Butterflies & Moths of Andalucia Naturetrek Tour Report 21 - 25 June 2018 Report compiled by Niki Williamson Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Butterflies & Moths of Andalucia Tour participants: Simon Tonkin & Niki Williamson (leaders) with a group of ten Naturetrek clients Summary This fascinating five-day exploration of the Strait of Gibraltar area yielded plenty of star Lepidoptera species including Two-tailed Pasha, Europe’s largest butterfly, with accompanying Monarchs, Swallowtails, Hairstreaks, Thorns, Underwings and Hawk-moths, to name but a few. But notably, as well as delving into moth trap treasure troves and chasing speedy butterflies, the group enjoyed a vast array of the area’s enthralling natural history: from Gibraltar Fiery Salamander to Gibraltar Sea Lavender; from Short-toed Treecreeper to Short-toed Eagle, and from Barbary Macaque to Bottle-nosed Dolphin! And all of this set against a background of relaxed, sunny days, taking in all the gorgeous scenery, culture and cuisine Southern Andalusia has to offer. Day 1 Thursday 21st June After a flight from the UK, Simon and Niki met the group at Gibraltar airport. From there we had an easy 25- minute journey to our accommodation at a beautiful eco-lodge set in seven hectares of wooded grounds at the edge of the Alcornacales Natural Park. Our hosts had prepared a light lunch for us on our arrival, and we were able to unwind and absorb the tranquility of our surroundings, seeing our first Speckled Wood butterflies (orange, rather than deeper brown here) and a Monarch while we ate al fresco. We also spotted several Purple Hairstreaks flitting around the canopies of the Cork Oak trees. We then settled into our lodgings in old colonial houses and log cabins in the gardens, surrounded by singing Serins, Short-toed Treecreepers, and Iberian Chiffchaffs. In the late afternoon we headed out to explore the nearby countryside. Huerta Grande is ideally situated, with the largest cork oak forest in Europe to the north and the Strait Natural Park stretching south to the sea, so we were in immediate reach of a range of different habitats. Moving through extensively grazed meadows, we started to meet the butterflies of the Strait, including Clouded Yellow, Small Copper, Meadow Brown, and Wall Brown as well as the impressive yellow Cleopatra. Descending towards the sea through the forests, False Ilex Hairstreaks were abundant, and we admired an early instar Egyptian Locust nymph attempting to bury itself, ready for acquiring its next form. A Short-toed Treecreeper showed well in a nearby tree. Later we headed back to the lodge to set up our moth trap, relax in our tranquil surroundings and, arguably more importantly, to enjoy one of Antonio’s gin and tonics before our first delicious three-course meal of the trip. Day 2 Friday 22nd June We started the day by having a good rummage through the moth trap before breakfast for those that wanted to, saving the most interesting specimens so that even the later risers could enjoy them! Among our finds for the day were many moths not generally seen in the UK, such as Oak Hooktip, Passenger, Dorset Cream Wave, Guernsey Underwing, Embellished Thorn, Palpita vitrealis, Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Schoenobius gigantella and the elegantly patterned Latin, as well as Garden Rose Tortrix, Green Oak Tortrix, Waved Umber, Purple and Canary-shouldered Thorns, Pea, Blotched and Small Emeralds and Willow Beauty. We also enjoyed a rather disgruntled-looking Conehead Mantis. © Naturetrek July 18 1 Butterflies & Moths of Andalucia Tour Report Next we headed up through the low altitude Cork Oaks and maquis-type vegetation at the edge of the Los Alcornacales Natural Park for a special treat for the botanists in the group. We soon found ourselves looking upon a spectacular colony of Drosophyllum lusitanicum, an intriguing carnivorous plant and endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. We were able to admire this macabre little plant at close range, its mucus globules sparkling in the sun! We also enjoyed encounters with Spanish Gatekeeper, False Ilex Hairstreak and two beautifully fresh Marsh Fritillaries, as many Griffon Vultures drifting low overhead. Making our way along the coast to the seaside town of Bolonia, we first paused for an all-important mid- morning ice cream, before exploring the mountain and coastal habitats there. Driving up through a maquis- covered landscape of Fan Palms and Cistus bushes, we reached Sierra de la Plata where Niki and Simon prepared our delicious picnic of local olives, salads, meats and cheeses. We lunched close to a huge colony of Griffon Vultures, allowing the chance to enjoy their impressive wingspans and prehistoric-sounding hisses and calls. We were thrilled to find a pair of endangered Egyptian Vultures breeding there, as well as a pair of Lesser Kestrels. Looking