Ptice Slovenije, Evrope in Sredozemlja... with Killian Mullarney

The end of March 2025 marked a very important moment in Slovenian ornithology and birding. The first ever Slovene translation of the legendary Collins Bird Guide was published. We took the very ambitious task to translate the book at DOPPS - BirdLife Slovenia and after a year and a half (and with the work of 20 voluntary translators), the book is now finally out! Although the book is obviously in Slovene, it could be of interest to some of the readers of this blog too - you can buy it on DOPPS' online shop. The translation is of the book's 3rd and latest updated edition from 2022.

Favourite plates? Woodpeckers of course! Guess who translated these?

The very special moment of the book's official launch was honoured by the presence of a very special guest: Killian Mullarney, one of the book's co-authors and illustrators, came to visit us in Slovenia and gave a talk at the book's presentation. The event was live-streamed on YouTube and is available for watching here (Killian's talk from minute 26:10 approximately). As Killian visited us for a couple of days, we also had the opportunity to spend some time in the field with him and show him some of our best birding locations (and birds) in Slovenia. He was a very pleasant company in the field and was very kind to sign a huge amount of the book's copies - he had quite a lot of work with that!

Killian Mullarney giving a talk at the book's presentation (video of the talk, from min 26:10).

In the field with Killian Mullarney at Škocjanski zatok NR

 

More or less at the same time, the spring issue of our members's magazine Svet ptic (of which Domen is the editor) was published. In it we also featured an interview with Killian in Slovene, while a longer online version of the interview in English can be read here.

Svet ptic bird magazine featuring the interview with Killian Mullarney & our brand new field guide in Slovene.

2024 - summer to winter review

At the end of the year we feel it almost compulsory to find some time to put together a blog. Actually, if you have overlooked it, we recently produced also another blog summarising Domen's new position as editor of BirdLife Slovenia's magazine Svet ptic. Regarding wildlife, fortunately we have already summed up a lot of what was going on this year in our Spring season review, featuring the 2024 highlights from spring to early summer. The second part of the year was more quiet and mostly involved outings in our free time around the Karst and the Dinaric mountains close to home. Despite our more relaxed "family tempo" we still managed to see interesting stuff. So here are some photos from the summer to the winter season of 2024. Enjoy!

Yearly appointment with the huge Great Capricorn Beetle Cerambyx cerdo at Lipica, June.

Yellow-bellied Toad Bombina variegata singing in a ditch near Postojna, June.

Woodland Brown Lopinga achine, mount Snežnik, June. An abundant butterfly in the Dinaric forests.

Martagon Lily Lilium martagon during a hike on mount Snežnik in July.

Black Stork Ciconia nigra at Cerkniško jezero in July.

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris in one of the villages around Cerkniško jezero, July.

Our place for the summer holidays, on the edge of Cerkniško jezero (Cerknica lake), July.

Black Stork Ciconia nigra juvenile exploring the world during one of its first outings, July.

Alpine Rosalia alpina (below) & Beech Longhorn Beetle Morimus funereus (above) on the Snežnik plateau in July.

Alpine Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra, Snežnik plateau, July.

Old-growth beech & silver fir forest on the Snežnik plateau in July.

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis besides an endemic Justin's Bellflower Campanula justiniana, Snežnik plateau, July.

Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus chick on the nest, Karst, July. This summer we were monitoring the species' nesting territories within the Kras4us project and managed to locate two nests.

Exploring the Gorski Kotar region in Croatia, just a few kilometres from Slovenia's southern border and representing the natural continuation of Snežnik's Dinaric mountains, August.

Common Frog Rana temporaria at the spring of the river Reka in August.

The valley of the charismatic river Reka close to its spring (Vele vode) in Croatia, August.

Birding in the Dinaric forests be like. Mt. Suhi Vrh (1313 m) on the Nanos plateau in August.

"Primeval" Common Buzzard Buteo buteo on the Nanos plateau, August.

