French Pyrenees - Vallée de Héas

Late last year when I had recorded and photographed the complete list of UK mainland butterflies the elation I felt turned to despair - no more butterflies to chase. Over the winter I decided that if I wanted to find more then I would have to venture into Europe. I have never been on a tour as I felt that I would often rather stay and obtain better photographs when other members of the group would rather press on to pastures new.

However, I decided to give it a go and after much searching on the internet opted for a trip to the French Pyrenees with Naturetrek.  So yesterday found me journeying via Stansted to Lourdes, by the time we disembarked the aircraft our group of six had loosely formed and like all good naturalists "ticking" had started. Mowing of grass strips around the runway had attracted a dozen Black Kites whilst overhead Swifts screamed in welcome.

Exiting the baggage collection we were greeted by Jason, our group leader for the week. Our base was to be at La Breche de Roland hotel in Gedre but we managed a stop in Luz-Saint-Sauveur for picnic supplies. A short walk around the town gave sightings of Crag Martins, Swifts and what was to become the ubiquitous bird of the trip - the Black Redstart. Swiftly onward to the hotel which was situated amidst stunning surroundings - by this time any trepidation had long disappeared and I realised that I was going to enjoy the week.

It had been a long day, so, after a pre-dinner aperitif we dined and then I retired early. Next morning we assembled in the car park ready for our first day in the Pyrenees. In the meadow adjacent to the hotel a manure heap was providing a feast for a White Wagtail family, Black Redstarts, sundry House Sparrows and a drop dead gorgeous male Red-backed Shrike who was obviously feeding a family. Then an exclamation of disbelief as Jason spotted a Lammergeier - a long way up but unmistakeable, What a start!

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Bearded Vulture or Lammergeier

 

  Day 2  - Vallée de Héas, Lac des Gloriettes and the Cirque d'Estaubé

We began at a convenient pull off on the D922 going up the valley, the sun was shining and a promised temperature of 27 degrees augured well for a butterfly hunt. It was good to start with some familiar specimens, Large Skipper, Essex Skipper and Dark Green Fritillary, nice to get the eye in, so to speak. Then the pulse quickened, A Southern White Admiral drifted past and I gave chase up the road, it paused just long enough for a hasty record shot and disappeared into the roadside trees.

Large Skipper



Essex Skipper

Dark Green Fritillary

Dark Green Fritillary

Southern White Admiral

 

A teneral Common Hawker was our first dragonfly.

Common Hawker

Next stop was just a short way up the road at Pont de Souarrouy, plenty of butterflies on the wing but Swallowtail, Black-veined White, Wood White, Large Ringlet, Piedmont Ringlet and Pearly Heath were notable additions.

Black-veined White

Black-veined White

 The orange colouring of the hind wings of the Black-veined White threw me until I noticed a stand of Martagon or Turk's Cap Lilies close by. Lily pollen sticks to anything that nectars nearby.

Martagon Lily

 

Wood White

Pearly Heath

Large Ringlet

Large Ringlet

Piedmont Ringlet

Little Blue

Plenty of day flying moths - Companion Burnet and Black-veined Moth on the wing.

Companion Burnet

Black-veined Moth

 

 

 Another short trip further up the road to where a footbridge crosses the Gave de Héas, the flowers of the uncut roadside verges providing a host of nectar sources for a wide range of butterflies. Notables were Clouded Apollo, Heath and False Heath Fritillaries, which I found most confusing, and Lesser Marbled Fritillary.

Clouded Apollo

False Heath Fritillary

False Heath Fritillary

Heath Fritillary

Heath Fritillary

Heath Fritillary

Lesser Marbled Fritillary

Lesser Marbled Fritillary

Finally for this stop, a pair of friendly BvWs without added colour.

Black-veined White

 We were dropped off and allowed to walk the last half kilometre to the car park at the barrage, where we had a fine picnic lunch in hot sunshine at an altitude of 1716 metres or 5630 feet in real money.

After lunch we ventured across the barrage to search for more species. Highlights for me were Mountain Ringlet, Piedmont Ringlet, Geranium Argus and Olive Skipper. In the heat the butterflies were hyperactive and not given to posing for photographs. So I was happy that Jason netted a few species and displayed them to the group - of course on release they vanished as fast as they could.

Geranium Argus

Olive Skipper

Silver-studded Blue

 

 
Plenty of  plants to be found including  Burnt Tip Orchid, Neotinea ustulata,

Maiden Pink, Dianthus deltoides

Dianthus monspessulanus

Sempervivum species

 The scenery was simply stunning - unfortunately my photographs don't do the Pyrenees justice.

I was intrigued as to why alpine lakes are blue-green. The answer is apparently to do with the interaction of limestone "rock flour" and the wavelength of light - very interesting but far too complicated for a blog!

Vallée de Héas

Butterfly Species list:

Black-veined White

Clouded Apollo

Clouded Yellow

Dark Green Fritillary

De Prunner's Ringlet

Dingy Skipper

Essex Skipper

False Heath Fritillary

Geranium Argus

Heath Fritillary

Large Ringlet

Large Skipper

Large Wall Brown

Little Blue

Mazarine Blue

Mountain Ringlet

Olive Skipper

Orange Tip

Pearly Heath

Piedmont Ringlet

Red Underwing Skipper

Ringlet

Silver-studded Blue

Small Heath

Small Skipper

Southern White Admiral

Swallowtail

Lesser Marbled Fritillary

Wood White

All the searching on the ground meant that inevitably birds were missed but notables were Bearded and Griffon Vultures, Alpine and Red-billed Chough and Serin.

 All in all a brilliant first day which concluded with "une bouteille de Bigourd'ale Blonde" and a fine meal.

To be continued.