Azerbaijan Spring 2024- Other Wildlife

The focus on our trip was Spring birding but naturally we also kept an eye out for other wildlife too. My moth trapping plans got a bit scuppered as I couldn't recharge the battery between stopovers and then when we did settle down at a hotel it was in the middle of Baku and zero moths around. However I did get the moth trap up in Laza and also we were able to find moths in the traditional ways of outdoor lights and toilet blocks. 

There wasn't many butterflies on the wing (a bit early in the season and windy too) and we didn't do any targeted herping (although planning a specific trip for this). We dipped both East Caucasian Tur and Caspian Seal and didn't have many mammals except the usual Goitered Gazelles at Shirvan (and one at Absheron) and Brown Hare at Absheron. There was a bit of decent odonata action at Gizilgaj when we went south to twitch Shikra. 

Hopefully the next trip to Azerbaijan will be herping and lep focused, which is probably best in later May. 

World list of the species group I 'collect' is now on 4956 HERE (several more unidentified moths and a dragonfly too from this trip) 

Caspian bent-toed Gecko, Tenuidactylus caspius. We found two of these that had trapped themselves in a bucket at Shirvan.

Mesobuthus zarudnyi at Shirvan- a species of scorpion only described in 2022 from Azerbaijan Paper Here (Thanks Zulfu for info and id). 

Levantine Viper, Macrovipera lebetinus. Unfortunately it wouldn't put it's head up. Fortunately Vincent got a better of one later (below). We also had Montpellier's Snake and Dice Snake at Absheron. 

Swallowtail- quite a dark one 

Synaphe moldavica at Shirvan

Aspen Lappet, Phyllodesma tremulifolium from the Laza trap

Paington Snout, Hypena obesalis from the Laza trap

Banded/ Hebe Tiger Arctia festiva at the Griz Homestay

Cream-spot Tiger- quite a few at Shirvan and the odd one else where. Quite a lot of variation, i.e. this was one of the palest

Grass moth sp from Shirvan

Not sure what this is, Black Darter or Black Pennant maybe?

Green-eyed/Norfolk Hawker