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.

WHITE-BACKED WOODPECKER in Slovenia

White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos lilfordi

Typical tree stump shaved by White-backed Woodpecker

Brilliant morning spent in the extensive Dinaric forests of Mt. Snežnik. Had an exciting encounter with one of Slovenia's rarest breeding birds: WHITE-BACKED WOODPECKER. Two territorial birds (male and female) were seen. Also both calls and drumming were heard several times in the course of the morning. A "shaved" tree stump was also a good sign of the presence of this species. Not far away from the woodpecker's location, a Brown Bear's footprint was found in the mud. Plenty of other birds in the forest seen/heard, including: Coal and Willow Tit, Buzzard, Raven, Dunnock, Goldcrest & Firecrest (both holding territories), Siskin, Bullfinch and Crossbill. A flock of +100 Woodpigeons on passage was also of note.

Bear's footprint (Ursus arctos)

Helleborus niger

Crocus vernus

Snow-covered Mt. Snežnik (1796 m)

Glinščica valley

Biscutella laevigata - typical plant of the limestone screes

Coronilla emerus ssp. emeroides

Glinščica waterfall

Upper course of the Glinščica stream

Scorzonera austriaca

Thlaspi praecox

Austropotamobium pallipes

Took a stroll in the Glinščica valley/Val Rosandra this afternoon. On the bird front the highlights included 4 singing Blue Rock Thrushes (2 seen), 1 Raven, Rock Bunting and a few Grey Wagtails. Looked hard for any breeding Dippers, but failed to find them.
The other day I had a fly-by Marsh Harrier and Kestrel over the house. At least one Willow Warbler is still in the garden (singing), while the occasional Swallow or House Martin is seen passing by.
On Wednesday in Škocjanski zatok NR the 2 Little Gulls were still present in the freshwater marsh, together with the seasonal mix (incl. 2 Garganeys). Two fly-by Yellow Wagtails were new for the year.

Wildlife spring mix

Phone-scoped Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus at 60x

Snow-covered Mt. Nanos today

Saturnia pavoniella

Coronilla emerus ssp. emeroides (left) and Euphorbia wulfenii (right) on the patch's cliffs

A few updates from the past couple of days. Saturday morning started with the first singing WILLOW WARBLER of the spring in the garden...later joined by a second bird. During the morning I visited the Glinščica valley/Val Rosandra where I found the above moth - Saturnia pavoniella. Never seen one of those before. On the non-bird front also 2 quite big Fire Salamanders Salamandra salamandra were of note. At least 3 Blue Rock Thrushes were singing, including one that performed well close to the main path. Other birds there included a few Rock Buntings, 3 Grey Wagtails along the Glinščica stream, 1 House Martin on passage and commoner birds. In the afternoon I made a quick visit to the cliffs in the patch, where the year's first ALPINE SWIFT was the highlight. The area is now covered with the yellow-flowering Euphorbia wulfenii and Coronilla emerus.
Today in the early afternoon I went for a stroll under the rain at Škocjanski zatok NR. Despite the bad weather conditions (including a south wind) 2 Little Gulls were of note, along with good numbers of Swallows over the freshwater marsh (about 100 birds). Other birds included 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ruff, 1 female Marsh Harrier, 1 Lapwing, 3-4 Black-winged Stilts and the more usual species. The late afternoon was spent under almost clear and sunny skies on the Karst with a good variety of common grassland species like Cirl Bunting, Woodlark & Skylark, Stonechat, Corn Bunting, Linnet and Raven.

Woodland flowers

Anemone nemorosa

Anemone ranunculoides

Daphne mezereum

Erythronium dens-canis

Hacquetia epipactis

Hepatica nobilis

Isopyrum thalictroides

Scilla bifolia - today's lifer

Scilla bifolia & Hacquetia epipactis

Woodland mix: Anemone nemorosa, Hepatica nobilis, Pulmonaria sp. and Primula vulgaris

Primula vulgaris with Scilla bifolia

Pulmonaria sp.

Viola sp.

The woodland floors of the high Karst are carpeted with flowers at the moment. All the above are the typical early plants that exploit the sunlight available at this time of year, before the trees put their leaves on. Took these pics today on the Slovenian Karst (all in the same 10 or so square metres). Botany was thus the main interest, although I also had Black and Grey-headed Woodpecker in the woodland, along with other commoner species.