Golden Eagles and the Queen of Spain - 11th September 2021

Today we had decided to do some exploring of the local mountain ranges. We headed north west through a fantastic wild valley into the Picos de Europa National Park. It was very productive with views of a pair of Golden Eagles, Dipper, several Rock Buntings, our first Red-rumped Swallows of the trip, a Pallid Swift, and excellent numbers of Whinchats, Iberian Yellow Wagtails and both Spotted and Pied Flycatchers.

However the Butterflies stole the show with a beautiful Queen of Spain Fritillary, Painted Lady, Mountain Clouded Yellow and a remarkable site of an Adonis Blue and Spanish Chalkhill Blue side by side (with a Long-tailed Blue too if you look closely!) for comparison!

Spanish Chalkhill Blue and Adonis Blue plus a Long-tailed Blue on the far left.

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Mountain Clouded Yellow

Painted Lady

Dipper