Butterflies of Hungary Naturetrek Tour Report 16 - 23 June 2009 Great Banded Grayling Purple-edged Copper Sloe Hairstreak Scarce Copper Report compiled by Vic Tucker Images by kind courtesy of Denise Whittle Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 England 0NG T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Butterflies of Hungary Tour Leaders: Vic Tucker (Naturetrek Tour Leader & Naturalist) Gerard Gorman (Local Guide, Naturalist & Tour Manager) Participants: John Wyatt Christine Dennis Mike Carlill Peter Bruce-Jones Mark Bunch Denise Whittle Brian Smith Margaret Hairby Keith White Richard Dyer Diana Dyer Jacqueline Dunn Mary Peacock Bob Lugg Day 1 Tuesday 16th June The group was met at Budapest’s Ferihgy Airport by Gerard Gorman, our very experienced local guide who has guided many of Naturetrek's bird, butterfly and natural history tours in C & E Europe. The plane arrived early and as everyone was present, we soon had everyone aboard the minibus. Once we were assembled, our driver, Attila soon had our luggage stowed on the vehicle. In addition to driving was also responsible for handing out copious cold drinks and setting up the picnic lunches each day. Nothing was too much trouble for him. Our only other stop was for refreshments etc. overlooking the Matra Hills. Providing some interest here were several very confiding Crested Larks, Common Buzzards, Red-backed Shrikes and an impressive Eastern Imperial Eagle. We continued our journey to the the northeastern corner of Hungary. Our early arrival at our hotel in Aggtelek allowed time to freshen up and relax following our early morning flight and onward travel, prior to our most welcome evening meal. Hungary boasts some 170 species of butterfly as its national total. At the time of year and region we are visiting, over 100 species could conceivably be recorded, though a more realistic figure to aim at considering our length of stay (amongst other considerations) would hopefully be into higher double figures. Now it was all down to the all important good weather and good group participation, together with a dash of good luck. Following a cold and snowy winter, spring in Hungary was warm, beginning in early April. Though intermittently broken by cooler, showery conditions, overall it was warm – often hot. Therefore, late spring into early summer was a good time for butterflies, luckily for us. © Naturetrek kiera 1 Butterflies of Hungary Tour Report Day 2 Wednesday 17th June Weather: Hot and sunny – ideal! We spent the morning within 1km of our hotel, partly to compensate for yesterday’s travelling, close to the hotel (only some 500m from the Slovak border) in a flower-filled meadow and also, in the afternoon in a narrow tree- lined valley. This venue proved very popular and productive particularly for hairstreaks such as Green, Sloe, Black and Ilex. Rare and local are Woodland Brown – we saw several – as well as Woodland Grayling. Immediately outside of our well-placed hotel, which lies within Aggtelek National Park, are excellent butterfly habitats: flowery meadows and a tree-fringed dry limestone (karst) bank, full of wild flowers and butterflies of such habitats like Wood White and Berger’s Clouded Yellows, also skippers, including challenging Grizzled, Oberthurs’s and Safflower were identified. Our first picnic lunch was taken at another nearby site, a sunny grassy and wooded glade also very productive, again another host of butterfly families intermingling and jostling for our attention. Easy to identify ones were graceful Black-veined Whites and swallowtails. Of fritillaries, there were: High Brown, Dark Green, Silver- washed, Marbled and Lesser Marbled, whilst blues were represented by diminutive Short-tailed, Eastern Short- tailed and Small (or Little) Blues. Among plentiful Common Blues was our only Turquoise Blue of the trip. Both Scarce and Large Coppers provided splashes of vivid orange among a sea of colours. Our first full day in the field had amassed an amazing tally of 61 species, not a bad haul by any standards, which had included several of our most wanted target species. Day 3 Thursday 18th June Weather: As yesterday. The early birders exploring their new local patch were rewarded with excellent sighting of Turtle Doves, displaying Golden Orioles, Hoopoe, Great and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers and Barred Warbler. Beside the large marshy pool sang a Great Reed Warbler in full view! An amazing 300 Hawfinches were estimated, dropping in to drink there. Also seen were plentiful Red-backed Shrikes, Black Redstarts and Tree Sparrows. Our first destination was an essential morning visit a picturesque stream valley near Josfavo, in general a brilliant butterfly area set amid a wide range of habitats: woodland, sunny glades and open meadows. In particular, we wished to witness a scintillating experience: the spectacle of myriad assembled ‘puddling’ butterflies – we were to be far from disappointed. Among clouds of butterflies imbibing vital salts and other nutrients from the banks of a muddy stream and horse dung littering the turf, were various families separated into their associated groupings. Fritillary clumps contained hundreds of Dark Greens, also High Browns including several of the form cleodoxa with only a bland brown under hindwing, also small numbers of Silver-washed. Drifts of blues contained mainly Common and Silver-studded and a few Mazarine and Adonis. Groups of whites were mainly Small. Lesser numbers of other kinds were also involved. This obviously important and commonly occurring phenomenon, found over much of Europe, is basically unknown in the UK – so too in Scandinavia and Finland for example – an intriguing scientific conundrum. 