![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-spx4GBZOQfw/U0WX7XI3iKI/AAAAAAAAJLo/ts2svWMD8F8/s1600/00+Cuculus+canorus+DSCN9983.JPG) |
Male Cuckoo Cuculus canorus - the first I see this year |
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Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra |
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Orchis morio (left), Pulsatilla montana (center), Alyssum montanum (right) |
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-RKcj9i_QjRg/U0WYiijidZI/AAAAAAAAJMQ/mCKPztoidfg/s1600/00+Orchis+morio+DSCN9953.JPG) |
Orchis morio in two colour varieties |
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![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-C51Q-KgSZYs/U0WYy4VVUmI/AAAAAAAAJMY/VdXTXCdtbao/s1600/00+Narcissus+poeticus+DSCN9958.JPG) |
Narcissus poeticus |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-geI3dVDCXYU/U0WZH0z9N2I/AAAAAAAAJMg/Yo9bB6Ux1oI/s1600/DSCN9948.JPG) |
Vicia grandiflora |
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Globularia punctata |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-oTQ08DIhqfM/U0WZeL2QHFI/AAAAAAAAJMw/p-X0AFTimPQ/s1600/00+Globularia+cordifolia+DSCN9960.JPG) |
Globularia cordifolia |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-BPP8e2KK4AY/U0WZlko-bGI/AAAAAAAAJM4/RKpNldkD-hA/s1600/00+Pulsatilla+montana+DSCN9926.JPG) |
Pulsatilla montana |
Pleasant spring afternoon spent on the Slovenian Karst. Lots of wildflowers on the meadows and several good spring birds like
Cuckoo (at least 3),
Hoopoe (1 singing), Cirl & Corn Bunting, Skylark & Woodlark,
Lesser Spotted, Green and
Black Woodpecker (4 of the latter). A massive female
Goshawk chasing a Woodpigeon was also a good sight. The most satisfying encounter was that with one of the three singing Cuckoos - a bird perched on the top of a high oak
(above). Spotted after a long stalk through the woodlands. Success at the end!
Yesterday at Škocjanski zatok I also had my first
Nightingales of the year. At least 3 birds were singing in the hedges. One also showed briefly.
The lonely
Common Crane was still present in the freshwater marsh, but it flew north-east in the late morning. One
Little Gull was still around. Otherwise more or less the usual seasonal birds.