European Road Trip Day 20- Kaunertal Glacier

An epic end to our road trip with a drive up to 2750m to the Kaunertal Glacier. A fascinating transition from bare snow covered rock to rich species rich wildflower meadows as we descended.

Lots of interesting plants- made a start on identifying some here- provisional ids- please step in if any the wiser. 

Alpine Choughs, Snowfinches ,Water Pipits and Alpine Marmots were at the top. 

View over the Italian Alps from top of the cable car at 3100m. 

Around 2500 meters- Marmot country 

Around 2000m 

Around 1500 meters 

Alpine Marmot ('Groundhog') 

A few plants in altitude descending order 

Loiseleuria procumbens = alpine azalea (cheers Domen_

Soldanella pusilla or minima

Mountain Sorrel

Cabbage Thistle 

Bladder Gentian 

Alpine Saxifrage

Gentiana acaulis or clusii (cheers Domen)

Cowberry 

Rhododendron ferrugineum

Lesser Butterfly Orchid 

Lupins 

Meadow Crane's-bill 

Ragged Robin- dominated in the wet patches of the meadows 

Alpine Catchfly 

A tall wildflower meadow: Meadow Clary, Star of Bethlehem, Yarrow, Mountain Clover, Sanfoin, Oxeye Daisy, Red Clover, Great Burney etc

A lower carpet of wildflowers, Yellow Eattle, Buttercup sp, Cornflower, Rock Rose, Red Clover, Mountain Clover, Yarrow, Hoary Plantian, Oxeye Daisy etc 

Carthusian Pink 

Viola sp 

Cotton Grass

Grass of Parnassus

Common Twayblade

False Heath Fritillary 

European Road Trip Day 19- Apollo Butterfly in the Alps

So after setting fire to itself last week our VW T5 campervan has decided to play up again today with the engine emission warning light coming on which scuppered our plans to try an ascent to a 3500m nearby glacier by road. As it was a Sunday it wasn't possible to get the problem sorted either so we were left hanging around Prutz. 

Nonetheless it turned into a great day, firstly because Jacob walked today for the first time- did at least six or seven steps and secondly because I found an Apollo Butterfly in the hills just up from our campsite. 

Once again a few provisional ids- please step in with corrections especially the Fritillaries! 

 View over Prutz from adjacent slope

 Northern Wall Brown- smaller than Large Wall Brown with distinctive irregular transverse discal and basal and discal lines in upperwing 

 Closest I can get on this one is Knapweed Fritillary (above and below) of the Southern Alps alternans form with a lack of post discal spots (more of a Mellicta upperwing pattern) and a distinctive row of post discal orange spots on the hind underwing. Also a broken mid line in the discal band and no contrast in the sub-margin and outer margin. 

 This one looks good for High Brown Fritillary with large discal spots on upperwing and distinctive white-pupiled, reddish-brown post discal spots on underwing and white pearls on sub-margin of underwing

 The small size contrast between the yellowish margin and paler sub-margin lunules, combined with the reddish post-discal band suggests either a female Nickerl's or Assman's Fritillary

 Arran Brown- the distinctive under hind-wing markings makes this relatively easy to identify  

 Lulworth Skipper - hopefully that black line in the upper forewing excludes all other similar looking skippers in the region 

 Clouded Apollo 

 Apollo- the only shot I could get as it was mainly flying round. I actually heard the sound of its wing as it took off! Was hoping to sneak this in on this trip.

Five-spot Burnet type 

 Our third camp site of the trip- not a particularly great site but certainly in a great location 

View over Prutz. If the van holds up will be heading down that valley in the background tomorrow. 

European Road Trip Days 17 and 18 - The Austrian Alps, Tirol

Based in Prutz at the moment in the Tirol region of the Austrian Alps. Golden Eagle, Nutcrackers, Honey Buzzard, Crested Tits, Crossbills, Hawfinches and Crag Martins on the bird front but with most of the action being with the butterflies and botany. 

Here's a few pictures and provisional ids. Corrections as always welcome. 

View from the visitor's centre viewing platform 

 Large Yellow Foxglove

 Fragrant Orchid 

 Early Purple Orchid 

 Marsh Orchid sp

 Burnt-tip Orchid 

 Meadow Clary

 Bistort sp?

 Scarce Copper 

 Pearl Bordered Fritillary (above and below) 

 Mellicta sp maybe Nickerl's or Assman's Fritillary (above and below) 

 Close I can get with these is False Heath Fritillary (above and two below)  

Cranberry Blue- the orange spot with black framed silver blue attached spot is distinctive 

Dingy Skipper 

 Chimney Sweeper 

Transparent Burnet 

View down towards Prutz