Chirk Castle En Route to Anglesey and Rain!!

After talking at Smethwick ps and spending a night in Birmingham, we travelled across country to Anglesey and called for coffee at Chirk Castle. We last visited here in 2016 on a fine day  (https://pin-sharp.blogspot.com/2016/09/chirk-castle-and-its-sculptures.html). They have drastically cut back some of the hedges to encourage regrowth. As we arrived the rain started, so I spent most of the time in the Laundry with my Sony infrared camera  hand held.

London - Alone in the Crowds

In contrast to the fresh mountain air of the previous week, I spent Monday in London in very hot bright and sultry conditions stewarding the London Salon exhibition near London Bridge and then making my way back to Stratford to pick up the coach. Not good photographic conditions but enjoyed recording people escaping from the crowds though usually with the company of their phones. 

Pyrenees Day 7 (last!) Saugue and Journey Home

As our flight home wasn't till late afternoon, we spent the morning on the Saugue plateau above Gedre and were lucky to find several species of butterfly including the Niobe Fritillary, Scarce Copper and Blue-spot Fritillary. I also spent some time photographing an impressive pink Crab Spider and various bugs and beetles. On the way back, stopped on the river bed (Gabe de Pau) and were rewarded with the Great Banded Grayling (I was intrigued by a leaf hopper showing convergent camouflage for the bright dappled light). The journey home was not good with long delays at check-in etc and then a 1 hour wait on the tarmac at Lourdes and 1 hour of stacking at Stansted while President Trump was escorted out of Stansted Airport en route to Glasgow.

Gabe to Pau

Pyrenees Day 6 Ossoue Valley

Thursday was the only day where rain somewhat interrupted our activities. After a long drive along a very rocky track, we arrived at the top of the Ossoue Valley and set off to look at the orchid meadow and search for butterflies. Just as we arrived a thunderstorm broke and we retreated to the van. The White asphodel (Asphodel albus) dominated the landscape. Luckily, it cleared in time for our picnic and an afternoon in the valley. My favourite finds were a Small Spreadwing damsefly and a Bagworm Moth (Psychidae) caterpillar.

 

 

 

Pyrenees Day 5 Port de Boucharo

On a hot sunny morning, we walked along a spectacular path to the border with Spain. Port de Boucharo is a high mountain pass, in the Pyrénées, between the border of France and Spain, at an elevation of 2.270m (7,447ft). We had constant company from Griffin Vultures - at one stage there were more than 20 in the air. Great to see some true 'alpines - the Gentian and Mountain Buttercup and one endemic reptile the Pyrenean Rock Lizard.