Photos from the Andalusian Mountains, Spain

[moloch]

I recently spent two weeks in south western Spain. On this trip, I stayed at Los Veneros. It was a conference centre with accommodation and was only about a 15 minute drive to the mine where I worked. My work days were long and I rarely was able to get out for a walk even though it was light until 10:30pm or so. I did have a free weekend and I spent the time in the hills enjoying the sights. These photos are from that weekend and include many habitat and butterfly shots as well as photos of the herps that I encountered. I would like to thank Jeroen van Leeuwen and Doug Taron who helped me with the identifications of the various animals.

Here is a shot of my home for two weeks:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/LosVaneros2_zpsc728d500.jpg

The surrounding countryside reminded me a little of the hills and chaparral in California. Oaks were numerous and in some areas, there were groves of Chestnut Trees.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/habitat1_zpsa14b0f61.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/habitat2_zps5abdae2b.jpg

This area has been settled for centuries. Trails like this one were common.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/habitat3_zps30ac794b.jpg

This is the little village of Santa Ana La Real. It was about a half-hour walk into the hills above my accommodation. Most of the small towns in this part of Spain looked similar with white-washed buildings and roads built from stone.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SantaAnaLaReal_zps709db4dc.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SantaAnaLaReal6_zpsc956f7ce.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SantaAnaLaReal5_zps2e6578f1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SantaAnaLaReal2_zpscb0009a0.jpg

[moloch]

Spring flowers were numerous. The area must have received good winter rain.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Flowers6_zpsb2cf3400.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/FlowerPoppy3_zps3cbb60b5.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Flower6_zps2dc252b8.jpg

Here are photos of some of the butterflies that I photographed. I visited the same area last year in May (see http://www.butterflycircle.com/showthread.php?12836). It was odd but this time, I saw several species not seen last year and also missed a few that were common last year.

Long-tailed Pea Blue (Lampides boeticus)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Bluelong-tailedPeaBlue_zps581cbc10.jpg

False Ilex Hairstreak (Satyrium esculi):
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/BlueHairstreak1_800_zps410f7514.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/BlueHairstreak4_zpse7b0968c.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/BlueHairstreak5_zps19ea6be2.jpg

[moloch]

Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/blue1_zpsc5b0dc52.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/blue1b_zpsd20471bc.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/blue1a_zps37fc361c.jpg

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/BlueSmallCopper3_zpsde61e688.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/BlueSmallCopper1a_zps08511505.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/BlueSmallCopper2_zpse538a073.jpg

Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)?
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Skipper1_zps3d67935e.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/skipper2_zpsf60553fe.jpg

[moloch]

Spanish Fritillary (Euphydryas desfontainii baetica)?, habitat and butterflies:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SpanishFritillaryhabitat_zpsf9b252ea.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SpanishFritillary3_zps56a728f9.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SpanishFritillary4_zps04bb66af.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SpanishFritillary1_zpsde9e65ab.jpg

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) was one of the commonest butterflies.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/MeadowBrown4_zps528049f8.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/MeadowBrown_zpsc5146637.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/MeadowBrown3_zps25dfad21.jpg

[moloch]

Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia). Common.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SpanishGatekeeper_zps110d412a.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SpanishGatekeeper2_zpsf2ee8dc7.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SpanishGatekeeper3_zps244d83a6.jpg


Bath White (Pontia daplidice) was an oddly patterned pierid. I only saw a few of these.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/MarbledWhite1_zps7ec460d9.jpg

Small White (Pieris rapae). Common
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/CabbageWhite_zps239a72ca.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/CabbageWhite3_zps1ad91a57.jpg


Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni). Some of these big pierids had an orange patch on the upper wing (males?).
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Cleopatra3_zps18c71906.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Cleopatra2_zps04e84084.jpg

[moloch]

Most likely Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) but it could also be the yellow C. hyale or C. alfacariensis
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/CloudedYellow2_zpsf97f815c.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/CloudedYellow3_zps5f6e57ab.jpg

Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) had such a strange texture to the outer wings
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/nymph2_zpsb70c46e3.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/nymph_zps44e59d49.jpg

Painted Lady ([i]Vanessa cardui{/i])
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/PaintedLady2_zpsf7dad375.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/PaintedLady1_zps8340230c.jpg


