Montes Universales Magic
Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:20 am
While David puts the finishing touches to his comprehensive Greenwings Montes Universales tour report, I though I would just share a small number of images from my recent trip to the same area. I went out there a week later than the tour, and was fortunate to be able to meet up with David, who very kindly showed me around a couple of the top sites, and shared many useful tips before he headed back to the UK. This was hugely beneficial, and enabled me to get the most out of my week.
During the planning stages for this foray, I had a target list of about 10 potential life-ticks, but given that I was going to be there a little later in the season, some of my targets would be close to the end of their flight periods.
I would have been happy to come away with between 6 and 8 lifers.
I was joined by good friend and fellow enthusiast Peter Cawdell for part of the week, and we spent several days enthralled by the sheer number of butterflies, many of which were considerable rarities. Some of the species we enjoyed are found not just nowhere else in Spain or Europe, but nowhere else in the world!
I came home with 12, or possibly 13 newbies, way exceeding my expectations.
On my first afternoon my first big life-tick was the Cinquefoil Skipper, and below top is my first sighting of this species - I didn't know where to point my camera! P.cirsii
Two more newbies at the same site were the Spanish Chalkhill Blue and Oberthur's Anomalous Blue: L.albicans P.fabressei
The following morning brought another set of life firsts.
The gorgeous Azure Chalkhill Blue: L.caelestissima
The Oriental Meadow Brown, a species that has eluded me for many years... H.lupina
And similarly the Southern Gatekeeper: P.cecilia
Here is one that wasn't even on my radar. The gorgeously different Iberian Sooty Copper: L.bleusei
This is the big one folks. Zapater's Ringlet. A delightful, gorgeous Erebia unlike any other... E.zapateri
The two species below were also major unexpected bonuses, the Spanish Argus (just look at those forewing underside spots!) and the Southern Mountain Argus: A.morronensis A.montensis
The next two took a few days to track down and photograph, but both were hugely exciting to finally find. Southern Hermit, another heavyweight rarity, and Mother-of-Pearl Blue, which was coming to the end of its flight period: C.prieuri P.nivescens
That was a dozen lifers for me - the best haul of new life ticks I have had from a European trip for many years.
There may have been a thirteenth also, although this might be wishful thinking. I am hoping that the butterfly below is a Southern Marbled Skipper, although I can't be 100% confident that it isn't a Marbled. I have no underside shot, but I am hoping that Guy, Roger, David or anyone else with experience of these two species might be able to confirm or deny it. ?C.baeticus
Regardless, this was a fantastic trip, with incredible numbers and range of species, including many rarities. I look forward to reading David's final report, which will be far more in depth than this brief ramble.
Huge thanks to David, and also to Peter for company in the field.
And finally, if anyone is contemplating going on the Greenwings tour out here next year, my advice would be not to hesitate. You will have an amazing time in a stunning location, with incredible butterflies!
During the planning stages for this foray, I had a target list of about 10 potential life-ticks, but given that I was going to be there a little later in the season, some of my targets would be close to the end of their flight periods.
I would have been happy to come away with between 6 and 8 lifers.
I was joined by good friend and fellow enthusiast Peter Cawdell for part of the week, and we spent several days enthralled by the sheer number of butterflies, many of which were considerable rarities. Some of the species we enjoyed are found not just nowhere else in Spain or Europe, but nowhere else in the world!
I came home with 12, or possibly 13 newbies, way exceeding my expectations.
On my first afternoon my first big life-tick was the Cinquefoil Skipper, and below top is my first sighting of this species - I didn't know where to point my camera! P.cirsii
Two more newbies at the same site were the Spanish Chalkhill Blue and Oberthur's Anomalous Blue: L.albicans P.fabressei
The following morning brought another set of life firsts.
The gorgeous Azure Chalkhill Blue: L.caelestissima
The Oriental Meadow Brown, a species that has eluded me for many years... H.lupina
And similarly the Southern Gatekeeper: P.cecilia
Here is one that wasn't even on my radar. The gorgeously different Iberian Sooty Copper: L.bleusei
This is the big one folks. Zapater's Ringlet. A delightful, gorgeous Erebia unlike any other... E.zapateri
The two species below were also major unexpected bonuses, the Spanish Argus (just look at those forewing underside spots!) and the Southern Mountain Argus: A.morronensis A.montensis
The next two took a few days to track down and photograph, but both were hugely exciting to finally find. Southern Hermit, another heavyweight rarity, and Mother-of-Pearl Blue, which was coming to the end of its flight period: C.prieuri P.nivescens
That was a dozen lifers for me - the best haul of new life ticks I have had from a European trip for many years.
There may have been a thirteenth also, although this might be wishful thinking. I am hoping that the butterfly below is a Southern Marbled Skipper, although I can't be 100% confident that it isn't a Marbled. I have no underside shot, but I am hoping that Guy, Roger, David or anyone else with experience of these two species might be able to confirm or deny it. ?C.baeticus
Regardless, this was a fantastic trip, with incredible numbers and range of species, including many rarities. I look forward to reading David's final report, which will be far more in depth than this brief ramble.
Huge thanks to David, and also to Peter for company in the field.
And finally, if anyone is contemplating going on the Greenwings tour out here next year, my advice would be not to hesitate. You will have an amazing time in a stunning location, with incredible butterflies!