Three-toed Woodpecker

Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus

Most of today's morning was spent in the extensive conifer forests of Mt. Snežnik plateau. I was successful with no less than 4 territorial THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS. The first sound I heard when I arrived on site was a drumming I could no identify for sure. Later I realised it was a Three-toed. Two of the four individuals heard drumming were also seen...really well I must say. They were quite tame and kept feeding for several minutes on the dead spruces above my head. Interesting to note that the most favourite drumming posts were the spruces broken by the ice this past winter. They sound quite differently from the dead and decaying ones.
The above photos are a documentation attempt, as always. Too much adrenaline to take proper pics.
Of the woodpeckers I also had a singing Grey-headed and a male Black Woodpecker (seen hammering a dead spruce).
Other birds in the forest were mainly the usual species like Bullfinch (3), Crested & Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Eurasian Treecreeper, Dunnock, Wren, Woodpigeon, Siskin. Also at least 3 singing Cuckoos.
Next on the plan was a quick round visit of Cerkniško jezero (Cerknica lake) which to my amazement was quite lively. The White Storks have returned on their nests in the village of Martinjak and one bird was also seen feeding on a wet meadow. The large water bodies were full of wildfowl, mostly Garganey (+120), Shoveler, Teal, Mallard, Wigeon (7), Pintail (5), Gadwall (3) and Ferruginous Duck (5). The highlight here was hearing a booming BITTERN, while watching a summer-plumaged RED-NECKED GREBE - a speciality of the lake (the only breeding site of the species in Slovenia). Other interesting birds included: Fieldfare (3), Wryneck (2), Yellow Wagtail, Marsh Harrier (1), Black-winged Stilt (8), Curlew (2) and some courting Great Crested Grebes.
The last stop of the day was at Planinsko polje, where I was surprised and thrilled to see an adult WHITE-TAILED EAGLE taking off from the fields. In peaceful flight it then flew south-west towards Postojna. Also here the local pair of White Storks was on the nest. A singing Tree Pipit was a new bird of the season for me and in the orchards there were several Corn Buntings, Yellowhammers and another Wryneck.

Omphalodes verna

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena

White Stork Ciconia ciconia

Migration update

 

Whinchat Saxicola rubetra

Black Kite Milvus migrans

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea

Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius

New spring migrants are on the way. Today (and partly yesterday) at Škocjanski zatok NR I had some year's firsts in the form of Sand Martin (about 40 today), 2 Purple Herons, 1 Squacco Heron, several Little Ringed Plovers and 2 singing Great Reed Warblers. However the major highlight today was a BLACK KITE flying over the freshwater marsh. In general there was a good movement of birds. Together with the Sand Martins, there were lots of Swallows and a few House Martins, as well as Common Swifts (+20) and a single Alpine Swift (yesterday). Ten flava Yellow Wagtails and a male Whinchat were good to see on the grazing marsh. Other birds, already recorded in the previous visits included things like Little Gull (2), Lapwing, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff (+25), Black-winged Stilt, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper (1 in the lagoon), Redshank, Common Tern (10) and Marsh Harrier (1 f).

On Sunday I had a small guided trip to the karstic lake of Doberdob which was quite unproductive in terms of migrants and/or waterbirds. However we managed to see an adult Night Heron, a few Common and Alpine Swifts, heard a Water Rail, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a distant Cuckoo and a load of Nightingales. In the early afternoon I saw my first two SHORT-TOED EAGLES of the season (soaring together), which were quite cool to see again.

Stalking Cuckoos

Cuckoo Cuculus canorus

Grim and cloudy day but still good enough to be on the Karst enjoying some spring sights. I'm still in a Cuckoo mood as they are now singing from almost every woodland. This morning I heard 7 of them; 6 were relatively close to each other. A bird in particular was especially collaborative while singing and catching caterpillars from an exposed perch (above). A singing Hoopoe on the top of a bush was a similar thrilling sight. Other good birds included 2 Wrynecks, 1 male Common Redstart (year's first), 4 Northern Wheatears, 1 Grey-headed Woodpecker, Rock, Cirl & Corn Buntings plus Yellowhammer and loads of commoner species.

Singing Hoopoe Upupa epops. Note the inflated throat.

Male Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Male Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe

A flock of +20 Common Swifts above the local patch, earlier this morning was a welcome sight. My firsts were seen just yesterday in the late afternoon on the cliffs of Mt.Grisa, where among the several Alpine Swifts I also had 1-2 Pallid Swifts migrating past. On the vis-mig front a flock of about 70 Curlews was of note and a female Marsh Harrier was seen flying above the sea. Nightingale is now regularly heard singing in the patch (from the house) as well.
Two days ago I had my first Wood Warbler of the year, singing in a patch of woodland, together in a chorus with Willow Warbler and Chiffhcaff. The same evening I also had a double chorus of Scops and Tawny Owl.