Isn't this a strange mantis? I saw them a couple of times on the walls of the accommodation where I stayed.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/mantis2_zpsa913dacb.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Mantis_zps60b16240.jpg

[moloch]

Cerambycid:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/cerambycid_zps906ce25e.jpg


Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), habitat and photos. These large lacertids were fairly common. Males had a nice orange throat.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/SpanishFritillaryhabitat2_zps8c49c767.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard12_zps3a56036c.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard11_zps8edf5ac4.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard9_zpsbe5330bc.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard4_zps6d9a4e03.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard1_zps1334009a.jpg

[moloch]

Iberian wall lizard (Podarcis hispanica), habitat and photos. These were also common lizards.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizardhabitat_zpsfa624dad.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard8_zps719bf6fa.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard6a_zpsbc1c80a9.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard3_zps871a9a18.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard7_zps81cb2a32.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/WallLizard2_zpsa6fdf874.jpg

Montpellier Snake (Malpolon monspessulanus)? I only encountered this single snake during my two days of walking. It appeared to be looking for wall lizards. After I took a couple of shots, it vanished and I could not relocate it.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/snake_zps3ba9738f.jpg



Stonechat.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/stonechat_zpsc0ee1af6.jpg

[moloch]

Griffon Vulture: I saw these several times as they sailed high over the hills.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Griffon1_zps4116cfa4.jpg


flowers along the trail:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Floweriris_zps0226a9c5.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/Flower1_zps8839dbbf.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/flower4_zps1f041d4b.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/flowerslavendar2_zps61a527e8.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/FlowersFoxglove_zpsdebf36c0.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/flower3a_zps5a62d0b2.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/gentian1_zpsf158c934.jpg



I should be back again for three weeks in mid-July so am looking forward to seeing what is around in the summer.

Regards,
David

[Angiud]

Beautiful shots David. Great diversity.

Sometimes I miss my environment!

[Bluebottle]

Beautiful photos and well written travelog :thumbsup:

[Painted Jezebel]

Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni). Some of these big pierids had an orange patch on the upper wing (males?).


No. A different species, Gonepteryx cleopatra (The Cleopatra), but yes, males, only males have the orange patch. This is one of my favorite butterflies in Southern Europe.

It was a delight to the the False Ilex Hairstreak, never seen it before.

Lovely travelogue, it looks a beautiful area. Thank you.

[Great Mormon]

beautiful pictures David! and thanks for sharing :)

[moloch]

Thanks very much, guys. I appreciate the info about the Cleopatra and Brimstones, Les. I never was able to get a photo of them since they were wary butterflies.

Here are a few aerial photos along the flight path from Dubai to Lisbon. My flight departed at 10am and then followed the sun for the 8 hour flight to Lisbon. It felt like a geography lesson when I looked out and saw places that I had read about for years.

Dubai:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/UAEDubai3_zps40e8fd94.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/UAEDubai_zps01ca7807.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/UAEDubai2_zpsf945cbcd.jpg

Saudi Arabia, Oil loading facility
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/SaudiArabia2_zps73c11acc.jpg


Iraq, outskirts of Basra:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/IraqBasrah_zps940abd62.jpg

Iraq, Tigris River:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/IraqTigresRiver_zpse3174aad.jpg

Iraq, Mosul Dam, Tigris River:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/Iraq1MosulDam_zps4e1b0296.jpg

Mountains in eastern Turkey:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/Turkey1_zps97654da8.jpg

[moloch]

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/Turkey5_zpsd270f474.jpg

Alps in eastern France/western Italy:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/ItalyMaritimeAlps_zps83276a1c.jpg

France:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/France_zps7c81085c.jpg


Mediterranean Coast of Spain:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/Spain_zps969ecbee.jpg

Approach to Lisbon:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/LisbonBeacha_zpsdc5b52e5.jpg

Lisbon:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/Lisbon1_zpsab693e45.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/Lisbon2_zps07944151.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/Lisbon6_zps2094bf6a.jpg

[moloch]

Lisbon's "Golden Gate"
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/Lisbon4_zps0c483068.jpg

Lisbon Airport:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Spain/MayJune2013/aerial/Lisbonairport_zps4334da8e.jpg

[The Plane]

:thumbsup: My favourite butt there is the Bath White, look so special. Thanks for sharing all these nice images.