Looking for Dotterel Charadrius morinellus on the amazing dry limestone grasslands on Mt. Vremščica (1027 m) in September. We're privileged to have such a beautiful place literally on our doorsteps.

Autumn Lady's-tresses Spiranthes spiralis, Karst, September. This pic was taken in a meadow close to our home, where we counted more than 500 specimens of this late-flowering orchid.

Dipper Cinclus cinclus on the river Reka near Škocjanske jame in September.

River Reka a few kilometres before it sinks underground at the Škocjan caves (Škocjanske jame), September.

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola, Škocjanski zatok NR, September.

Lilford's White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos ssp. lilfordi on the Snežnik plateau in September.

A giant Red-belted Conk Fomitopsis pinicola in an old-growth forest on the Snežnik plateau, September.

A possible den of Brown Bear Ursus arctos in a secluded area of the Snežnik plateau, September.

Sušica stream at the contact between the flysch Brkini hills and the limestone Karst, October.

Ural Owl Strix uralensis in the Brkini hills, October.

Ural Owl habitat - cool and shady beech forests in the Brkini hills, October.

Fire Salamander Salamandra salamandra, Brkini hills, October. The forest floor is teeming with these on wet, rainy days.

Possibly Fomes fomentarius on a fallen tree in the Brkini hills, October.

Boletus erythropus growing under a Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa, Brkini hills, October.

Two views of the same species: Beefsteak Fungus Fistulina hepatica in the oak forests near Divača, October. Note the second pic - is there anything else more "karstic" in nature than this fungus, perfectly resembling our typical kraški pršut (dry-cured ham)?

Coral Tooth Fungus Hericium coralloides, Divača, October. Surely the most amazing find of the season in our local oak forest - a dead Turkey Oak Quercus cerris infested with some amazing specimens of this rare fungus. We've never found any Hericium in the Karst before, although we frequently stick to places with dead wood.

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos carrying part of a carcass from the Karst towards the Nanos plateau, October.

Cows on pasture on the Vrhe plateau (the geographical border between Karst & Vipava valley) with Mt. Nanos in the background, October.

Autumn colours in the old-growth forest on Snežnik plateau, October.

Shortly after "flushing" a Brown Bear Ursus arctos through the mugo pines on the Snežnik plateau. The encounter was so brief that the only photo I could take was a selfie! First I saw some pine branches waving violently, then heard the bear panting and finally saw it running away at full speed. One of those typical adrenaline-filled encounters from the Dinaric forests!

Another giant: Artist's Bracket Ganoderma applanatum, Snežnik plateau, October. There's always plenty of large-sized bracket fungi in old-growth forests!

Ural Owl Strix uralensis, Karst, October.

Oak forest in the flysch hills at the edge of the Karst in October.

Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria in our local patch at Škocjanske jame (a regular wintering site) in October.

Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum, Loški Potok, October.

Showing a Ural Owl Strix uralensis to some visiting friends in Snežnik's forests in November. After an unsuccessful day searching for it, we spotted this Ural Owl at sunset, while driving back home on a forest road. We watched the bird for a long time from the car, as it hunted rodents just along the road!

Unusual autumn blooming of Mountain Pasqueflower Pulsatilla montana in the Karst, November.

Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus, Škocjanski zatok NR, November. A flock of at least 6 birds is wintering at the reserve, after several years of absence.

A "showy" Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus at Škocjanski zatok NR, December.

Black Pine Down! Domen's little contribution to the preservation of Karst's dry grasslands: using non-native Black Pines Pinus nigra for our Christmas needs!

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis, Cerkniško jezero, December. An annual rarity in Slovenia and always a pleasure to see.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocoptes medius inspecting a roosting hole, Karst, December.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dryobates minor, Karst, December.

Lucky find in the Karst during fieldwork on the very last day of 2024.

Last day of the year spent measuring trees with Short-toed Eagle's Circaetus gallicus nests in the Karst.