down, we had stunning views over Algeciras Bay, and Blue-winged Grasshoppers hopped at our feet! Next we went to explore the coastal habitats. Taking a stroll along a beachfront boardwalk to explore the Tamarisk-dominated scrub and Stone Pine forests, we enjoyed Sea Holly, Sea Daffodil and Holly Blue butterfly. After a little examination of the Tamarisks, we found a delightfully patterned Mediterranean Chameleon, dark green with distinct blotches, eyeing us suspiciously from a twig! It soon relaxed and we were able to watch it catch insects! Walking back, we found a fabulous male Black-eared Wheatear feeding two begging juveniles amongst the impressive Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia. After a last stop at the cliffs above Tarifa to appreciate the breath-taking views across the Strait to the rocky coast of North Africa, it was back to Huerta Grande. Here we relaxed with a refreshing drink before another of chef Juan Carlos’s superb three-course meals. Tonight’s menu featured Pisto - a traditional Andalusian shepherd’s dish of courgette, garlic and tomato, topped with a gently-poached egg and accompanied by fresh local artisan bread. Moving outside to finish our wine in the balmy dusk, we enjoyed an aerial display by several Kühl´s Pipistrelles before heading to bed after a day full of natural treasures! Day 3 Saturday 23rd June This morning began with our host Katrin presenting the early risers with an enormous spiny toad! The moth trap also impressed, yielding our first hawk-moth, a humungous Marimba quercus, commonly known as Oak Hawk- moth. Others new to the list were Large, Least and Oak Yellow Underwings, Brimstone, Least Carpet, Plain Wave and Apple Tree Tortrix. Progress was slow towards our first planned stop as there was simply too much to see! Several colourful European Bee-eaters were adorning the telegraph wires while a Short-toed Snake Eagle perched on a pylon. A stop to enjoy some young White Storks on their nest also yielded a softly-patterned Dusky Meadow Brown. Eventually we reached a beautiful secluded spot where the vegetation had formed a canuta (loose tunnel). This made an incredibly picturesque setting to watch several Monarchs flitting around the pink-flowered Oleander bushes and Milkweed, just centimetres from our cameras, while Nightingales and Blackcaps sang. A Woodchat Shrike was feeding its noisy young, probably with the Egyptian Locusts we had spotted earlier! Epaulette 2 © Naturetrek July 18 Butterflies & Moths of Andalucia Tour Report Skimmer dragonflies joined Holly Blues by the water´s edge, and Red-striped Oil Beetles plodded around our feet. We took our picnic at Los Tornos in Cork Oak pastureland near the village of Facinas. The wind had got up quite a bit here, keeping us cool in the shade and not enough to deter a singing Cirl Bunting. We enjoyed a refreshing drink or ice-cream before moving on to our next stop, up the mountain to Monte Facinas, well into the Alcornacales Natural Park. Here both Ilex and False Ilex Hairstreaks were numerous, allowing an interesting comparison. We were also lucky enough to find the Swallowtail we had been hoping for! On the way home we stopped in Tarifa to enjoy the Lesser Kestrel colony in the fort of Guzman el Bueno. We could see at least nine nests on our side of the building, with adults (mostly the males with their powder-blue heads) busily provisioning two or three young in each. These young were now almost ready to fledge and seemed keen to leave their nest holes. We arrived back at Huerta Grande to find Juan Carlos sparking up the barbecue for another delicious meal! Day 4 Sunday 24th June This morning´s moth trap added yet more to our list including Green Silver-lines and False Mocca, and also micro moths such as Ethmia bipunctella, Idaea ostrinaria, Variegated Golden Tortrix, Gold Triangle and Lobesia reliquana. Once we’d sorted through them it was time to head back to the UK! Happily this was only twenty minutes away, across the border in the British enclave of Gibraltar. Taking a cablecar up the famous Rock of Gibraltar itself, we were able to enjoy the spectacular views of the Strait and the Rock´s busy Yellow-legged Gull colony. A Blue Rock Thrush put on a show for us and we watched an EasyJet plane put on an expert landing on the runway below us! But where were the Barbary Macaques? These characterful primates reside around the Top Rock viewpoint but today were nowhere to be seen! After a short walk through the nature reserve, taking in Sardinian Warbler and Wall Brown butterflies, we found them. They had taken up residence at the taxi arrival point, where they were certainly giving the arriving tourists the ´close encounter´ they had hoped for! Our late-morning stroll round the Alameda Botanical Gardens was a real high point, yielding plenty of floating Monarchs and Speckled Woods, Geranium Bronze and a Humming-bird Hawk-moth.