Pyrenees and Picos - 18th August - 2nd September, 2008-09-17 - Butterfly Special
PHOTOS PENDING
Intro: Following three jaunts to mediterranean western Europe, here was a family holiday with a new focus - butterflies. Actually, a very old focus as pre-2000 this was far and away my dominant hobby, but late summer or April birding doesn’t make for great counts of these superb creatures, but with a delayed summer due to poor weather, we hoped to be in luck. As it was, we were - locating a very respectable eight-five species over the two weeks and getting a high percentage on camera. Both the Pyrenees and Picos are superb for butterflies, and had we had more time again and been fully in season - in early to mid-July, for example - doubtless we would have been more overwhelmed with new species. Our birding objectives were limited; gaining further views of the magnificent Lammergeier, Wallcreeper, and a further views other montane specialities.
Logistics: Gavarnie is a classic site in which to stay if birding the French pyrenees; all montane specialities with the exception of the localised white-backed woodpecker can be connected with from here, although no site for wallcreeper is currently established; birds frequent the cliffs below the Ossau glacier but this involves significant walking; the Cirque is no longer deemed reliable or worth the countless hours needed for a distant view (see Limosa Holidays trip report, September 2007). In the Picos de Europa, the north and south offer substantially different butterfly experiences; we stayed near Potes at Casa Gustavo (www.picos-accommodation.co.uk) which enabled us to reach the superb meadows of Espinama, Puerto de San Glorio, Fuente De and other hotspots in under an hour’s drive, with the Cares Gorge two and a quarter hours distant.
Butterflies: I take great pride in the care of my buttefly ID - i.e., the hours spent pouring over photos after the event, as well as crashing through meadows after new species at the time - but I am no expert and look forward to corrections, especially in regard to the Mellicta fritillaries. Below are a brief resume of good butterfly sites we encountered and that are confirmed by existing literature; they are by no means exhaustive. An excellent taster for Picos butterfly-watching, some of the best in Europe, can be found courtesy of resident expert Teresa Farino at http://www.wild-spain.com/article.php?sid=13 and from Picos de Europe butterfly trip reports on the Travelling Naturalist website etc:
- Cirque de Gavarnie; Ossau Valley; Heas Valley & Barrage de Gloriettes;
- Espinama haymeadows; Puerto de San Glorio; Fuente De; Potes meadows; Tudes;
18th Aug: - Santander - Gavarnie:
A travelling day; noting post-breeding flocks of Cattle Egret outside Santander; Spotless Starling; Booted Eagle etc.
19th Aug: Port de Bouchero, French Pyrenees:
Awaking to arguably the most stunning Alpine view in Europe was postponed when we found we could barely see ten feet due to August fog, so we ascended out of it, driving towards the Port de Bouchero. At the Gavarnie-Gedre ski station a third of the way up, we stopped. Alpine Chough, Water Pipit and Griffon Vulture were immediately apparent, as was the first Short-toed Eagle. Swallowtail, Clouded Yellow, Marbled White, Silver-spotted Skipper and a colony of Spanish Brassy Ringlet were noted; our first butterflies. An Alpine Marmot, the first of many, gave fantastic views popping up and increasing the holiday’s cuddle-factor considerably. Moving up towards the Port de Bouchero, fantastic cloud formations were sweeping across the vast, bare scenery and during one moment of fog, we suddenly discovered a juvenille Alpine Accentor feeding, literally, by our feet, giving outrageous views. In increasing fog, we enjoyed the stunning kaleiscpoic views before heading back towards the car. Sadly, the rest of the day passed in mist so we were forced to retreat for an early meal.
20th Aug: Port de Bouchero; Ossau Valley, French Pyrenees:
Having failed to walk sufficiently at Bouchero yesterday we headed up again, and in stunning weather walked from the car park. Here a flock of thirty Snowfinch obliged, feeding unobtrusively on the scree but stunning in flight, and we also noted Alpine Accentor. Butterflies were few and far between; several Spanish Brassy Ringlet were noted, and later, a single Mountain Clouded Yellow moving past at speed. As we reached the Port itself, a flock of thirteen huge birds appeared from out of the cloud and I realised to my complete amazement that they were migrating Black Storks. Usually passing to high for the eye to see, here they were undertaking migration, presumably from eastern Europe, towards Gibraltar, and having thie glossy lifer, my last UK heron species, come sailing overhead in numbers out of nowhere was breath-taking in part because it was completely unexpected. After a fruitless search for Wallcreeper at the small cascade where the Limosa Group saw a bird in September 2007, we headed slowly back, but not before a Lammergeier - conspicious by its absence - suddenly appeared and gave a good fly-by along a ridge, vast even at a mile’s distance. Soon after, in conversation with a French geologist, we were explaining our sighting when he asked whether the bird ahead was the same: it was, in fact, a stunning Golden Eagle. Mid-afternoon and we now headed down to the entrance to the superb Ossau Valley, immediately outside Gavarnie. Here a profusion of buterflies was dominated by Chalk-hill Blue; Rock Grayling; Bath White; Marbled White and Clouded Yellow, but we soon located Black-veined White; Common Blue; Spotted Fritillary; Wall Brown; Large Wall Brown; Northern Wall Brown and best of all, the fabled Apollo - a single, faded individual. The sheer numbers, however, were staggering and far more exciting than this modest first tally. As we watched, a superb adult Lammergeier made several passes along the cliff, like a huge glider or monstrous falcon - always an overwhelming bird. As the day cooled, so the butterflies miraculously disappeared, so we ate and returned home.
