A Majorcan picture post

Thanks to Graeme Lyons for identifying this big beast as Palm Moth (Paysandisia archon). Three were flushed along the Boquer Valley in one afternoon.
One of the natural history highlights of the holiday - Violet Carpenter Bees! Very big and a deep, deep purple. A gathering of six in a hillside garden at old town Pollenca was unforgettable.
Audouin's Gull on Port de Pollenca beach - I only took my compact camera with me, so anyone with a 'big lens' could have really gone to town. A constant presence along the beach during the day, in the evening they would spend more time on the deck, polishing off any left-over food from the sunbathers. Would tolerate birders.
Lang's Short-tailed Blue - I found a couple in amongst 20 Long-tailed Blues, all feeding along a patch of Bramble.

Comments

Graeme Lyons said…
Paysandisia archon, Don't think it's a hawk-moth and is a pest of palm trees.
21 July 2016 at 06:40
Steve Gale said…
I was relying on one of my pan-listing buddies to help out on this one - many thanks Graeme!
21 July 2016 at 07:51
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