July 4, 2007
Butterflying Fontainebleau
I spent a relatively cultural weekend in the Ile-de-France, visiting Chartres, Versailles and the Chateau de Fontainebleau - though the latter site was blatantly an excuse to go walking in the wonderful forest there!
Butterflies were very much in evidence, notably large numbers of Swallowtails.
Fritillaries of at least two species were present, including High Brown...
... and Silver-washed.
A delicate Wood White sp.
Great Banded Grayling - more impressive with its wings open!
This Map butterfly was a new species for me.I didn't know that there are different colour morphs in successive broods - this is a second generation adult.
Quiz time - is it possible to identify this tatty hairstreak sp. to species? Answers to rjhall_AT_surfbirder.com please.
Even in mid-afternoon, there was a reasonable amount of bird activity, including singing Wood and Bonelli's Warblers (Pouillots siffleur et de Bonelli), and many display-flighting Tree Pipits (Pipit des arbres).
This Redstart (Rougequeue a front blanc) with a bill full of grubs presumably had young nearby.
