Alpine grouse adventure - summer episode

After our very successful spring Alpine grouse adventure, here is the summer episode! At the end of the past week we took advantage of the relatively fresh temperatures (after a recent cold front) and headed to the heart of the Julian Alps for an amazing two-day hike. Our target was the central part of the Triglav National Park, where we hoped to conquer a few mountain tops and look for the elusive and usually difficult-to-see Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta. Of course we also wanted to enjoy the usual mixture of alpine wildlife, including the spectacular flower meadows & rocky "gardens". We started on the Pokljuka plateau above Bohinj, passing through Planina Konjščica (1438 m) and then up to Studorski preval (Studor pass, 1892 m). On the first day we also climbed on Veliki Draški vrh (2243 m), then spent the night at Vodnikov dom (the local mountain hut) and climbed to mount Tosc (2275 m) the next day, before returning home. We were very successfull as we found a family of 7 Rock Ptarmigans on Tosc, while we also enjoyed Alpine Accentors Prunella collaris, Alpine Choughs Pyrrhocorax graculus, Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus, Wheathears Oenanthe oenanthe, Water Pipits Anthus spinoletta, Nutcrackers Nucifraga caryocatactes, Alpine Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra, Marmots Marmota marmota and a Snow Vole Chionomys nivalis. Among butterflies there were several interesting ringlets, including the endemic Lorkovič's Brassy Ringlet Erebia calcaria and Blind Ringlet Erebia pharte, plus the high-altitude Shepherd's Fritillary Boloria pales. 

For more, enjoy this fabulous (and long!) photo-selection... the best comes at the end ;-)

We started in a nice conifer forest on the Pokljuka plateau.

A noisy family of fledged Nutcrackers Nucifraga caryocatactes greeted us on the way.

Yellow Birdsnest Monotropa hypopytis

A magical forest stream with small waterfalls.

Woolly Thistle Cirsium eriophorum on Planina Konjščica (a mountain pasture).

Cross Gentian Gentiana cruciata

Short-spurred Fragrant Orchid Gymnadenia odoratissima

Sternberg's Pink Dianthus sternbergii

Mountain Thrift Armeria alpina

Blind Ringlet Erebia pharte

Shepherd's Fritillary Boloria pales

Jezerce valley near Studorski preval.

Drinking cold water from a mountain stream is priceless!

Mt. Veliki Draški vrh (2243 m) - our first target.

A little bit of climbing on the way to Veliki Draški vrh.

And there they were... the first Crimped Bellflowers Campanula zoysii. This endemic species of the Southeastern Limestone Alps, also known as Zois' Bellflower, was first discovered in Slovenia and named after Karel Zois (1756-1799). It is one of Slovenia's most famous plants. It grows quite commonly in the Julian Alps, from around 1800 m upwards, usually in rocky crevices.

Edelweiss Leontopodium alpinum was very common along the way.

Rock Hare's-ear Bupleurum petraeum

Dwarf Saussurea Saussurea pygmea

Heart-leaved Saussurea Saussurea discolor

False Orchid Chamorchis alpina was growing quite commonly on Veliki Draški vrh. This rather rare high-altitude species of orchid is very small and likes to grow in the rockiest alpine meadows, especially on mountain ridges.

Climbing the ridge of Veliki Draški vrh...

... on top, with Triglav in the back.

The Krma valley.

View on nearby Mt. Tosc, our target for the next day.

A herd of Alpine Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra on the screes of Mt. Tosc.

Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

Some good Ptarmigan habitat.

Mt. Vernar (2225 m) on the edge of Velo polje.

Vodnikov dom na Velem polju.

Evening contemplation of Mt.Triglav with the help of palačinke.

Mt. Triglav (2864 m), Slovenia's highest mountain in the evening light.

Sunset in the mountains.

Triglav's top amongst morning clouds.

Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta feeding its young.

The lovely late-summer bellflower Campanula cespitosa, apparently lacking an English name. Pity.

Fairy's Thimble Campanula cochleariifolia is the commonest bellflower in the mountains.

Crimped Bellflower (Zois' Bellflower) Campanula zoysii, always choosing the best spots to grow.

Yellow Bellflower Campanula thyrsoides

Plume Knapweed Centaurea uniflora ssp. nervosa

Julian Knapweed Centaurea haynaldii ssp. julica

Mountain Cornflower Centaurea montana

A possible Thistle Broomrape Orobanche reticulata (growing near Cirsium erisithales).

Lush mountain hay meadows...

...with some hidden surprises...

Danube Gentian Gentiana pannonica, growing in small numbers and quite scarcely.

Vardjan's Gentian Gentiana lutea ssp. vardjanii

Austrian Hogweed Heracleum austriacum ssp. siifolium

Species-rich hay meadows on the southern slopes of Mt. Tosc.

A look down in the valley towards Bohinj.

Lorkovič's Brassy Ringlet Erebia calcaria - an endemic species of the Southeastern Limestone Alps, only found in the Julian & Carnic Alps and Karavanke. It was the commonest butterfly on the southern slopes of Tosc.

Black Vanilla Orchid Nigritella rhellicani - never seen so many of these in one place!

A look down on Tosc's steep slopes. On the path we found some feathers of Black Grouse Lyrurus tetrix - the habitat around there looked excellent for the species.

Marmot Marmota marmota - very frequently heard, but seldom seen.

Eastern Cinquefoil Potentilla clusiana

Mighty Triglav from Tosc.

Triglav's summit can be very crowded in summer!

Stony landscape on the Tosc plateau.

