22 Branch members (including some imports from Surrey and Hertfordshire) have just returned from the first official and extremely successful Branch field trip to foreign parts. Under the joint leadership of Frank Banyard and Dave Fuller two groups each spent a week at Casa Guilla in the hilltop village of Santa Engracia located in the Spanish Pyrennean foothills. Thanks to the skills of Paul Huckle a total of 115 different species of butterfly were identified over the fortnight. Almost half were found in the immediate vicinity of Santa Engracia but excursions deeper into the Pyrenees increased the variety of species, especially the Blues and Fritillaries. 13 different types of Fritillary were seen on one day including the widespread (see photo) Knapweed Fritillary and the threatened and rare Bog Fritillary. The Apollo (see photo) competed with the Scarce Swallowtail, Lesser Purple Emperor and Camberwell Beauty for the most spectular species seen. The birders among the groups were not disappointed with over 80 species being seen including the rare Lammergeier Vulture. We shall be returning!
David Redhead

Thank you David for your report.