Lisbon 2016

After the fantastic foray into Europe last year we thought we’d treat the girls to the west of Europe, so where better to head than Portugal? It was going to be a city based holiday so I wasn’t too hopeful of seeing any butterflies but took my camera anyway reasoning that there might be some parks to visit or at least some green spaces which could throw up a butterfly or two…

9th August – Journey Day!

A very full breakfast, a quick check around the room and we were away from the Travelodge. When I say very full it was even bigger than the Limit Cafes Aberystwyth’s breakfast so I actually rolled to the car when doing one of several trips to the load the car. During this I noted both Small and Large White but not much else. Just before we left my wife wanted to film a plane coming in to land so I enjoyed the surreal experience of watching an Emperor Dragonfly moving slowly towards me and coming to a stop to hover close in to the soundtrack of rumbling jet engines. After this it was all airport security, plane, bus, metro and a brief wander round lost until we found the apartment.

10th August First Day

A stroll around Alfarma to find an open Supermercado threw up zilch butterflies during the wander out but on the way back a blue of some description did a fly-by which given the very medieval/urban habitat was quite encouraging. Later we decided to walk to one of the city’s parks, the Jardin da Estela and on the way I saw a further 3 bluey grey butterflies none of which stopped and all where gone in a flash. Discontent I took a photo of a camera shop as their emblem was a butterfly as I felt that this may be the only butterfly I was going to get a shot of!
This did change when we got to the Jardin where I saw a couple of blues and a White. However it was now ludicrously hot (35+) so they were solar charged and of the three I think I got a single shot. I think it was a Long-tailed Blue which I was chuffed to see but also gutted as with this sighting a crate of Badger Beer from my friend, Philzoid, evaporated.

We went further into the park and the girls had a play so I nipped off. At the first little section of flowers I found a small, female Blue. I know she was a female as she saw off a second passing/interested Blue and also did some ovi-positing. I reckon she was a Lang’s Short-tailed Blue as the underside didn’t show the broad white line of a Long-tail.

Slightly up the hill was a patch of Geraniums and this was a very active little site with Blues flying but never stopping, at last 5 of them. Also present were 3 smaller, greyer looking butterflies which turned out to be Geranium Bronzes. A Specklie fluttered by but landed far too high up for any successful photos although it was easy to see the difference between the races as this Specklie was brown and marmalade.

A small pond even further up the hill didn’t look particularly good but there I got onto a photo taking opportunity of a LTB (that crate of Badger Beer was definitely gone now) and a couple of whites again fluttered by without stopping.

As we left the park there were a few more Blue/White sightings as well as a Hummingbird Hawk Moth, Parakeets and a Xylocopa violacea – a huge blue/violet bee. Once ‘home’ (via the metro so no butterflies) I happened to look out of the window. A Blue had landed 3 floors below so I rushed down the very steep flights of stairs and outside. It had landed in a tiny patch of grass and my wife had been watching the spot so I knew that it hadn’t flown but it just wasn’t visible. I turned to move off and then it flew and disappeared above the roofs. I slowly climbed the stairs hoping that the rest of the holiday wasn’t going to as hard as this…

Thursday 11th August Castello da Sao Jorge

I wasn’t hopeful for todays’ haul of butterflies as we were set to have a ‘quiet day’ and just spend time up at the Castle. There were stunning views, a visit to the camera obscura and preserved archaeological digs. It was a fantastic place to visit and I leant so much about Portuguese and Lisbon’s history however on the wildlife front it was pretty dire – 2 Whites, a Brimstone, Specklie and LTB all seen and not one photographed. Again because of the high temperature everything was hyper. I did enjoy the Parrots (Monks) as did Little L but I still can’t see how the butterflying is going to improve. Hopefully the parks at the weekend or a visit to Sintra will be better and I can maybe persuade to the girls to visit the huge national park near Lisbon’s centre...

Friday 12th August The Oceanarium

I doubted whether we would make the visit to the Oceanarium. It didn’t start well with a baking Metro journey and then a walk across concrete and tarmac in the roiling heat. Having gotten the tickets we headed back out to have our lunch in the nicely shaded picnic area. Whilst the girls let their lunch go down I had a quick mooch around the tiny park which was actually more like a small collection of bushes. There were plenty of lizards around, a few dragonflies and two butterflies. One blue which flew away almost as soon as I’d noticed it and a Geranium Bronze. I was joined by Little L who was intent on feeding some of her lettuce to the lizards which she did manage a couple of times before I was quick enough to catch it on film.

After the Oceanarium my wife wanted a sit down and the girls had their ice creams so I nipped off for 15 minutes and found another park just over the road. A few whites flew by here and there along with several blues including a new species for the trip - a (Southern) Common Blue as well as a Swallowtail. I followed it as it drifted down the three levels of terrace but decided not to follow it across than the busy main road. Instead I made my way back to the top of the terraces and latched onto a Lang’s egg laying.

Fifteen minutes up and back with the family the girls had finished their ice creams and fancied a dip/mess around in the fountains so I was let loose for another 15 minutes back at the Terraces. Again there were a couple of whites to greet me with the usual collection of Blues and up at the top a Clouded Yellow bombed on by. A small patch on Terrace two held the usual suspects including a Long-tail which actually stopped for long enough to enable a few shots. If only could find a Scarce Swallowtail or some of the Gatekeepers?

