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| Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus |
Second trip to the Julian Alps in a week. Not bad. This time the Kanin mountain range on the border between Italy and Slovenia. Worked the north side of Kanin's plateau and climbed onto Bela peč (2146 m). Still a lot of snow, but also lots of flowers to enjoy (see pics). The highlights on the bird front were some alpine specielities like
SNOWFINCH (2 birds),
Alpine Chough (4-5),
ROCK THRUSH (4-6 birds; mostly juvs), Water Pipit (common),
Ring Ouzel (1 female),
Alpine Accentor (1). Payed attention to the presence of Rock Ptarmigan, but found only a few droppings. Also common were Linnet, Black Redstart, Raven and Dunnock. Here and there in the valleys also a few
Crag Martins and a couple of
Griffon Vultures on the way back home.
A stop at the alpine lake of Cavazzo (Udine) produced a summering
Black-throated Diver (in winter plumage), a Black-necked Grebe and a pair of Tufted Ducks.
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| Pulsatilla alpina |
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| Potentilla nitida |
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| Linum julicum and Silene acaulis |
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| Silene acaulis |
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| Ranunculus traunfellneri |
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| Pedicularis rostratocapitata |
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| Dryas octopetala |
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| Chamorchis alpina (Orchid) |
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| Saxifraga paniculata |
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| Primula auricula - amazingly still in bloom up here |
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| Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta droppings |
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| Alpine rock garden by the path to Bela peč |
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| View from Bela peč towards the north-western part of Kanin's massif. |
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| View north-eastwards with mt. Mangrt in the distance (highest top). |
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| On top of Bela peč (2146 m) - a Rock Ptarmigan paradise! |
