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| Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala |
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| Cistus creticus |
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| Cistus monspeliensis |
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| Cistus salvifolius |
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| Serapias istriaca - endemic orchid of southern Istria and Lošinj island |
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| Serapias lingua |
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| Spartium junceum |
Back from two days of university field trip on the Istrian peninsula (Croatia). Spent most of the time botanising in wooded areas of maquis shrubland and mediterranean evergreen woodland. Still had time to squeeze in a bit of birding. Top highlights included a male
BLACK-HEADED BUNTING (showing nicely on a bush - the above pics are from 2009),
Bee-eater (year's first),
Pallid Swift (colony), both
Melodious and
Icterine Warbler,
Turtle Dove,
Subalpine Warbler (common),
Sardinian Warbler (very common),
Spoonbill,
Tawny Pipit, Red-backed Shrike, Stonechat, Corn, Cirl & Rock Bunting, Golden Oriole and Nightingale in every bush.
