
Other groups were mainly Blues:
Several grizzled Skippers were here,too. I think these are Olive Grizzed Skippers:
A Hungarian Glider stoped by:
Here is Eastern Mazarine Blue, I think:
Here's a scenery shot
Hi Wurzel, yes there is no end to Guy's talents! Perhaps the tourist board can give me another holiday!
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)