And to round up with some flowers...

Paeonia officinalis

Iris illyrica

A heavy dose of spring in the vein

Male Cuckoo Cuculus canorus - the first I see this year

Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra

Orchis morio (left), Pulsatilla montana (center), Alyssum montanum (right)

Orchis morio in two colour varieties

Narcissus poeticus

Vicia grandiflora

Globularia punctata

Globularia cordifolia

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.

A thrid Black-eared Wheatear!

A pale-throated Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica

This afternoon I checked again Campo carri and was surprised to find a BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR... Surprised because this was a pale-throated bird and thus not of of those seen yesterday (see previous post). So yet a third bird! The above pic is a phone-scoping attempt in too strong light. The situation was otherwise calmer, with just another male Wheatear around. New for the year this time was a Tawny Pipit. Still some Swallows passing overhead plus usual commoner breeding birds already reported yesterday.
A good record was that of two separate flocks of Curlew migrating high in the sky, going north-east. In total I estimated about 350 birds. They were quite vocal - otherwise I would have easily missed them.
This afternoon on the Karst I also had my first CUCKOO of the year which was quite cool to hear again.

A wave of rare migrants

Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica

Two Black-eared Wheatears!

Black-eared (right) and Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe

Quite unbelievable afternoon! I had a visit at the grassland of Campo Carri - my first this season, so hopes were mainly towards common migrants like Wheatear or similar. Well, just before my first two Northern Wheatears of the year I found two stunning BLACK-EARED WEATEARS! A speciality of this area, but hardly expected today. The two birds, both males of the black-throated morph, were very collaborative and showy, sitting on the low pines along with 3 Wheatears (2 m & 1 f) and a single Whinchat (also a year's first). Later also a female Stonechat joined the show.

After the initial excitement the situation slowed down a bit, until a large raptor soar overhead: a GRIFFON VULTURE heading north towards the Alps. Good.

Later in the afternoon I was joined by some friends which came to twitch the Black-eared Wheatears. Together we watched the two birds for some time until... suddenly something flushed them away. We looked around in the sky and were astonished to see a snowy male PALLID HARRIER flapping past the grassland! The harrier remained on view for a few minutes, until it disappeared southwards. This is something like the first Pallid Harrier for the area of Trieste and a rarity even on the national level.

Record shot of the Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus

Minutes later two female Marsh Harriers migrated overhead in the same direction, suggesting a passage of Circus was going on.
The last surprise of the day came shortly afterwards when I glimpsed a "Blackbird" landing on one of the taller pines at the edge of the grassland. On binoculars it was rather far, but unbelievably it seemed to show a white crescent on the breast. A quick look through the scope confirmed my thoughts: male RING OUZEL! After a few seconds the bird flew off and we later saw it flying above the grassland in direct flight southwards. It was again my first for the area of Trieste and I think a really scarce bird on the Karst.
Supporting cast on the grassland and nearby woodlands included: 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Rock Buntings, Woodlark, +10 Swallows, Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, Mistle Thrushes, Coal Tit, Serin, Hawfinch, Green Woodpecker and on the butterfly front a Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena).
I'm also glad to report my first HOOPOE of the year seen two days ago on the Slovenian Karst. The same day I also had a pleasant chorus of Black, Green and Grey-headed Woodpecker singing to each other in a small patch of woodland.

New spring migrants from Africa

Common Crane Grus grus at Škocjanski zatok

First Narcissus poeticus of the season on the Karst

A few updates from the past couple of days. Škocjanski zatok NR this afternoon held a COMMON CRANE in the freshwater marsh which was the major highlight. Also quite interesting to see was a Marsh Sandpiper (scarce bird for the reserve), some Redshanks, Ruffs, Black-winged Stilts, Wood Sandpipers and 1 Black-tailed Godwit. The two Little Gulls were still present, as were also a couple of Garganeys and +100 Swallows over the marsh. Also Penduline Tits were heard in the reeds. Earlier in the morning I had my first Common Terns of the season flying over the town of Koper.
Yesterday evening I also had the first singing SCOPS OWL in Koper and a couple of Alpine Swifts over the town. Swallows are now a common sight and are seen on a daily basis. Crested Larks are sometimes heard singing around the car parks.
A few days ago I took a stroll on the Slovenian Karst and was pleased to see the first returning WRYNECKS in the vineyards (at least 3 birds were singing), along with singing Corn and Cirl Buntings and the local breeding Swallows darting over the village ponds.