Spatia Wildlife

Late Butterflies - graylings and ringlets

Late Butterflies - graylings and ringlets ^-NEW-

Wednesday 24^th July - Sunday 4^th August 2013

Similar to the early butterflies, there are a number of species that are on the wing late in the summer and they are also very seldom to be seen on the classic tours in June and July. These are mainly graylings and ringlets, but many other species will be recorded too. Our tour is designed and timed to provide opportunities  for seeing species like the Grey Asian Grayling, Dark Grayling, Brown’s Grayling, Grecian Grayling, Water Ringlet, Black Ringlet, Damon Blue, Balkan Heath and many more. Within the tour we will visit again the three counties – Bulgaria, Greece and Macedonia.

Itinerary

Day 1    

Arrival at Sofia airport and transfer to the foothills of Rila mountain (about one and a half  hours), where we will stay  for  two nights. Stop en-route for Dryad, Purple Emperor, Lesser Purple Emperor, Chequered Blue, Hungarian and Common Gliders.

Day 2    

Today we will explore the highest Rila peak – Musala where we will look for Cynthia’s Fritillary, Balkan   Clouded Yellow,  Shepherd’s Fritillary, Dusky Grizzled  Skipper,  Dewy Ringlet, Nicholl’s Ringlet and Eastern Large Heath.

Day 3    

Transfer to the Pirin mountain, for  a one night stay in Dobrinishte. En-route we will explore another high part of Rila, Treshtenik, where will look for Balkan Copper, False Eros Blue, Bulgarian Ringlet, Large Ringlet, Nichol’s Ringlet, Common  Brassy  Ringlet, Ottoman Brassy Ringlet, Water Ringlet, Bright-eyed Ring- let, Cynthia’s Fritillary.

Day 4    

Today  we will  visit  the high part of Pirin, which we will reach by a chair lift.  Species to be seen are Black Ringlet, Silky Ringlet, Common Brassy Ringlet, Nichol’s Ringlet, Balkan Fritillary, Niobe Fritillary, Large and Purple-shot Coppers, False Grayling, Great-banded Grayling, Large Wall Brown, Alcon Blue.

Day 5    

Transfer to Kresna Gorge where we will spend the day, looking for Little Tiger Blue, Krueper’s  Small  White, Southern White Admiral, White-banded,  Balkan, Delattin’s, Tree and Eastern  Rock  Grayling,  Nettle-tree   Butterfly. Stay overnight for one night in local hotel.

Day 6    

Explore the areas south of the gorge for  species  which we might have  missed the previous day, followed by afternoon transfer to, Pindos Mountain in Greece, where we will stay for 2 nights.

Day 7    

Explore Pindos mountain for Greek Clouded Yellow, Dark, Brown’s,  Grecian, Balkan and False graylings, Freyer’s Fritillary, Balkan Heath, Woodland Ringlet, Esper’s Marbled White, Iolas Blue, Lattice Brown, Northern  Wall Brown and many more.

Days 8 and 9    

Drive  to  Macedonia, where both days we will explore Galichitsa mountain for  Grey  Asian Grayling, Woodland  Grayling, Hermit, Damon Blue, Grecian Anomalous Blue, False Eros Blue,  Russian Heath, Purple and Brown hairstreaks, Esper’s Marbled White, Balkan Marbled White. Two nights stay near Pre- spa Lake.

Day 10  

Drive to Prilep town where we will explore its surroundings for Macedonian, White-banded, Balkan, Delattin’s, Eastern Rock and Tree  graylings, Great Sooty Satyr,  Large Tortoiseshell, Eastern Baton Blue, Lattice Brown. Stay overnight at Prilep.

Day 11  

Today  we are  returning to Bulgaria and  will  overnight near  the  Rila  monastery which surroundings we shall explore in the  afternoon. Last stay overnight within the tour.

Day 12  

Transfer to Sofia airport for you flight back home. Time permitting we will have few stops on the way.