# Photos from the Andalusian Mountains, Spain



## moloch (Jun 22, 2013)

I recently spent two weeks in south western Spain.  On this trip, I stayed at Los Veneros.  It was a conference centre with accommodation and was only about a 15 minute drive to the mine where I worked.  My work days were long and I rarely was able to get out for a walk even though it was light until 10:30pm or so.  I did have a free weekend and I spent the time in the hills enjoying the sights.  These photos are from that weekend and include many habitat and butterfly shots as well as photos of the herps that I encountered.  I would like to thank Jeroen van Leeuwen and Doug Taron who helped me with the identifications of the various animals.

Here is a shot of my home for two weeks:






The surrounding countryside reminded me a little of the hills and chaparral in California.  Oaks were numerous and in some areas, there were groves of Chestnut Trees.  











This area has been settled for centuries.  Trails like this one were common.






This is the little village of Santa Ana La Real.  It was about a half-hour walk into the hills above my accommodation.  Most of the small towns in this part of Spain looked similar with white-washed buildings and roads built from stone.





















Spring flowers were numerous.  The area must have received good winter rain.


















Large Psammodromus (_Psammodromus algirus_), habitat and photos.  These large lacertids were fairly common.  Males had a nice orange throat.




























Iberian wall lizard (_Podarcis hispanica_), habitat and photos.  These were also common lizards.































Montpellier Snake (_Malpolon monspessulanus_)?  I only encountered this single snake during my two days of walking.  It appeared to be looking for wall lizards.  After I took a couple of shots, it vanished and I could not relocate it.







Long-tailed Pea Blue (_Lampides boeticus_)






False Ilex Hairstreak (_Satyrium esculi_):






Lang's Short-tailed Blue (_Leptotes pirithous_)











Small Copper (_Lycaena phlaeas_)











Marsh Fritillary (_Eurodryas aurinia_), habitat and butterflies:






















Essex Skipper (_Thymelicus lineola_)?






Meadow Brown (_Maniola jurtina_) was one of the commonest butterflies.











Southern Gatekeeper (_Pyronia cecilia_).  Common.












Bath White (_Pontia daplidice_) was an oddly patterned pierid.  I only saw a few of these.






Small White (_Pieris rapae_).  Common






Common Brimstone (_Gonepteryx rhamni_).  Some of these big pierids had an orange patch on the upper wing (males?).






Most likely Clouded Yellow (_Colias croceus_) but it could also be the yellow _C. hyale_ or _C. alfacariensis_











Large Tortoiseshell (_Nymphalis polychloros_) had such a strange texture to the outer wings











Painted Lady







Isn't this a strange mantis?  I saw them a couple of times on the walls of the accommodation where I stayed.












Stonechat.  






Griffon Vulture:  I saw these several times as they sailed high over the hills.







flowers along the trail:

Reactions: Like 4


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## tarcan (Jun 22, 2013)

great series, love the mantis shots!


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## josh_r (Jun 23, 2013)

I love the shot of the snake "telescoping"! That mantis is pretty nice too! The habitat in spain is very beautiful!!! Nice post!


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## moloch (Jun 24, 2013)

Thanks, tarcan and josh.

Here are a few aerial photos along the flight path from Dubai to Lisbon.  My flight departed at 10am and then followed the sun for the 8 hour flight to Lisbon.  It felt like a geography lesson when I looked out and saw places that I had read about for years.

Dubai:
















Saudi Arabia, Oil loading facility







Iraq, outskirts of Basra:






Iraq, Tigris River:






Iraq, Mosul Dam, Tigris River:






Mountains in eastern Turkey:











Alps in eastern France/western Italy:






France:







Mediterranean Coast of Spain:






Approach to Lisbon:






Lisbon:
















Lisbon's "Golden Gate"






Lisbon Airport:

Reactions: Like 1


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## Travis K (Jun 24, 2013)

I always enjoy your post.  You are a very 'traveled' person.  Do you travel all over the place for work?


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