21st Aug: Cirque de Gavarnie; Ossau Valley, French Pyrenees:
A perfect day. Seeing that we could see the Cirque today, we wandered out from out accomodation and along a quiet path that flanked the valley side, away from the main, fenced-in nightmare of a route down the valley centre. Butterflies immediately responded to the blazing heat, with glowing Scarce Copper and followed eventually by a hoard that, over the next three hours, included Small White; Green-veined White; Sooty Copper; Long-tailed Blue; Silver-studded Blue; Brown Argus; Chalk-hill Blue; Turqouise Blue; Common Blue; Red Admiral; Comma; Silver-washed Fritillary; Niobe Fritillary; Queen of Spain; Marbled Fritillary; Spotted Fritillary; Marbled White; Rock Grayling; Gavarnie Ringlet - a single, faded specimen; Pearly Heath; Large Wall Brown; Red-underwing Skipper; Lulworth Skipper & Silver-spotted skipper. Again, the large numbers of many species was beautiful to see, dancing in the light. After this, we decided to compound matters by revisiting the base of the Ossau Valley where, in addition to the named species, we found clouds more butterflies including, further to those mentioned, Chapman’s Blue; Green-underside Blue and Essex Skipper in addition to Apollo and Black-veined & Bath Whites and the ubiquitous common species. A juvenille Montagu’s Harrier also passed through. Further up the valley we stopped to eat in the van, whereupon a Short-toed Eagle flew in and landed on a pine barely ten meters away, and in the glorious evening light, proceded to call and preen for the next half hour. Needless to say, an excellent day, and the quality of the air, light and scenery always sets these sightings off.
22nd Aug: Heas Valley; Gloriettes Valley, French Pyrenees:
A disappointing last day due to bad weather. A good start in the Heas after an epic thunderstorm collected many Scarce Coppers and other common species, with Griffon Vulture and further Short-toed Eagles observed before we made for the Barrage de Gloriettes, site of one of our best observations of all time in 2005; a lammergeier tidying up its plucking ledge. Sadly, the mist soon rolled in and some silhoetted Rock Thrushes in autumn moult were the best we got. Down below things didn’t look up and sadly the day was over before we knew it. With belated news of a Lammergeier nest received from a French couple, we planned to visit it early next morning.
23rd Aug: Heas Valley & journey to Potes, Picos de Europa:
An early start and lifting mist made for stunning views as we drove to just below the Cirque de Tromouse to see if we could pull off a superb sight - perched Lammergeier, with that ancient, bony face. Sadly, a few hours later things were looking grim, with several Griffons on the wing, a few Short-toed Eagles, an admittedly superb first-autumn Rock Thrush, Water Pipits and Marmots but no bird. Sadly we had to give up on seeing the perched wonder, but further down the valley as we left for Potes, a superb adult Lammergeier flew close overhead, moving as if in slow motion over the valley-tops, whilst a juvenille flew right past us. A good end to another great stay in this superlative corner of Europe. The rest of the day we travelled towards Potes.
24th Aug: Puerto de San Glorio, Picos de Europa:
New, drier scenery and weirder rocky contortions made for an exciting first drive through these mountains, which - apart from Potes - seem completely lost in time, wit traditional animal husbandry and farming making you feel you’re in a time apart. As the cloud lifted near San Glorio, we were initially disturbed by the lack of butterflies, with the meadows now faded or cut. However, on beginning our walk away from the summit, up the Arroyo de la Naranca, out of Llanaves de la Reina, hopes were relieves when a superb Apollo glided past. Soon we encountered Iberian Marbled White, Queen of Spain, Sooty Copper, Scarce Copper, Turquoise Blue, Rock Grayling and Large Wall Brown . Birds were few and far between in this cow-dotted patureland and mountains, but a superb Egyptian Vulture completed our vulture and eagle tally for western Europe this year and was mobbed by a Peregrine. Soon after, a juvenille Montagu’s Harrier appeared, possibly on migration, though on the drive back, a male also flew over the road between Llanaves and the Puerto. We also noted Rock Buntings here, though elusive. Then a vast, fast-flying butterfly flashed past and we realised it was Chapman’s Ringlet. Later, we photographed a female of this superb species, the largest of its genera, characterised by its extremely large size and also the well-defined pupils on the upper forewing. Back at the car, an increasing number of butterflies included an elusive Large Tortoiseshell, Dark Green Fritillary; Rock Grayling, Long-tailed Blue and Pearly Heath.
