Non-avian wildlife

Portugal trip, 14th April to 1st May 2006

Systematic List
Part VII: Non-avian wildlife

Note: All dates refer to April 2006 except where specified.
Species in pink are likely to be of most interest to British birders

MAMMALS
__________

Egyptian Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon

Single individuals were seen briefly crossing the road at Ponta da Erva on 19th and Mourão on 21st.
__________

Iberian Hare Lepus granatensis

A few seen at several locations.


Iberian Hare, west of Mértola, 24th April
__________
__________


AMPHIBIANS
__________

Turtle sp.

One at the ETAR waterworks at Montenegro on 15th, 9 at Elvas on 23rd and about 12 at Ludo Farm on 29th with 2 more there on 1st May. The individual at the ETAR waterworks has been identified as probably a Mediterranean Turtle Mauremys leprosa, a common species in Portugal.


Mediterranean Turtle, ETAR Waterworks (Montenegro), 15th April


Turtles sp., Elvas, 23rd April


Turtles sp., Ludo Farm, 29th April


Turtle sp., Ludo Farm, 1st May
__________
__________


BUTTERFLIES
__________

Scarce Swallowtail Iphiclides podalirius

One at Elvas on 24th.
__________

Dappled White sp. Euchloe sp.

Appeared to be very common at least in the Alentejo, but unfortunately none were seen well enough to confirm the species identification. The options are Freyer’s Dappled White E. simplonia or Portuguese Dappled White E. tagis. The latter was suspected.
__________

Green-striped White Euchloe belemia

A probable was seen at Castro Marim on 27th or 28th, but the identification was not clinched.
__________

Moroccan Orange-tip Anthocaris belia euphenoides

An orange-tip seen briefly at Tomar on 18th was not identified (and didn’t look particularly yellow-winged). However Moroccan Orange-tip is the only species of Orange-tip showing as present in Portugal.
__________

Clouded Yellow Colias crocea

Very common, especially in the Alentejo.
__________

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas

Seen in the Alentejo and at Azinhal.
__________

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

Singles at Montenegro on 15th and Tomar on 18th.
__________

Spanish Marbled White Melanargia ines

Very large numbers of Marbled Whites were present in the Alentejo with smaller numbers elsewhere. Only 1 was fully identified (west of Mértola on 25th).


Spanish Marbled White, west of Mértola, 25th April
__________

Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina

Plentiful around Azinhal on 28th.
__________

Gatekeeper sp. Pyronia sp.

One at Azinhal on 28th was seen only briefly and not identified. From the date it was presumably either a Spanish Gatekeeper P. bathseba or a Southern Gatekeeper P. cecilia.
__________

Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus

Several seen including at Azinhal on 28th.
__________

Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria aegeria

Small numbers seen at a few localities.
__________
__________


DRAGONFLIES
__________

Emperor Anax imperator

One at Castro Marim on 28th.


Emperor, Castro Marim, 28th April
__________

Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii

One at Elvas on 23rd.


Red-veined Darter, Elvas, 23rd April
__________

Western Clubtail Gomphus pulchellus

One at Tareja on 29th.



Western Clubtail, Tareja, 29th April
__________
__________


FLOWERS
__________


Iris sp., near Montenegro, 15th April




Water Crowfoot sp., east of Mourao, 22nd April


?, Tareja, 29th April
__________
__________


Part I: Wildfowl and Gamebirds
Part II: Grebes to Flamingo
Part III: Raptors to Bustards
Part IV: Shorebirds
Part V: Other non-passerines
Part VI: Passerines

Or to return to the overview of the regions visited, including very brief details of the main birding sites:

Algarve I - 14th to 16th April
Lisbon - 16th to 21st April
Alentejo - 21st to 26th April
Algarve II - 26th April to 1st May