Yesterday, I finally connected with my most wanted butterfly in Belgium; the beautiful Large Copper. This scarce and much sought-after species is restricted to a few, scattered localities in the southern half of the province of Luxembourg. I had visited one of their strongholds in early June but came up with a blank, so a recent sighting of several individuals was a sign that the second generation were now on the wing. I thus gave it another try and, sure enough, found three or four, very fresh-looking individuals of both sexes (male above, female below).
The area was fantastic for coppers in general, with Sooty Coppers absolutely everywhere plus a few Small Coppers. There were lots of Red-backed Shrikes around too, plus several individuals of both Black and Red Kite, one the latter having an in-flight scuffle with a pair of Hobbies. This lovely artwork at the reserve entrance gives a good impression of the area.