25th August: Espinama & Aliezo, Picos de Europa:
A wet start at Espinama in wet conditions saw few butterflies or indeed birds on the wing, so we returned to Casa Gustavo after lunch in the village. After a rest I decided to check out the local fields, bouyed up by non-butterflying guests telling me about “clouds”. Sure enough, the moment I entered the dry fields, the few remaining clumps of purple flowers were a honeypot of nectaring butterflies, and in a busy hour I noted many Cleopatra; Clouded Tellow; Purple Hairstreak; Long-tailed Blue; Short-tailed Blue; a confirmed Escher’s Blue; Chalk-hill Blue; Common Blue; two non-settling Large Tortoiseshells; Knapweed Fritillary; Heath Fritillary; Provencal Fritillary; probable Meadow Fritillary and Mallow Skipper amongst others. With few flowers remaining, the density of butterflies was immense. We then drove to Espinama for the evening meal, stopping briefly at the Fuente De summit to size up the cable-car for tomorrow.
26th August: Fuente De, Picos de Europa:
The big day as far as one bird was concerned, we took a busy cable car up to the top and after enjoying Alpine Choughs and Griffon Vultures below us, ventured off. It was soon clear that the flight period for Gavarnie Blue was over, but several Common Brassy Ringlet were on the wing, and soon several extremely flighty Piedmont Ringlet appeared as did fly-by Mountain Clouded Yellow and Shepherd’s Fritillary . A juvenille Alpine Accentor came within touching distance (we didn’t) as we headed out to the Trepariscos site. Wallcreeper is, as for many European birders, a myth; our first came unexpectedly this January, courtesy of Martin Kelsey, in Extremedura: two seconds of pure, red butterfly flying away. Dad and I had searched the relevant area for an hour, enjoying accentors and Red-billed Chough when, after a little taping, a juvenille Wallcreeper flew in and flicked its way up the rocks, before settling to preen in the scope, Five, ten, fifteen minutes - we wanted more! Seconds later, an adult flew in, giving a superb crimson-wing display as it foraged along a crevice. Then, an even brighter male flew in to and, not to be outdone, began to sing from inside the same crevice. The two adults soon disappeared, but an hour later, the juvenille remained where it was; a bizarre hummingbird-like thing, preening its red wings. To compound this, an all black Lefebrve’s Ringlet darted past! Stunned, we returned to the cable car where a superb, settled Apollo and Large Grizzled Skipper obliged. But the myth at last; we felt easy on the bird-front now this one-off wonder had been seen.
27th August: Garganta del Cares, Picos de Europa:
This is a superb riverside gorge but the drive there, after Llanas de la Reina, was truly awesome, taking us back in time through tiny villages and glowing fields, gorges and mountains. A brief pit-stop besides a tiny verge just before Puerto de San Glorio stressed the profusion of butterflies all round here; in minutes, Lang’s Short-tailed Blue; Silver-studded Blue; Long-tailed Blue; Scarce Copper; Sooty Copper; Rock Grayling and Lulworth Skipper were noted. Just beyond Llanaves de la Reina, a roadside thistle was smothered with Dark Green Fritillary; Iberian Marbled White; Silver-spotted and Lulworth Skippers. An hour later we arrived at the Garganta de Cares, a superb gorge where Berger’s Clouded Yellow and Marbled Skipper flew as well as Cleopatra, Queen of Spain and Large Wall Brown and water dripped from the caves lining the great valley. Sadly we didn’t have time to do justice to this place or its fauna so headed back.
