Autumn wildlife in the Karst

In the last ten days or so we've been regularly around, although mostly in our usual circuit in the Karst. We also had two guided trips at lake Cerknica (Cerkniško jezero) and although the weather was quite a disaster we still managed to see a couple of interesting species. The highlight was a daylight encounter with a Golden Jackal Canis aureus, crossing a main road near Gorenje Jezero in complete daylight. Observations of this recently-arrived species, which has spread naturally into Slovenia from south-eastern Europe, are increasing and its range is expanding fast. Jackals are now quite common in central and especially western Slovenia. We also regularly hear them howling not far from were we live in the Karst. Other interesting observations at lake Cerknica included a juvenile Rook Corvus frugilegus (a rather rare bird in this part of Slovenia), the first Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus of the season, Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus, Peregrine Falco peregrinus, Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor, a late Swallow Hirundo rustica and good numbers of late-autumn migrant passerines (thrushes, finches, warblers ect).

Rook Corvus frugilegus, Cerkniško jezero.

Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor, Cerkniško jezero.

Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus, Cerkniško jezero.

Swallow Hirundo rustica, Cerkniško jezero.

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla, Cerkniško jezero.

Jay Garrulus glandarius, Cerkniško jezero.

Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum, Cerkniško jezero.
Slovenia's most traditional source of food.

Fir Coral Tooth Fungus Hericium alpestre, Javorniki mountains.

Wallcreepers Tichodroma muraria have probably arrived to most of their wintering sites as after our sighting at Trnovski gozd, we also observed an individual at a traditional site in the Karst. Meanwhile in the forest woodpeckers provide the greatest interest. During our short walks close to home we regularly see or hear Black Dryocopus martius, Grey-headed Picus canus, Middle Spotted Dendrocopos medius and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor, as well as the commoner Green Picus viridis and Great Spotted Dendrocopos major. Some days ago great excitement was also provided by a male Ural Owl Strix uralensis in a forest not far from Sežana, where in the past we regularly observed this species. At least one Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor is also back at its tradtional wintering ground in an extensive farmland area and we are happy to observe it on a regular basis.

Spot the Ural Owl Strix uralensis

Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius, Karst.

Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius, Karst.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor, Karst.

Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor, Karst.

Flaky Puffball Lycoperdon mammiforme, Karst.
A rare fungus found on calcareous soil.

Russula sp., Karst.

Panther Cap Amanita pantherina, Karst.

Field Mushroom Agaricus campestris, Karst.

Parasol Mushroom Macrolepiota procera, Karst.

Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa - before and after.

Wallcreeper in Trnovski gozd

Last weekend we went walking in Trnovski gozd (the Trnovo forest) in western Slovenia, with the main intent to look for Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus. We visited an extensive patch of conifer forest with old and decaying Norway spruces Picea abies, but without finding our target bird. Nevertheless we had a good time, enjoying the beautiful autumn colours of the beech Fagus sylvatica trees shedding their leaves. The forest was also full of fungi, although temperatures were a bit rigid and most birds remained skulking. Apart from Grey-headed Picus canus, Black Dryocopus martius and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor, plus the usual mix of conifer forest birds, we didn't see any interesting species. Even the widespread Ural Owls Strix uralensis proved elusive and apparently didn't like the cold wind either.

Autumn colours of the Dinaric forest.

Smrekova draga doline - a large depression with temperature inversion.

A thermometer at the bottom of the dolina for meteorological studies of the temperature inversion.

Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria

Saffron Milkcap Lactarius deliciosus

Webcap Cortinarius sp.

But birding surprises arrived at last, just as we were descending from the Trnovo plateau down to the Vipava valley. A quick look to the "eagle cliffs" revealed two Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos perched on a distant rock - most probably the local pair we regularly observe at this site. So far the best bird of the day! 