Oh well pleased with what I’d got I headed back to rejoin the family again by which time the girls were completely soaked. It didn’t matter though as in the stupendous heat they were dry in the 10 minutes it took to walk back to the Metro station.

Saturday 13th August – Round and about Lisbon

This was to be the big one – not for butterflies but for sightseeing. We started off on the Number 28 Tram which rumbled right the way through Lisbon before we alighted back at Estrela Park and wandered down to Tampodes do Neumides. Well it was more of a hike than a wander as it seems that all the street maps and the very helpful people on the internet that gave directions have no idea of scale/time. Still when we finally reached the park it was thankfully in the shade and as we enjoyed our lunch a Specklie landed and settled for some closed wing shots. I know this is a different race but it could almost be a different species, a Wall x Speckled Wood hybrid almost. Round the rest of the garden there were the ever present Geranium Bronze along with the usual ‘couple of blues’ but nothing was landing or settling in the blistering heat.

We then got the bus to Rato and walked down the Liberade. On one small grass verge at Pombal a Geranium Bronze and three blues were around. One actually landed and settled for long enough for a couple of shots, a Long-tail. It was clearly evident what the selective advantage was of those ‘tails’ as most of the Long-tails that I’d seen, including this one, actually lacked their tail, taken perhaps during a bird strike. After this there wasn’t much to tell nature wise as we adapted to our urban setting perusing shops, observing the street life and absorbing the way things are done in Portugal.

Sunday 14th August Out and about in Lisbon…

This turned into a quiet day as after the very busy day yesterday the girls were starting to flag. So the morning was spent toodling round in the town picking up some buts and bobs and getting tram, bus and train times to various places for out final day tomorrow. We kept to the shaded side of the streets and ducked into shops where possible to take advantage of the air-conditioning.
After lunch I headed out solo while the others had a siesta. I’d checked the map and followed a route which would take in a couple more of the small parks. The first stop was at Martim Monchoz which was more a piazza with a few areas of vegetation. Despite the very poor concrete to vegetation ratio I was still able to find a Geranium Bronze.

I then made my way to the promising looking Jardim de Torrell. Set on the side of the hill it stepped down the slope in a series of terraces which on the map had been coloured green but in reality were more a beige of dried vegetation and grey of concrete. I didn’t see a single butterfly here but consoled myself with some Wall Lizards and the sighting of a Black Redstart.

The final and furthest garden of my solo jaunt – Campo dos Marities da Patria – was flatter, greener and great. As I arrived and crossed the road to start following the little path round a Swallowtail glided into view and landed long enough for a couple of shots. It then fluttered a little further away and again landed for a few photos before sailing off down the hill heading where I did not know. Also here were the usual Geranium Bronze, Lang’s and Long-tails as well as a Small White (I’ve checked and it’s not a Southern Small White) as well as a Yellow Legged Gull.

I headed home hoping for a final massive trip to Sintra and set to researching. My hopes were quickly shattered as the combined cost of the return train journey and smallest of the available tours was prohibitive. My hopes of some non-urban Portuguese butterflying disappeared. Maybe tomorrow I could get to the National Park or some other parks?

Monday 15th August Praia de Tamariz Close to Estoril

As this was the final day it would have been a shame to have just ‘toodled’ around in the city again so we did what a lot of Portuguese families did and took the train to the beach. We headed to Tamariz. On the journey I eagerly watched out of the window for any butterflies and apart from a large orangey butterfly (a possible Monarch?) nothing was showing.

Upon arrival we strolled down the concourse, took the underpass and there we were already on the beach. We set of camp and the girls went for a paddle and made sand shapes in between strolling around the rocks looking for fishes. I took myself off to examine the grounds of the local park/casino gardens and inviting looking oasis of greenery surrounded by building s on three sides and the sea on the fourth. I soon discovered that what had looked like an oasis was more like a mirage as there was nothing about not even a pigeon! I carried on checking out any and every available plant holder and shrub but only turned up a Black Redstart and a Painted Lady.

Once the girls were sated with sun and sea we took the train back and had a stroll round the local markets before heading back. While the girls got cleaned up I packed and then while they rested I took a final trip out. This time I was heading towards the Botanical Gardens. The local guides that I’d read online all seemed to suggest that this was a must visit site and so I entered hopefully. Traipsing around in the heat I was surprised by the lack of butterflies. I arrived at the ‘butterfly house’, a large greenhouse open to the elements and planted with a host of native plant species to encourage local butterflies to breed here, was closed for repairs. This was probably the biggest blow of the holiday. I peered through the gate and could just make out a Monarch at the furthest end of the enclosure but I couldn’t get my camera to focus on it as it was so far away and the also because of the close proximity of the gate panels. So there was one of the lifers that I’d hoped for just out of reach. I checked out the other areas finding a few Lang’s and Long-tails but nothing stopped. So I headed home dusted and dead tried.

The following morning we packed up and shipped out back home. So from this trip I learnt an important lesson – on city holidays take your camera just in case but don’t expect too much! Still I did manage to pick up 4 lifers and get photos of three so in terms of butterflies it wasn’t all bad and in terms of a family holiday it was excellent!