Catching Up

Apart from cutting some grass I spent some of the day catching up on what birds were around.  We went to Olonzac for the market and I heard and saw several Rock Sparrows.  Later I found a singing Golden Oriole at Cesseras as well as a Roller feeding young in a hole in a plain tree.  The new colony of Bee-eaters in the vineyards is thriving with four pairs taking food to their burrows.  Three Woodchat Shrikes in the vineyards including 2 young.

Bee-eater

Checking out Minerve I found a single Alpine Swift and 6 Crag Martins.  At home a Short-toed Eagle was hunting nearby.  The butterflies again were amazing.  I added Spanish Gatekeeper, Small Skipper, Swallowtail, Speckled Wood, Small Copper and a new one for me False Ilex Hairstreak.

False Ilex Hairstreak

I think I have identified the above correctly.  I was looking for Ilex Hairstreak but this was in my garden.  It looked paler than the darker Ilex but I would be glad of confirmation from anyone reading this blog.