Wild Slovenia in Spring - Naturetrek tour

We are just back from a busy two weeks in the field, mainly based around the Notranjska region. We've been co-leading a general wildlife tour for Naturetrek as well as doing short custom trips, both to Notranjska and Primorska, including two interesting days in the company of Peter Alfrey (his posts here & here). The places we visited include: lake Cerknica, mount Slivnica, Javorniki & Snežnik mountains, Loška dolina, Planinsko polje, Rakov Škocjan, mount Nanos & Vremščica and some Karst around Divača and Sežana. Due to the high temperatures and summer weather we were mostly enjoying in butterflies (saw around 50 species) and plants, whilst birds were thinner on the ground. Among birds we observed both Ural Owl Strix uralensis & Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus as well as Black Stork Ciconia nigra (on a daily basis) and commoner open-areas birds like Corncrake Crex crex, Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria, Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus, Quail Coturnix coturnix, Whinchat Saxicola rubetra, Hoopoe Upupa epops & Curlew Numernius arquata (probably breeding at lake Cerknica). Among mammals the most interesting was a chorus of 2-3 howling Golden Jackals Canis aureus in the middle of the day, in the Karst near Divača. Below is a long selection of photos, arranged more or less in a "habitat order", starting with forest, then wet meadows, grasslands and finally mountain pastures. Enjoy!

Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus, Javorniki mountains.
The activity at the nest continues; juveniles have fledged and the adults are more active at the nest-hole at the moment.

Ural Owl Strix uralensis, Loška dolina.
We've seen two different birds; one at the nestbox site and the other flushed from the road.

Poplar Admiral Limenitis populi, Snežnik mountains.
One of the highlights of the Naturetrek tour. A rare species in Slovenia, due to the rarity of its food plant - Aspen Populus tremula.

Scarce Fritillary Euphydryas maturna (right) & Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina (left), Iška river.

Yellow Daylily Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus, Iška river.
A rare plant in the Dinaric mountains, usually found in wet forest along rivers and in gorges.
Thanks to Christiane Weisbecker for the find & directions!

Hungarian Glider Neptis rivularis, Planina cave.

Martagon Lily Lilium martagon, Iška river.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary Clossiana euphrosyne, Loška dolina.

Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina, Iška river.

Red Helleborine Cephalanthera rubra, Iška river.
An unexpected and excellent find - rare species in the Notranjska region.

Large Yellow Foxglove Digitalis grandiflora, Iška river.

Justin's Bellflower Campanula justiniana, Planina cave. 

An endemic species of southern Slovenia and NW Croatia.

Summer Bolete Boletus aestivalis, Javorniki mountains.

Horvath's Rock Lizard Iberolacerta horvathi, Rakov Škocjan. 

A rare lizard of south-eastern Europe.

Dice Snake Natrix tessellata, river Kokra (northern Slovenia).

White Admiral Limenitis camilla, mount Slivnica.

Woodland Brown Lopinga achine, mount Slivnica.

Lesser Butterfly-orchid Platanthera bifolia, Javorniki mountains.

Greater Butterfly-orchid Platanthera chlorantha, Snežnik forests.

White Helleborine Cephalanthera damasonium, mount Slivnica.

Deadly Nightshade Atropa belladonna, Cerkniško jezero.

Bladder-nut Styphylea pinnata, Cerkniško jezero.

Wet meadows at Cerkniško jezero (by the Cerknica lake).

Illyrian Gladiolus Gladiolus illyricus, Cerkniško jezero.

Marsh Helleborine Epipactis palustris, Cerkniško jezero.

Bog Orchid Anacamptis palustris, Cerkniško jezero.

Large Copper Lycaena dispar, Cerkniško jezero.

Marsh Gentian Gentiana pneumonanthe, Planinsko polje.

False Heath Fritillary Melitaea diamina, Cerkniško jezero.

Common Hedgehyssop Gratiola officinalis, Bloška planota.

Fen Ragwort Senecio paludosus, Cerkniško jezero.

Ashy-headed Wagtail Motcailla flava ssp. cinereocapilla, Cerkniško jezero.

Wet meadows with Shining Meadow-rue Thalictrum lucidum, Planinsko polje.

Flowering-rush Butomus umbellatus, Cerkniško jezero.

Narrow-leaved Water Plantain Alisma lanceolatum, Cerkniško jezero.

Black Stork Ciconia nigra, Cerkniško jezero.

White Stork Ciconia ciconia, Cerkniško jezero.

Traditional haystacks in Loška dolina, called "ostrnice".

Common Poppy Papaver rhoeas in a field of Wheat Triticum aestivum, Cerkniško jezero.

Barley Hordeum vulgare, Cerkniško jezero.

Large Venus's-looking-glass Legousia speculum-veneris, Cerkniško jezero.

Beehives at Cerkniško jezero.

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros, Grad Snežnik.

Adonis Blue Lysandra bellargus, mount Slivnica.

Cream-spot Tiger Epicallia villica, Iška river.

Nettle-tree Butterfly Libythea celtis, Cerkniško jezero.
We found this dead butterfly by the lake as well as seen two live specimen above Koritnice. A species usually associated with coastal and warmer areas of western Slovenia.

Mountain meadows on Vremščica with swathes of flowering Dropwort Filipendula vulgaris.