2 © Naturetrek kiera Butterflies of Hungary Tour Report However wonderful and difficult to adequately describe in prose, this truly special gathering proved to be, it was by no means our only star attraction as other species here only included both Hungarian and Common Glider, similar White Admiral, several Lesser Purple Emperors, three Poplar Admirals and several Large Tortoiseshells! A low-flying male Goshawk carrying a large kill further added exciting variety. We ended our breathtaking day at a high grassy hillside where in particular Alcon Blue of a distinct form (formerly known as Mountain Alcon Blue) were seen in number. This evening, Gerard had to take his leave of our tour due to breaking a tooth, but before he did so he arranged for a very capable colleague to substitute him. Day 4 Friday 19th June Weather: Clear skies, hot 33C Changeover day. Time only for the early birders to once again search around this fascinating spot, seeing many of the same desirable birds, though added to by Denise who watched two Quail in short grass…..from her bedroom window! Our route toward our next hotel set in another vast national park – the Bukk Hills detoured to take in further butterflying opportunities in the Izra Valley. Today, one of our destinations was, in general, the low Upponyi Hills, a little-visited Landscape Protection Area. We followed a minor single-track road throughout its length, halting whenever likely spots appeared. Here, among many previously-seen species such as impressive Lesser Purple Emperors, was our sole Purple Emperor, but fleetingly glimpsed, gorgeous Queen of Spain Fritillaries and a Cardinal. Then we went on to the village of Noszvaj and the ever-welcoming Nomad Hotel with its unfailing hospitality and superb food. Here we met up with Szabolcs Safian, otherwise known as Safi, who is one of Hungary’s leading lepidopterists - a jovial academic who also excels in the field – lucky us! Day 5 Saturday 20th June Weather: During the morning, sunny and warm, becoming more cloudy, windy and cool, but dry during the afternoon. The pre-breakfast brigade scored heavily with woodpeckers – obtaining views of Grey-headed, Green, Syrian, Great, Lesser and Middle Spotted, the latter feeding young at their nest-hole! We also watched Collared and Spotted Flycatchers, and Cuckoo and Kingfisher were notable. The day was spent in the Hor Valley, a narrow, heavily-wooded gorge with glades and rocky outcrops forming ‘hot-rock’ habitat as well as flower meadows. Such rocky places are attractive to species like Blue Spot Hairstreak, Hungarian Skipper and Mountain Argus, all seen and photographed. Searching the meadows, we discovered caterpillars of Southern Festoon, now too late in the season to be on the wing. Another Cardinal was spotted, but again only in rapid flight: even so, the distinctive ‘jizz’ (behavioural pattern) and olive-green upper surfaces and flashes of pink underwing were noted by most. Our only Idas Blues of the trip were here. © Naturetrek kiera 3 Butterflies of Hungary Tour Report Opportunity was taken by Safi to illustrate field ID techniques for separating the ‘nightmare’ fritillary threesome, Nickerl’s, Assman’s and Heath. Due to the cloudy, cool conditions, they were more easily observed. For certain confirmation, forensic-like under-hindwing detail has to be checked. This is only possible at closest quarters – best in the hand – and even then, some individuals may not be identified for certain. Safi explained that it has been suggested that there could even be some hybridization, but this has been insufficiently studied to confirm the theory. He was, though, able to demonstrate that all three of the ‘difficult’ species were present. Despite an earlier end to our nonetheless very rewarding day, deteriorating weather becoming less conducive to butterfly hunting, but we did also see further notable birds, especially: Honey Buzzards, Hobby and Rock Bunting. We returned satisfied to our hotel, later to feast upon another sumptuous “banquet”. Day 6 Sunday 21st June Weather: Intermittent showers all morning ceased by mid-afternoon, but cloud and a cool breeze persisted. Plan A was unfortunately but definitely aborted! Plan B.….go birdwatching! As everyone in the group had at least some interest in birds, several were keen birders anyway, off we set to the outskirts of the Great Plain, where conditions were likely to be better and birds more obviously plentiful.