Greenwings: Montes Universales, Spain, 30 July - 5 August 2020

[BarrieS]

Very pleased to see you got away again David and what a great start to the tour - two really good lifers within sight of the airport. The inaugural tour two years ago was superb, but with flights now going to Valencia (no 4 hour trudge from Madrid) and a local Spanish guide, you've improved what was a great tour anyway, enormously for the guests.
Now you've taken an interest in some of the European birds, perhaps I need to send you the Collins Bird Guide for Christmas. I'd be keen to see your bird and dragonfly lists if you have them. Some of the dragonflies in that area are stunning.

The discussions over Mediterranean/Pygmy Skipper ID on various have been really interesting because in Bulgaria last summer we had the same discussions over a Gegenes skipper. Our guide, Zdravko Kolev,, one of Bulgaria's leading lepidopterists, spent some time pondering over the ID before finally pronouncing it as nostrodamus.

Looking forward now to seeing the rest of your report and pictures of some familiar sites and species.

Best wishes
Barrie

[David M]

Zapater's Ringlet

This is undoubtedly the most iconic species in this region during early August, and we saw around a dozen in total, at three different sites.

The first two turned up on 1st August near Tragacete. We were studying the myriads of mainly lycaenids at this damp spot when all of a sudden a dark butterfly with orange patches arrived to join in:

There aren't any other erebia flying here at this time of year in the area, so the moment you see it there can be no doubt about its identity.

After having found 40+ at a site last year when I was on my own, I was a little disappointed that the same site didn't see such concentrations this year. That said, there were half a dozen flying around and everyone in the group enjoyed some good time with this species along with capturing plenty of images.

[David M]

Very pleased to see you got away again David and what a great start to the tour - two really good lifers within sight of the airport. The inaugural tour two years ago was superb, but with flights now going to Valencia (no 4 hour trudge from Madrid) and a local Spanish guide, you've improved what was a great tour anyway, enormously for the guests.
Now you've taken an interest in some of the European birds, perhaps I need to send you the Collins Bird Guide for Christmas. I'd be keen to see your bird and dragonfly lists if you have them. Some of the dragonflies in that area are stunning.

Thanks, Barrie. Can't disagree with any of what you wrote. The trip is now far smoother and user-friendly than it was in 2018.

The birds and dragonflies are now being covered by my Spanish co-guide. One of the highlights was when he stopped his car suddenly in the middle of nowhere. I thought he'd broken down, but he had spotted several Egyptian vultures circling above and we all got out to admire them.

[Padfield]

It's not christi, David, but it's playing in the same league! Your report has definitely got me thinking of heading in the same direction next year. Wonderful butterfly.

Guy

[David M]

I'd recommend this region to anyone, Guy. It's got a lot going for it - plenty of endemics (or near endemics) as well as a few species that are not common further north but are plentiful here, e.g. nivescens, proto, cirsii.

It's also surprisingly cheap, with a large beer costing 3 Euros and a 3 course set meal plus a bottle of wine just 22 Euros!

[David M]

Southern Hermit

This is probably #2 in terms of desirability on this trip. An Iberian endemic, and we only have one reliable site for it, and that's a dried out barranco about 5km from Albarracin.

We saw 3 or 4 the first time we visited, and another 3 on a second visit to try to find it again for the one member of the group that missed out the first time.

Our Danish friend got the best image I've ever seen of this species as it was feeding on eryngium (if he wishes to post it here then I'd be delighted )

My best effort was from distance, to avoid disturbing it for others who hadn't seen it before:

[John Vergo]

Here you are David

[Padfield]

That's a wonderful picture, John - especially with so much of the forewing visible. Definitely on my calendar for next year!

Guy

[David M]

That's a wonderful picture, John - especially with so much of the forewing visible..

Isn't it just! Fabulous to see the forewing raised so that the two large unf ocelli are visible.

Thanks for posting, John. Patience usually sees rewards.

[David M]

Spanish Purple Hairstreak

Of the dozen or so species in this region at this time of year that I would describe as highly desirable, this was the one I thought we'd most struggle to see.

Thanks to our Spanish co-guide, we ventured to a new site near Tragacete and in a single small meadow saw about 30 different butterfly species, including Zapater's Ringlet, Hermit, Esper's Marbled White.....and this little gem, sat peacefully nectaring away on the ubiquitous eryngium:

It was oblivious to our presence and the whole group were able to move in and take images of this beautiful lycaenid. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

[David M]

Spanish Argus

We visited the only site in the region for this species on the second full day. Unlike last year, the storksbill had largely finished flowering, making me worried that the butterfly might have gone too.

Thankfully, there were three or four around. I stood back so others could get images but by the time they'd finished the butterflies seemingly vanished. We persevered for another 20 minutes or so but without any joy.

So, here are a couple I took on last year's trip:

[John Vergo]

And here is one from this year but it was very windy up there so it wasn’t easy to get a prober picture

[David M]

Thanks again, John. Yes, a tiny butterfly on a windswept, rocky ledge at 1,800m presents quite a challenge!

[David M]

Sage Skipper

Pleased to say there was no shortage of this species during the trip. They are highly attractive and have a tendency to pose quite nicely too.

[David M]

Cinquefoil Skipper

It's still difficult getting used to the fact that cirsii comprises over 90% of the pyrgus genus at this time of year here. This would represent quite a find were I to stumble across it in France, but here in Montes they are practically everywhere:

[David M]

Southern Marbled Skipper

This was one species I was determined to pay more attention to this year. We only ever see a handful and it's easy to get distracted by other, more striking species flying nearby.

I wanted to finally get a decent image of one and thought I'd got it when I glanced in my viewfinder at this one. However, further scrutiny found that everything in the image was in focus.......except the butterfly!

I managed to pot the only other baeticus I saw so that the group could take a close look, but photographing butterflies in a plastic vial is no substitute for wild images:

[David M]

Spanish Chalkhill Blue

This species can be found in sizeable numbers in some locations, but it can also be absent in others. There's no shortage of them in the immediate area around Albarracin though, with many hundreds of this imposing lycaenid to be seen.

[David M]

Azure Chalkhill Blue

This species seems to do the opposite to albicans. Whilst Spanish Chalkhill Blue prefers the drier, more sparsely vegetated areas, caelestissima appears to favour the grassier, damper spots. It can turn up in phenomenal numbers in the best areas, and whilst it wasn't seen in the multi-thousands of 2019, it nevertheless easily reached four figures:

You regularly see dozens of them puddling by moist areas:

Whilst the two DO overlap in some places, I've never yet found both species flying together in huge numbers; it's either one or the other.

[David M]

Oberthur's Anomalous Blue

This isn't the prettiest butterfly, but it's the nearest thing to a Montes Universales endemic, meaning that you won't see it anywhere apart from in this general area.

They're pretty easy to find too, and very accommodating as far as photography is concerned:

[David M]

Iberian Sooty Copper

If fabressei is rather plain, then Iberian Sooty Copper, lycaena bleusi is the polar opposite.

Two years ago when we first did this trip, it was still classed as a subspecies of tityrus. We didn't see any that year but by the time we saw a handful in 2019 it had been afforded species status, and quite rightly in my opinion, as it is so different to the nominate form as to be virtually unrecognisable.

At least half a dozen seen this time round....like most Coppers, they never turn up in great numbers, but that only enhances the experience when you finally find one: