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| The unmistakable silhouette of Mt. Nanos |
It's been a calm couple of days with no particular "serious" birding being done. This afternoon and on Friday I visited the Glinščica valley (Val Rosandra) while accompanying a group of people. Not many birds were to be seen except 4
Blue Rock Thrushes, a few
Wood Warblers in the trees, Alpine Swifts overhead, 1 Honey Buzzard and common woodland birds.
White-clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) in the Glinščica stream were good to see though.
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| Drypis spinosa ssp. jacquiniana - the most characteristic plant on limestone screes |
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| Grasses on limestone scree in the Glinščica valley |
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| White-clawed Crayfish Austropotamobium pallipes |
Yesterday instead I went to look for Dotterels on mount Vremščica with a friend, but of course without success. A juvenile
MONTAGU'S HARRIER was seen hunting over the grassy slopes and a few
Wheatears and Whinchats were of note, along with this autumn's first
Tree Pipits calling overhead. A juvenile
Tawny Pipit and a family of Stonechats represented the local breeders. Also 2 Red-backed Shrikes, but not many around now. Spotted and
Pied Flycatchers are common in wooded areas at the moment. Also the first migrating flocks of House Martins and Swallows are beginning to appear in the skies. Some parts of Vremščica's grassy slopes are now appearing purple-covered with flowering heather
(Calluna vulgaris).
Local patch: a few days ago a
Peregrine put on brief show when it appeared above the karstic ridge, mobbed by a female Sparrowhawk. The same day also 2 Honey Buzzards, Alpine Swifts, 2 Ravens, 1 female
Golden Oriole, Nightingale, Swallows flying past and a good movement of migrant House Martins. Short-toed Treecreeper and Nuthatch now quite regularly heard from the house, while the sea holds a Med Gull or two.
