France/Spain Early 2016.

[LancsRover]

Saturday 5.3.2016. Part 2.

First photo's of Green Hairstreak this year, 3 or 4 now flying about the field .
Russ

[LancsRover]

Saturday 5.3.2016. Part 3(due to internet probs.)

First photo's of Swallowtail this year, notice this guy/gal has only one antennae.

It started at the top of the trees, then it came lower and eventually landed on the ground, beautiful in flight.

Russ

[Chris Jackson]

I missed your latest update, Russ, due to imposing family with "Grandmothers' Day" in France this weekend.
You are excelling yourself with sightings this year.
A nice selection of Green Hairstreak and Swallowtail photos.
About ready to run guided tours in Spain me-thinks.
We are having a few days of nasty weather here in Marseilles, blowing down directly from the UK.
Wednesday 0°C to 7°C - probably the worst day this winter so far.
Probably much better in Spain.

Chris

[LancsRover]

Cheers Chris for your kind comments, it's still up and down here but with the prevailing wind coming off the land(rather than the sea), the high trees and shrubs form a natural wind break and some spots on the scrub area, south of our camp site can get nice and warm, with 9 varieties flying yesterday(Tuesday,8.3.16.) even with a cold wind blowing.
Russ

[LancsRover]

Tuesday 8.3.2016. 11.45am Sunny but cool breeze (part 1)

Trip to the scrub south of the our camp site.
Large Whites seen and photo's taken(1st time this year)
also Long-tailed Blues seen in this area for the 1st time.

Russ

[LancsRover]

Photo's from last report;

Russ

[LancsRover]

Other b/f's seen on Tuesday 8.3.16.
Swallowtail,
Speckled Wood 8+,
Geranium Bronze,
Small White,
Small Copper(Checking out anything that moved on his patch),
Green H/S,
Wall Brown,
Making 9 varieties(L.White & LTB) seen in such a small area.
Russ

[LancsRover]

Apologises for dis-jointed report but I'm being constantly "timed out" on a longer report , maybe I need to type quicker
Russ

[LancsRover]

Thursday 10.3.16. 2pm sunny, cool wind, 15c.
Scrub south of the camp site.

Great excitement a "new" butterfly in SPAIN(winter/spring) for me.
It's a COMMON BLUE, I know,... but it's the first one I've seen at this time of year, since I've been coming to Spain

Russ (pics below)

[LancsRover]

Common Blue Photo's.

[Chris Jackson]

I have neither Common Blue nor Small Copper, Russ, so down in Spain you are way ahead of the South of France.
Lucky you.
Chris

[LancsRover]

Continued from Thursday 10.3.16.

Whilst crossing the cleared field, I came across a light brown b/f. flying low to the ground(photo's below, I think it's a faded "Lady", what do you think?
It didn't open it's wing at all.
Russ

[LancsRover]

Photo's of faded "Lady"????

[LancsRover]

Friday 11.3.16. 12 noon, 16c sunny and warm, little wind.
A visit to the Ribamar area of the Sierra de Irta, nature reserve, north of Alcossebre, we were greeted by 4 or 5 Cleopatra's gliding about, both male and female, beautiful!
The only other b/f's seen were Walls, Small White and a Mallow Skipper.

Russ

Photo's on the following page.

[LancsRover]

Cleopatra-Male Photo's

[LancsRover]

Cleopatra-Female photo's

[LancsRover]

Saturday 12.3.16. Sunny 16c.
Next to our camp site, on the north side, there is a dry river bed and when it rains hard for a couple of days, the river which goes across the coastal road, cutting the camp site off from Alcossebre.
I decided to checkout this river bed out but on this visit I only had on shorts and trainers , so when the bamboo/reeds got to thick I had to turn around after only 100 metres or so, but on my way back I spotted something in the dense undergrowth.
It was a Plain Tiger(1st seen for 18mths) I managed one shot from distance before it disappeared It's a rubbish photo but a record for now.
Russ

[LancsRover]

Rubbish shot of Plain Tiger(African monarch)

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Russ,
Seems like the butterflies are almost queuing up to welcome you !
I agree with the Painted Lady sighting - can't be anything else.
Nice encounter with the Cleopatra. I have seen some in the South of France recently, but no photos yet this year.
As for the Plain Tiger (if that is what it is), I do not foresee meeting one of those myself in the near future.
River beds do seem a good focal point though. I focus on them more and more
Cheers, Chris

[NickMorgan]

Well done with the Plain Tiger. I have never seen one in Spain. Maybe this summer?
I still haven't seen my first butterfly of 2016 yet. The forecast looks good for tomorrow, so here's hoping!