Woodchat Shrike, orchids & flowers

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator, Karst near Trieste (North-east Italy), 29th April 2016. This species is an annual vagrant to the Karst where it regularly turns up in a grassland area near Opčine/Opicina (Trieste). At the site it is usually seen between the second half of April and the beginning of May, with the 29th of April being a "traditional day" (see here). The migration probably involves different individuals, so I presume this isn't the bird I first saw back in 2010. Woodchat Shrike has a Mediterranean range and doesn't breed in Slovenia, but there were some breeding records from north-east Italy. The closest breeding areas are in nearby Croatia.

Iris illyrica (I. pallida ssp. illyrica), Karst near Trieste, 29th April 2016.

Paeonia officinalis, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016.

Paeonia mascula - leaves, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016. This is a much scarcer species than P. officinalis which in Slovenia is only found in the sub-mediterranean biogeographical region. It usually flowers a bit later than its commoner relative.

Asphodelus albus, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016. A species of the high Karst, usually found on more elevated grassy plateaus (600-1000 m).

Orchis morio, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016.

Zerynthia polyxena on Orchis morio, Slovenian Karst, 30th April 2016. Quite abundant butterfly this year - I see them on almost every visit to the Karst.

Orchis simia, Slovenian Karst, 22nd April 2016. Not so common orchid in Slovenia. Most of the population is in the Primorska region (western Slovenia) which is under the influence of the mediterranean climate. Note the monkey-shaped labellum, which gives the species' name in English (monkey orchid) and in other languages too.

Orchis purpurea, Slovenian Karst, 22nd April 2016. Quite common in some places (light woodlands, shrubs and woodland margins) at this time of year.

Cephalanthera longifolia, Slovenian Karst, 22nd April 2016. Common woodland orchid, in flower from April onwards; later in the season it is joined by the similar C. damasonium.

Listera ovata, Slovenian Karst, 22nd April 2016. Another common woodland orchid throughout Slovenia.

Serin Serinus serinus, Sežana, 30th April 2016. A common bird in towns, villages and gardens. TV aerials are typical singing posts!

Idrija - the cradle of natural history

Primula carniolica, Idrija, 25th April 2016. A Slovene endemic growing on cliffs in western and part of central Slovenia. It has a quite restricted range and Idrija is its stronghold. This little flower is quite frequent on wet cliffs on the hills and mountains around the town.

Primula auricula, Idrija, 25th April 2016. This (alpine) species is frequently found on the same cliffs with P. carniolica and the two species may sometimes hybridize. The result is the endemic "Idrija primrose" Primula x venusta which has features of both species (photos). It is rare and localised to just a few sites around Idrija, Trnovski gozd and west to the Trebuša valley.

Scopolia carniolica, Idrija, 25th April 2016. Quite common in forests, but most plants are already at the end of the flowering season. In late spring, the large leaves can form real "bushes" (photo above) and the flowers become less visible.

Scopolia carniolica f. hladnikiana at Scopoli's memorial garden, Idrija, 25th April 2016. This is a very rare, yellow-flowered form of Scopolia carniolica and is endemic to Slovenia. It is found in some localities around Idrija and in central Slovenia and got its name after Franc Hladnik (1773-1844), a botanist from Idrija.

Anemone trifolia, Idrija, 25th April 2016. A very common species in the forests, sometimes together with Anemone nemorosa (the usually much commoner cousin).

Paederota lutea, Idrija, 25th April 2016. Alpine species growing commonly on rocks and wet limestone cliffs.

Polygala chamaebuxus, Idrija, 25th April 2016.

Aster bellidiastrum, Idrija, 25th April 2016. A mountain/alpine species found also in wet gorges and cliffs, outside its alpine stronghold.

Lonicera alpigena, Idrija, 25th April 2016.

Lonicera xylosteum, Idrija, 25th April 2016.

Staphylea pinnata, Idrija, 25th April 2016.

Divje jezero ("Wild lake"), Idrija, 25th April 2016. This small lake near Idrija is in fact a karstic spring with a 160 meters deep cave in it! The Olm Proteus anguinus is one of the cave's inhabitants and this location represents the northernmost point of distribution of this Dinaric animal. Have a look at this video on underwater exploring of the lake - the Olm is also featured at the end.