28th August: Espinama & Tudes, Picos de Europa:
Today we sampled a taster of what this butterfly-mecca must be like in season, when we discovered an uncut meadow just above the village, off the path towards Puerto de Aliva. Walking was soon halted when a swirling mass of Adonis and Chalk-hill Blues caught our attention, and rooted to the same spot in this woodland meadow, we noted Wood White; Sooty and Scarce Copper; Adonis, Common, Long-tailed and best of all, Idas Blue; Silver-washed, Queen of Spain and Violet Fritillary; Rock Grayling; Gatekeeper and Lulworth Skipper. The sheer numbers of blues, however, can’t be done justice by names on a page, and even if only five or so species were recorded, the sight was made better by the fact this was what England must once have been like; it was a step back. In the late afternoon, we visited Tudes in order to begin our walk towards the cork oak forest of Tolibes. Progress was slow, with the dried meadows still producing Heath, Spotted, Violet and Glanville Fritillaries, various blues and good numbers of Mallow Skipper. As we entered the first oaks just fifteen minutes before the village, several superb Tree Graylings appeared; very dark and reminiscent of the mythical camberwell beauty in flight - alas not; when perched, their resemblance to a crumpled leaf is unreal. Our first Great Banded Grayling soared around and a False Ilex Hairstreak eventually showed for a short while in the evening light, as we narrowly avoided being trampled by a herd of cows being shepherded back home for the night. Lesser-spotted Woodpecker called from the orchards, but remained unseen. Another good day, as new species continued to appear.
29th August: Tudes, Picos de Europa:
We felt things to be winding down now, with a lot of repeat butterflies signalling that perhaps we were reaching the threshold of what we were going to see. Walking from Tudes past the deserted village, a superb Honey Buzzard flew right overhead, every marking discernable. In the cork oaks, several Purple Hairstreaks were seen well and a False Ilex Hairstreak obliged for the camera, but clearly hairstreak season was coming to a close, and no further species - spanish, sloe or blue-spot, made an appearance. In the meadow beyond the deserted village, Berger’s Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra, Short-tailed Blue and best of all, Rosy Grizzled Skipper were observed. It is hard to say how many more species we could have observed in the Picos, had we continued our stay, but by late August even this late season was at an end and many species, most sadly the large Nymphalidae such as camberwell, were no longer on the wing.
30th August: Aniezo, Espinama, Picos de Europa:
Our penultimate day and in new accomodation at Aniezo we did an extremely quiet woodland walk before moving, late-afternoon, to the good meadow above Espinama. Here, in a burst of sun, butterflies were still flying late in the day. A superb Cardinal, evidently fresh, was the highlight visually, but a superb Oberthur’s Grizzled Skipper complimented Grizzled Skipper and Weaver’s Fritillary and Idas Blue were noted amid the hoards of settling Adonis and Chalk-hill Blues. A good end to our time in this neck of the woods.
31st August: Piedreslengas and Embalse de la Requejada, Leon:
We took ourselves out of the Picos today, stopping at a misty Piedresluengas before dropping down to this Embalse in the suddenly flat land beyond. In a minute’s stop in one of the villages beyond the pass, an Egyptian Vulture, Honey Buzzard and Booted Eagle paid testament to a migration build-up, whilst on arrival at the Embalse, we were surprised to find more butterflies on the wing. In addition to Berger’s Clouded Yellow, Scarce and Sooty Copper; False Ilex Hairstreak; Idas Blue; Cardinal and Queen of Spain we noted the unobstrusive Southern Gatekeeper and, adding to our significant hesperidae total, Carline Skipper. We felt we could have gone on and on this way, visitng just slightly different habitats and adding two or three new species for days on end, and this was one of the joys of butterflying in this region. All in all, we recorded many new species, sharpened our skills, and enjoyed the actual sight of thousands of these little fellows, a welcome site after years of looking anywhere but at our feet!
1st September: Bay of Biscay:
We left the Picos and headed to Santander where we left port at 4pm, sadly leaving only four hours or so of seawatching. Amazingly, things picked up quickly and this time, we had two qualiyt whale-watchers to set our minds at rest on the mammal front. Vast Fin Whales soon began to appear and constituted most if not all of the whales we saw; the one half hour when we chose to grab food inevitably saw the whalers clock of several other species. On resurfacing, we did get brief views of Pilot Whale, in addition to the superb site of two hundred Striped Dolphins in one, leaping flock. The water was utterly calm, brilliant for seabirds, but pickings were thin. Many Cory’s Sheawater gave crippling views and a fine adult Pomarine Skua went past. A Sooty Shearwater flew away from the boat. Hours later, one Great Shearwater, one Sooty, one Manxie, several Black Tern, one Arctic Skua and a Bonxie were all that we could take out of the journey. Then, with about ten minutes of light left to go, I picked up what looked like a huge auk, fluttering its way through the twilight; in hindsight, it was the whiteness of the head and obviousness the head and the bizarre, fluttery, banking flight that made me realise I was onto Little Shearwater, coupled with the shortness of the wings. Sometimes field-guides just can’t illustrate the differences of what can be a tricky species, but there was no mistaking this weird little bird; it fluttered around in my scope for several minutes, though sadly no one else got onto it. To end the holiday on this elusive European lifer was a real kick; like Wallcreeper, its always great finding that these creatures really do exist!