Geranium Argus Aricia eumedon, mount Nanos & Slivnica. 

We observed this scarce butterfly at least 3 times on different mountains, including several individuals on mount Vremščica.

Chestnut Heath Coenonympha glycerion, mount Vremščica.

Rock Knapweed Centaurea rupestris, Karst.

Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja, Karst.

Marbled White Melanargia galathea, Karst.

Weaver's Fritillary Closiana dia, Karst.

Carniolan Burnet Zygaena carniolica, Karst.

Owlfly Libelloides macaronius, Karst.

Ornate Bush-cricket Poecilimon ornatus, Karst.

Bladder Gentian Gentiana utriculosa, mount Slivnica.

Sticky Flax Linum viscosum, mount Slivnica.

Clustered Bellflower Campanula glomerata, mount Slivnica.

Burnt-tip Orchid Neotinea ustulata, mount Slivnica.

Adriatic Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum adriaticum, Karst.

Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis, Bloška planota.

Great Masterwort Astrantia major, mount Slivnica.

Dark Rampion Phyteuma ovatum, mount Slivnica.

Zahlbruckner's Rampion Phyteuma zahlbruckneri, mount Slivnica.

Orange Lily Lilium bulbiferum, mount Slivnica.

Lurid Bolete Boletus (Suillellus) luridus, mount Slivnica.

 False Helleborine Veratrum album, mount Slivnica.

Flower meadow on mount Slivnica.

Spotted Fritillary Melitaea didyma, Bloška planota.

Assmann's Fritillary Melitaea britomartis, Bloška planota.

Heath Fritillary Melitaea athalia, mount Nanos.

Ilex Hairstreak Satyrium ilicis, mount Nanos.

Small Blue Cupido minimus, mount Nanos.

Black-veined White Aporia crataegi, mount Nanos.

Carniolan Lily Lilium carniolicum, mount Nanos.

Kojnik's Iris Iris sibirica ssp. erirrhiza, mount Nanos.

Birthday on Nanos

Every year on the 31st of May, Domen decides to spend his birthday on the top of mount Nanos (1262 m). This year was no exception and so we made once again the traditional ascent to this amazing mountain in western Slovenia. We started early in the morning from Razdrto, taking the steep, but nevertheless scenic path to the top of the mountain. As usual at this time of year, we enjoyed an amazing array of wildlife, from wildflowers to birds and butterflies. Some very similar reports (from previous years) can be found here (2017) and here (2015); this time we will show you the photos in chronological order, from the starting point in the valley, to the summit.

Mt. Nanos from the start of the path near Razdrto.

Peregrine Falco peregrinus - one of 3 noisy birds (a family) flying around the cliffs under the summit.

"Beech Longhorn Beetle" Morimus funereus - on the path in the thermophilous oak woodland, right at the treeline, under the cliffs.

Daphne alpina - in full bloom on the limestone ridge.

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius - a singing male on the cliffs just over the treeline, 

at around 1000 m a.s.l.

Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis - 4 singing birds observed, including the one above that was holding territory just 100 meters above the Blue Rock Thrush, on the same ridge. 

Genista sericea - in full bloom, this year earlier than usual.

Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus - this bird made a few passages above the summit.

Saw-tailed Bush-cricket Polysarcus denticauda

Mountain Kidney Vetch Anthyllis montana ssp. jacquinii (also pure-white colour variety).

Illyric Iris Iris illyrica

View over the Nanoščica river basin, from the top of Nanos (looking east).

Nanos' summit with grasslands on the southern and forests on the northern slopes.

Grassy slopes on the Nanos' plateau.

"Kojnik's Iris" Iris sibirica ssp. erirrhiza - an endemic subspecies of the Siberian Iris, found on dry mountain grasslands in western Slovenia and NW Croatia.

Clouded Apollo Parnassius mnemosyne - up to 5 of this interesting butterflies on the dry meadows.

Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia - the commonest butterfly on the dry grasslands on Nanos' plateau.

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae on Erysimum sylvestre.

Grass-leaved Iris Iris graminea

Limestone screes on dry slopes are ideal places for the Horn-nosed Viper Vipera ammodytes - one of these beasts (about 60 cm long!) crossed our path while we were descending from the Nanos ridge. Surely the day's most thrilling encounter!

 

Carniolan Lily Lilium carniolicum - in bloom some 10 days earlier than usual, we found several plants in nice flower all over the grassy slopes. A south-east European speciality, found and described in Slovenia (carniolicum=from Carniola=today's Slovenia).

Laburnum sp. Laburnum anagyroides/alpinum - in flower in the thermophilous woodlands on Nanos' southern rocky slopes.

Black Woodpecker's nest

Just a short blog post dedicated to the Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius we've been following recently. A pair bred in a tall beech tree in the Karst, near Sežana and at the end of May we could witness the adult male bring food to its 3 (at least) chicks inside the nest. By now the chicks have most probably already left the nest-hole. Black Woodpecker is a widespread species throughout Slovenia's forests, but breeding behaviour like this is always amazing to watch. The photos and videos were taken from a safe distance from the nest, using powerful zoom lenses and without disturbing the birds. Mitja Cernich took the above pics, while Sara recorded the video (watch it in HD and wide screen mode).