Commemorative plaque on Scopoli's house, Idrija, 25th April 2016.

Yesterday I visited the town of Idrija (W Slovenia) and its surroundings. Idrija is worldly known for its mercury mines (UNESCO World Heritage Site) but among naturalists it's regarded as the Slovene "cradle of natural history". Several naturalists in the 18th and 19th century lived and worked there. Among them, the most famous is Giovanni Antonio Scopoli who around Idrija discovered and named many species of plants and animals new to science. A classical example is "his" Scopolia carniolica (genus name derived directly from his surname). He also published the first book on plants in Slovenia: Flora Carniolica.
Quite interesting is the fact that in the surroundings of Idrija Scopoli also found the Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria and named it Picus muralis. He then sent a specimen to Linnaeus who later described and classified the bird.
In Idrija I visited the house where Scopoli lived (between 1754-1769) and a small botanical garden dedicated to his memory. Some time was also spent in the field, on the hills around Idrija and at Divje jezero (lake), looking for wild flowers obviously!

Endemic cave beetle & Karst's specialties

Leptodirus hochenwartii, cave in Notranjska region, 20th April 2016. An endemic and unique beetle species, inhabiting only some karstic caves in the Notranjska region (central Slovenia). It was firstly discovered in the famous cave of Postojna in 1831 and is actually considered the first cave (troglobite) beetle known to science. More about this species can be found in this paper, written by Slavko Polak (the foremost expert on this subject), who gave me directions to find this amazing animal. The two most distinctive characters of L. hochenwartii are the long "neck" and swollen abdomen. It measures only 7mm.

Leptodirus hochenwartii in its natural habitat on a wet wall, cave in Notranjska region, 20th April 2016.

Troglophilus neglectus, cave in Notranjska region, 20th April 2016.

Troglophilus cavicola, cave in Notranjska region, 20th April 2016. These two grasshoppers aren't true cave animals (troglobionts), but use caves mostly in the winter period (animals known as troglophiles).

Two bat species (still in the process of ID) hibernating in the cave, Notranjska region, 20th April 2016.

Stalagmites and stalactites in the cave, Notranjska region, 20th April 2016.

Paeonia officinalis, Slovenian Karst, 18th April 2016. This beautiful flower is now in bloom in warm Karstic woodlands and shrubs. Can be quite numerous in some areas, but the flowering time is quite short though.

Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans, Slovenian Karst, 18th April 2016. A migrant in the bushes - otherwise a scarce breeder along the coast of Trieste and parts of SW Slovenia. It is far commoner in Istria and downwards throughout coastal Croatia. 

Fritillaria orientalis, Slovenian Karst, 18th April 2016. The flower in the first pic is being eaten by a grasshopper, while the second pic shows the variation in the flower colour of this species. Where I took these pics, F. orientalis was very common. Some dry karstic grasslands can be full of them.

Pulsatilla montana, Slovenian Karst, 18th April 2016. A photo showing both the flowers and "fruits" of this interesting dry grassland's plant.

Globularia cordifolia, Slovenian Karst, 18th April 2016. Quite similar to G. punctata, but a bit scarcer.

Amelanchier ovalis, Slovenian Karst, 18th April 2016.

Zerynthia polyxena, Slovenian Karst, 17th April 2016. A quite common butterfly in Slovenia this year.

Morimus funereus Slovenian Karst, 20th April 2016. A protected (Natura 2000) species of the Cerambycidae family. Still quite common in Slovenia, inhabiting mostly beech and oak forests. Found this one and a second individual on a pile of recently cut logs in an oak woodland, where they use to lay their eggs.

Cephalanthera longifolia, Slovenian Karst, 20th April 2016. A quite common orchid in light woodlands. Emerging in good numbers in the warmer parts of the Karst.

Neotinea tridentata, Slovenian Karst, 20th April 2016. The second commonest orchid on karstic meadows after Orchis morio.

Slovenian Karst, 16th April 2016. The beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) have already sprouted their green leaves, while oaks (Quercus) will do so later.

Mt. Nanos, Slovenian Karst, 16th April 2016.

Part of the village of Sežana with mount Nanos rising in the back, 18th April 2016.