Sheep on their summer pasture on the very summit of Tosc.

Triglav looks majestic... but better in reality than in photos!

A look towards Veliki Draški vrh (yesterday's summit).

Pink Cinquefoil Potentilla nitida aka the "Triglav flower" featured in the Goldhorn legend.

Sieber's Rampion Phyteuma sieberi

Dolomite Saxifrage Saxifraga squarrosa

Encrusted Saxifrage Saxifraga crustata

Yellow Mountain Saxifrage Saxifraga aizoides

Eastern Saxifrage Saxifraga sedoides

Roseroot Rhodiola rosea

Spiniest Thistle Cirsium spinosissimum

Alpine Toadflax Linaria alpina

And just as we were starting to descend from Tosc...

...we stumbled into a flock of 7 Rock Ptarmigans Lagopus muta feeding in front of us!

One of the 5 Ptarmigan chicks.

Mother Ptarmigan

Part of the flock; adult female on the right.

The adults were always vigilant, sitting on top of rocks and checking the surroundings, while the flock was slowly moving away from us, giving brilliant views as they went. CHECK THE VIDEO HERE.

Rock Ptarmigan summer habitat.

Edelweiss Leontopodium alpinum and the valley below.

A ray of sun reaches the Voje valley near Bohinj.

The descent from Tosc on grouse-rich slopes.

A local "scaregrouse".

Last refreshment in the stream...

...before returning to the valley and the civilized world.

Summer on the coast

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus, Landscape Park Strunjan.
A numerous summer guest to this coastal reserve; up to 400 birds are regularly observed in the evenings. An otherwise scarce bird in Slovenia, confined to the coast and some rivers in the north-east, where small numbers also breed.

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus, Landscape Park Strunjan.
Up to 7 individuals were observed in the saltpans from late spring to mid summer, although this rare species didn't breed in the area.

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus, Landscape Park Strunjan.
Two pairs have raised chicks in the Strunjan saltpans this year.

Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus, Landscape Park Strunjan.

Bee-eater Merops apiaster, Landscape Park Strunjan.
Two pairs were discovered breeding in an olive grove within the park this year.

Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta, Landscape Park Strunjan.

Stag Beetle Lucanus cervus, Landscape Park Strunjan.

Mallow Skipper Charcarodus alceae, Landscape Park Strunjan.

Common Myrtle Myrtus communis, Landscape Park Strunjan.
A Mediterranean plant with its only native (wild) location in Slovenia on the
thermophilous sea cliffs in Strunjan.

Sea Lavender Limonium angustifolium, Landscape Park Strunjan.

The thermophilous flysch (sandstone) cliffs of Strunjan form the longest stretch of
"wild" sea coast of the entire Gulf of Trieste.

Strunjan - the Slovenian Galapagos.

Mediterranean Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis ssp. desmarestii, Landscape Park Strunjan.
Good numbers of this endemic Mediterranean bird gather at Strunjan in the evening to roost on mussel-farm buoys.

Compass Jellyfish Chrysaora hyoscella, Landscape Park Strunjan.

Hope's Elysia Thuridilla hopei, Landscape Park Strunjan.
A 1 cm-long sacoglossan sea slug, common in the Slovenian sea, especially around Piran.

Cuttlefish Sepia officinalis, Landscape Park Strunjan.
Can you actually see it?

Warty Crab Eriphia verrucosa, Landscape Park Strunjan.

Black Goby Gobius niger, Landscape Park Strunjan.

Caneva's Blenny Lipophrys canevai (Microlipophrys canevae), Landscape Park Strunjan.

Mystery Blenny Parablennius incognitus, Landscape Park Strunjan.

Sand Steenbrass Lithognathus mormyrus, Landscape Park Strunjan.
Note the parasitic isopod attached to the rear end of the back.

Nest of Common Tern Sterna hirundo in the brackish lagoon of Škocjanski zatok.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo, Škocjanski zatok.
This chick was one of the very few to hatch this year. Most of the +80 nests were probably predated by Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis, therefore the tern's breeding success was very low this year.

Muddy islands in the brackish lagoon at Škocjanski zatok with Sea Rush Juncus maritimus, a very rare plant in Slovenia, confined to the coast.

Cinnabar Moth Tyria jacobaeae, Škocjanski zatok.
Apparently a large population of this scarce and localised species thrives in this nature reserve. Around one thousand caterpillars were counted this season, feeding on their foodplant - Water Ragwort Senecio barbareifolius. A few adults were also observed nearby.

Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus, Škocjanski zatok.

Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio, Škocjanski zatok.
The first passerine migrant of the autumn season.

Hornets Vespa crabro on the nest (filmed through a window), Škocjanski zatok.

This time a short post concentrating on the wildlife of our "working routine" on the Slovenian coast, featuring Sara's pics from Landscape Park Strunjan and Domen's from Škocjanski zatok. Here and there we also take a dip into the Adriatic sea (mostly at Strunjan) and enjoy some marine wildlife too. The snorkeling highlight so far was the gorgeous and tiny sea slug Hope's Elysia Thuridilla hopei.

The first signs of late summer-autumn migration are evident at Škocjanski zatok in the form of Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, tens of Common Sandpipers Actitis hypoleucos, but also Red-backed Shrikes Lanius collurio. The breeding season is now definitely over with Common Terns Sterna hirundo mostly gone (although the breeding success was very low) and Little Terns Sternula albifrons "dispatching" the last fledglings.

P.S. we switched to the new Blogger dashboard that apparently allows us to display larger images, wow!