We are back from a busy week in the Istrian peninsula, co-guiding a wildlife trip for Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays. The official holiday's report is still in preparation and for the moment we'll just post here some of the photos. Istria is a large peninsula in NW Croatia that also stretches, for a small portion into SW Slovenia. Most of our field trips were thus in Croatia, with a few occasional ramblings into Slovenia and NE Italy (on the last day). We observed a wide variety of wildlife, from birds to butterflies and a rich flora too. Some of the most interesting birds included Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca, Roller Coracias garrulus, Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana & Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala, Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Iduna pallida, Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, Pallid Swift Apus pallidus and Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus.
Below is a selection of the wildlife we managed to photograph: first birds & mammals, then butterflies & insects and finally plants (lots of orchids!). Enjoy!
Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala - Mirna valley.
Also had a brief encounter with a Roller Coracias garrulus nearby.
Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana - Mt. Učka.
Close by we also observed a spontaneously-singing Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca.
Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans - Cape Kamenjak.
Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta - Cape Kamenjak.
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis - Mirna Valley.
Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus - Istarske toplice.
Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius - Istarske toplice.
Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus - Savudrija.
The Honeyguide group at Savudrija.
Chequered Blue Scolitantides orion - Istarske toplice.
Black Hairstreak Satyrium pruni - Nova vas.
Lesser Purple Emperor Apatura ilia - Istarske toplice.
Adonis Blue Polyommatus bellargus - Brgudac.
Amanda's Blue Polyommatus amandus - Movraška vala (Slovenia).
Baton Blue Pseudophilotes vicrama - Istarske toplice.
Southern White Admiral Limenitis reducta - Oprtalj.
Large Chequered Skipper Heteropterus morpheus - Savudrija.
Glanville Fritillary Melitaea cinxia - Cape Kamenjak.
Knapweed Fritillary Melitaea phoebe - Istarske toplice.
Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia - Brgudac.
Nickerl's Fritillary Melitaea aurelia - Senožeče (Slovenia).
Pearly Heath Coenonympha arcania - Oprtalj.
Cream-spot Tiger Arctia (Epicallia) villica - Nova vas.
Eastern Stone Grasshopper Prionotropis hystrix - Movraž (Slovenia).
Sub-Mediterranean dry grassland near Movraž - habitat of the Eastern Stone Grasshopper.
Saw-tailed Bush-cricket Polysarcus denticauda - Movraž (Slovenia).
"Beech Longhorn Beetle" Morimus funereus - Istarske toplice.
"Scopoli's Longhorn Beetle" Cerambyx scopolii - Senožeče (Slovenia).
Dalmatian Wall Lizard Podarcis melisellensis - Cape Kamenjak.
European Pond Terrapin Emys orbicularis - Isola della Cona (Italy).
Adriatic Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum adriaticum - Istarske toplice.
Pink Butterfly Orchid Anacamptis papilionacea - Tar.
Loose-flowered Orchid Anacamptis laxiflora - Buzet.
Violet Limodore Limodorum abortivum - Oprtalj.
Long-lipped Serapias Serapias vomeracea - Buzet.
Tongue Orchid Serapias lingua - Cape Kamenjak.
Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera - Škocjanski zatok NR (Slovenia).
Late Spider Orchid Ophrys holosericea (fuciflora) - Oprtalj.
Bug Orchid Anacamptis coriophora ssp. fragrans - Cape Kamenjak.
Lady Orchid Orchis purpurea - Mt. Učka.
Frog Orchid Coeloglossum viride - Mt. Učka.
Burt-tip Orchid Neotinea ustulata - Senožeče (Slovenia).
Globe Orchid Traunsteinera globosa - Mt. Učka.
Common Poppy Papaver rhoeas - Savudrija.
Cornflower Centaurea cyanus - Nova vas.
Corncockle Agrostemma githago - Nova vas.
Large Venus's-looking-glass Legousia speculum-veneris - Nova vas.
Montpellier Cistus Cistus monspeliensis - Cape Kamenjak.
Cistus incanus - Cape Kamenjak.
Hare's Tail Grass Lagurus ovatus - Cape Kamenjak.
Tommasini's Sandwort Moehringia tommasinii - Istarske toplice.
Ground-pine Ajuga chamaepitys - Istarske toplice.
Smoke Bush Cotinus coggygria & karst edge above Istarske toplice.
Matted Globularia Globularia cordifolia - Mt. Učka.
Grass-leaved Iris Iris graminea - Brgudac.
Siberian Iris Iris sibirica - Movraška vala (Slovenia).
White Asphodel Asphodelus albus - Brgudac.
Steppe Grass Stipa eriocaulis & Jurinea mollis - Movraž (Slovenia).
View from Movraški Kuk in Slovenia to the Karst edge and city of Trieste in the distance.
The fortified Holy Trinity Church of Hrastovlje.
Istrian rural landscape with the village of Oprtalj.
The town of Motovun & the Motovun forest in the Mirna valley.