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos

However just a few minutes later our attention was caught by a small bird, fluttering around some roadside rocks. It was a beautiful Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria - our first this autumn! The bird allowed very close views, although it was rather restless and flighty. On one occasion it also landed on and climbed a tree, a seldom observed behaviour. After a while it flew off and landed on some more distant rocks, where it started to work the cliffs upwards and disappeared from view. In early October the first wintering Wallcreepers appear at lower altitudes, after spending the breeding season in the Alps. The species is a rare breeder in the Julian & Kamnik-Savinja Alps and Karavanke mountains in northern Slovenia. In winter it is more easily observed on Karstic limestone cliffs of western and south-western Slovenia. But birds observed in early October are usually migrants that can stop at very unusual places like small roadside cliffs, heaps of rocks, buildings in mountain areas ect. It is possible that the individual we observed was one such migrant that won't actually spend the winter at the site. Proving this hypothesis is also the fact that we've never observed the species at this site before, although we visit on a regular basis.
These days other first-of-the-season Wallcreepers were reported by our colleagues, including Paul's bird on a building in Istria and this individual in Koroška region.

Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria climbing a Black Pine Pinus nigra.

Mushroom season

It's autumn and lately we've been spending more time concentrated on short forest walk to look for fungi (but also birds), usually in the Karst and nearby areas. On one occasion we also made a trip to the Julian Alps, but with nothing very exciting to report. Wildlife watching is rather slow in this season and interesting observations are few and sporadic. Some fungi ID keeps us entertained for the moment, although we have still a lot to learn on the subject. Below is a selection of some of the most interesting fungi we came across, although many are still nameless... we'll get there sooner or later. A few bird observations at the end of the post.

Caesar's Mushroom Amanita caesarea, Brkini hills - rare, red-listed and protected species growing in deciduous woodlands across Slovenia.

Summer Cep Boletus reticulatus (B. aestivalis), Brkini hills.

Bitter Beech Bolete Boletus calopus, Brkini hills.

Xerocomus/Suillus sp., Brkini hills.

Weeping Bolete Suillus granulatus, Karst.

Death Cap Amanita phalloides, Brkini hills.

Blusher Amanita rubescens, Brkini hills.

Parasol Mushroom Macrolepiota procera, Karst.

Russula sp., Brkini hills.

Charcoal Burner Russula cyanoxantha, Brkini hills.

Yellowdrop Milkcap Lactarius chrysorrheus, Brkini hills.

Milkcap Lactarius semisanguifluus, Brkini hills.

Fleecy Milkcap Lactarius vellereus, Jelovica plateau (Julian Alps).

Spotted Milkcap Lactarius scrobiculatus, Jelovica plateau (Julian Alps).

Violet Webcap Cortinarius violaceus ssp. hercynicus, Jelovica plateau (Julian Alps).

Webcap Cortinarius sp., Jelovica plateau (Julian Alps).

Coral Fungus Ramaria sp., Jelovica plateau (Julian Alps).

Coral Fungus Ramaria sp., Brkini hills.

Clitocybe sp., Brkini hills.

Sweet Tooth or Wood Hedgehog Hydnum repandum, Brkini hills.

Porcelain Mushroom Oudemansiella mucida, Brkini hills.

Fungus sp., Brkini hills.

More or less the only birding we did was last weekend, when we visited the Kozjansko Regional Park in eastern Slovenia to attend a yearly birding competition called Ptičarijada, organised by DOPPS-BirdLife Slovenia. Birds are quite thin on the ground in this season and migration is nearly over, however we managed to see a couple of interesting species we don't usually see in western Slovenia like Stock Dove Columba oenas and Rook Corvus frugilegus. We were also happy with the first Brambling Fringilla montifringilla of the autumn season. However the most interesting sight was a Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius climbing on Podsreda castle's wall to feed on the berries of Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia. A rather unusual behaviour for a woodpecker, but not that strange for a Middle Spotted after all.

Meanwhile in the first days of October the first Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor of the season has appeared in Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve - other recent observations from the reserve here.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius, Kozjansko Regional Park.

Stock Dove Columba oenas, Kozjansko Regional Park.

Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor, Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve.

Pale Tussock Moth Calliteara pudibunda, Brkini hills.

Swallowtail Papilio machaon, Karst.