Maniola jurtina or Meadow Brown

The Maniola jurtina or Meadow Brown is one of the more common European butterflies and on the terrain of  casa rural El Paraje it is well represented as well. It´s Spanish name is Loba and in Dutch Bruin zandoogje. Last week we took a photograph looking one in the eyes and today we were lucky to take a picture of two of them together. We also found out that the one on the last photograph that is somewhat brighter orange, is actually considered a subspecies. According to Matt Rowling this subspecies called Maniola jurtina hispulla flies in Spain, North Africa and southeren France. He writes that it has orange markings in the underside hindwing post discal band.







Related links: ´Butterflies sighted at El Paraje´, album of photos on our facebook page

Related key words: epinephele splendida, papilio hispulla, große ochsenauge, myrtil, ninfálidos, nymphalidés, edelfalter, vlinder, schmetterling, papillon, satyrinae, satíridos, sayridae, alpujarras, sierra nevada, wandelen, wandelingen, stappen, trektocht, standplaats vakantie, hiking, trekking, berchules, B&B, hotel, wanderungen, turismo de naturaleza, natuurvakantie, natuurreis, butterfly holiday 

Pyronia bathseba or Spanish Gatekeeper

This last week we have seen a fairly large number of Pyronia batshebas on different parts of the finca, in general skulking low down about entwined twigs and branches of scrub. Today we encountered a cooperative one posing on a flower just above the house. According to the drawing of the Spaans oranje zandoogje on the website of the Soortenbank we photographed a male Pyronia bathseba. In Spanish this butterfly is called Lobito listado. The white stripe on the underside hindwing is distinctive for this Spanish gatekeeper and it has an orange upperside with broad brown borders. Larvae feed on Brachypodium grasses, tussock or bunch grasses that grow abundantly on our terrain. Apart from the Iberian Peninsula, this butterfly can be seen in North Africa and across southern France as well.





Related links: ´Butterflies sighted at El Paraje´, album of photos on our facebook page

Related key words: l'ocellé rubané, tityre, ninfálidos, nymphalidés, alpujarras, sierra nevada, wandelen, wandelingen, stappen, trektocht, standplaats vakantie, hiking, trekking, berchules, B&B, hotel, wanderungen

Bar - Pizzeria La Posada in Bérchules

A few weeks ago bar La Posada in Berchules reopened. Two brothers, Valentín and Ezra Ocaña, run this small but cozy place at the Plaza Abastos square. They serve home made pizzas, salades and soups. A place that makes a difference and is worthwhile checking out.
Opening hours are from 10.00 till 23.00 hours. Mondays closed.
Telephone Valentin: 669023972 Ezra: 628577021
La Posada on Plaza Abastos used to be a Bed and Breakfast (hostal) but rooms are no longer rented out.
The owners have renovated another guest house (casa rural) in the villages in calla La Platera

Melitaea didyma or Spotted Fritillary

The Spotted Fritillary is a very variable butterfly and it is said that the underside is the best means of identification. As we have no photographs of the underside yet, we consulted Matt Rowlings. The Spotted Fritillary can be found on his excellent website on European butterflies.
He wrote that he considered the changes in colouration of our ´Spotted Frit´ within the normal range and that it looks like a female judging by the rounded abdomen. We took this photograph of the Melitaea didyma last Monday, an excellent day for butterfly watching. In a few hours we spotted a number of species we had not seen on the finca before like the Spanish Marbled White.



Related links: ´Butterflies sighted at El Paraje´, album of photos on our facebook page

Related key words: doncella tímida, red-band fritillary, tweekleurige parelmoervlinder, la mélitée orangée, damier orangé, didymaeformia didyma, rote scheckenfalter, edelfalter, ninfálidos, nymphalidés, alpujarras, sierra nevada, wandelen, wandelingen, trektocht, standplaats vakantie, hiking, trekking, Berchules, B&B, hotel, wanderungen

Alectoris rufa or Red-legged Partridge

Yesterday guests that were having a drink on the terrace were treated by a close look at a pair of Red-legged Partridges. As they were keen birdwatchers they had there binoculars within reach and enjoyed following this game bird and looking at its colouration. We quite often hear this Perdiz roja and we sometimes see them in the kitchen garden, but so close to the terrace was quite special. A Russian ornithologist who stayed with us in April had taken a number of photos of this bird of which we incorporated one in a slideshow. Here is another photo of this Alectoris rufa taken by Sergei V. Drovetski.



Related key words: rode patrijs, rothuhn, perdrix rouge