French Pyrenees - Cirque de Troumouse

Today found us venturing further up the Vallé de Héas towards the Cirque de Tromouse. As the temperature rose towards a high of 25 degrees butterflies were on the wing early. Our first roadside stop  gave us great views of Purple-edged Copper.

 

Also, my first distant Alpine Marmot, Marmota marmot - a bit of a surprise as I was expecting something squirrel size not akin to a Badger!

 
A sudden stop for distant but stunning views of the first of two Golden Eagles. A theme was developing of not getting close but it didn't last for long. We stopped at the Auberge de Maillet for refreshments and on the road we were greeted by a friendly Wheatear so I took the opportunity to use a longer lens.
  

Great views of the cirque from the auberge, the adjacent meadows are well populated with cattle and the grass is short and lacking any major nectar sources. Still, a few whites and the ever present Piedmonts were on the wing.

Climbing further up the valley we made several stops, the first for some distant Isard or the Pyrenean Chamois, Rupicara pyrenaica. The shot providing only proof that they were there, nothing being recognisable at such a distance.

We topped out at the car park at an altitude of around 2000 metres and set off for our next quarry, a most odd looking beast. The Pyrenean Brook Salamander or Pyrenean Newt, Calotriton asper. We were in luck and found at least eight specimens including two mating pairs. A tad difficult to photograph such a fascinating creature but well worth the effort.

 Just beyond the stream Jason found a Western Brassy Ringlet that paused long enough for a shot. A fly by of a Small Tortoishell was notable as it was the only one I saw on the tour although caterpillars were in evidence.

We lunched outside the auberge accompanied by a flock of Alpine Choughs before descending to a spot adjacent to the Gave de Heas where we found a host of butterflies "mud puddling"

Mud-puddling is behaviour most conspicuous in butterflies, but occurs in other animals as well, mainly insects; they seek out certain moist substances such as rotting plant matter, mud and carrion and they suck up the fluid to get salts and nutrients.

I don't keep notes in the field, relying on my memory and the photographs that I take to allow me to create a fomal record at the end of the day. This was a bit overwhelming so there may be some misidentification in the next few frames - so if you spot an error let me know.

"mud puddlers" - yes it's cow poo.

I believe the above frame contains: Silver-studded Blue, Mazarine Blue, Little Blue, Turquoise Blue and Large Grizzled Skipper.

In the foreground Turquoise and Mazarine Blues

Mazarine Blues and possible Escher's Blue

Again - with some open wings

Escher's Blue?



Marbled Skipper

A small pause in the proceedings to record a roosting Small Elephant Hawk Moth

We completed the day in search of a variety of Yellow-spotted Ringlet, Erebia manto constans, having found one, I could detect no spots at all.

 

A final bonus to the end of another superb day was a Bath White

To be continued...

 

Wheatears again!

A bit of a chequered week on the birding front. Sitting on a park bench at Little Common paid dividends in the form of a high level fly by of the juvenile Black Stork - well worth seeing. Onward to Dungeness where I managed to locate one of the juvenile White-winged Black Terns plus several other Black Terns. Success which was paid for in the much delayed journey home. 

Wednesday was a visit to the North Wall at Pagham where things seemed to be very quiet, and just the opposite at Church Norton where the volunteers were cutting the grass in the cemetery and the RSPB gardeners were in the field next to the hide. A vigil on the beach, just in case the Wryneck was still in residence, gave no reward.

Thursday left me with a dilemma - where to go? In the end I returned to the North Wall at Pagham, not because I expected the birding to have improved, rather than face the diabolical traffic situation to the east. Also, on our previous visit, I had noticed a veritable cornucopia of blackberries and sloes and I couldn't miss the annual "forage".

When I arrived at the North Wall I met Owen Mitchell and Peter Callis, both reporting that there was little to be seen. Over on Halsey's there was a large herd of cattle and I thought there would be a good chance of Yellow Wagtails that would offer a photo opportunity. On the way I managed to capture a good looking male Wheatear on the seaward side rocks. In the pool the successful brood of Tufted Ducks watched me warily as I passed by on the upper path. One of the juniors displaying a wacky hairdo and had obviously found his voice.

At the western sluice I spooked a very bright Kingfisher that paused briefly before heading off west along the stream. Looking out over the fields I located the cattle, all lying down in one corner and chewing the cud. Yellow Wagtails were in evidence  and as I approached they flew off, very skittish indeed. I sat down in the middle of some 60 beasts, their digestive processes getting the better of their curiosity as they left me alone. The wagtails returned - three or four at a time but none came close.

I returned to the harbour via Owl Copse where I encountered a superb male Redstart, loads of Common Whitethroats and several Lesser Whitethroats. The tide was now on the up and birds were relocating. At Breech Pool I had a raptor show, one of the juvenile Peregrines doing two stoops from a tremendous altitude, both of which proved fruitless. A Hobby was leading the Swallows a merry dance above the stables, superb aerobatics through the trees but unfortunately no lunch for him. 

Then a "bird of prey" of an altogether different kind put on a display, Spitfire KJ-I performing aerobatics, but not quite the standard of the Hobby.

 

 Several Wheatears were now on the wall and of course I couldn't ignore them.

The previous day the Swallows had been perching on the rails above the sluice and I thought I might improve my shots, Sod's Law prevailed, they had moved on to some far more comfortable perch elsewhere.