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| Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator, Karst near Trieste (North-east Italy), 29th April 2016. This species is an annual vagrant to the Karst where it regularly turns up in a grassland area near Opčine/Opicina (Trieste). At the site it is usually seen between the second half of April and the beginning of May, with the 29th of April being a "traditional day" (see here). The migration probably involves different individuals, so I presume this isn't the bird I first saw back in 2010. Woodchat Shrike has a Mediterranean range and doesn't breed in Slovenia, but there were some breeding records from north-east Italy. The closest breeding areas are in nearby Croatia. |
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| Iris illyrica (I. pallida ssp. illyrica), Karst near Trieste, 29th April 2016. |
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| Paeonia officinalis, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016. |
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| Paeonia mascula - leaves, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016. This is a much scarcer species than P. officinalis which in Slovenia is only found in the sub-mediterranean biogeographical region. It usually flowers a bit later than its commoner relative. |
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| Asphodelus albus, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016. A species of the high Karst, usually found on more elevated grassy plateaus (600-1000 m). |
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| Orchis morio, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016. |
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| Zerynthia polyxena on Orchis morio, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016. Quite abundant butterfly this year - I see them on almost every visit to the Karst. |
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| Orchis simia, Slovenian Karst, 22nd April 2016. Not so common orchid in Slovenia. Most of the population is in the Primorska region (western Slovenia) which is under the influence of the mediterranean climate. Note the monkey-shaped labellum, which gives the species' name in English (monkey orchid) and in other languages too. |
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| Orchis purpurea, Slovenian Karst, 22nd April 2016. Quite common in some places (light woodlands, shrubs and woodland margins) at this time of year. |
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| Cephalanthera longifolia, Slovenian Karst, 22nd April 2016. Common woodland orchid, in flower from April onwards; later in the season it is joined by the similar C. damasonium. |
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| Listera ovata, Slovenian Karst, 22nd April 2016. Another common woodland orchid throughout Slovenia. |
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| Serin Serinus serinus, Sežana, 30th April 2016. A common bird in towns, villages and gardens. TV aerials are typical singing posts! |
