Monday 21 July 2014

Smrekova draga, Mali Golak, Kucelj

Gentiana lutea ssp. symphyandra
Potentilla caulescens growing out of the rocks by the road on mount Čaven.
Centaurea rupestris
Epipactis atrorubens
Onobrychis alba - a rare plant in Slovenia: found only on the southern edge of Trnovski gozd and on a few locations in the Vipava valley.
Sambucus racemosa
Cyclamen purpurascens - a sight of the incoming autumn...
Daphne mezereum - very attractive, but very poisonous.
Rhododendron hirsutum coming to the end of its flowering season in Trnovski gozd.
Pinguicula alpina with a fly caught on its sticky leaves. A semi-carnivorous plant.
Sphagnum nemoreum (moss) found in the stands of Pinus mugo on the bottom of Smrekova draga.
Vaccinium myrtillus
Lonicera nigra with berries
Lycopodium sp. (a common moss in Smrekova draga)
"The Rock" on the bottom of Smrekova draga; covered with Pinus mugo, Rhododendron hirsutum (pinkish flowers), Juniperus communis and Salix sp.
Norway spruce Picea abies forest on the bottom of Smrekova draga. A community known as Lonicero caeruleae-Piceetum. Phytocenology is so cool!
Spent an interesting day botanising in Trnovski gozd. Visited the karstic doline of Smrekova draga, the top of mt. Mali Golak (1495 m) in the forest interior and mt. Kucelj (1237 m) on the southern edge of the forest. So combined species of moister microclimates (Smrekova draga) with forest species and heat-loving species of upland karstic grassland (Kucelj). Needles to say I didn't pay much attention to birds (which are not very active at this time of year) and only saw a few Crossbills Loxia curvirostra, Willow Tits Poecile montanus, Raven Corvus corax, Rock Bunting Emberiza cia, Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, heard a few Bullfinches Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Crested Tits Lophophanes cristatus and commoner forest birds.