Friday 8 June 2018

Slovenia Road Trip, Day 9

Spent today around the camp site and  Cerknica lake exploring the meadows.

Lake Cerknica Wet Karst Meadows

Wet Meadows of Lake Cerknica with abundant Dyer's Greenweed, Pannonin Thistle, Great Burnet, Anacamptis palustus and Irish Marsh Orchids. 
Whinchat is a typical species of the wet meadow habitat. 
Common Rosefinch is a speciality of this habitat. Also the meadows feature Corncrakes, Marsh Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Tree Pipit, Ashy-headed Wagtail and Skylark with hunting Hobby, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Black Kite. We had single Green Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilt on the lake edge. 
A surprising local bird is breeding Fieldfare. 
Irish Marsh Orchid
Anacamptis palustus- a stunning and abundant wet meadow orchid 
A sea of Great Burnet 
Common Hawker (?) Surprisingly few butterflies in the wet meadows. 



The Campsite Dry Karst Meadows 


The surrounding meadows are dry karst meadows with characteristic Oxeye Daisy, Meadow Clary, Harebell, and Quaking Grass.   
 
Greater Butterfly Orchid (above and below) . Found this single plant in a small woodland glade behind the campsite. 
Great Butterfly Orchid- in this species the pollina are divergent
Heath Fritillary (presumed)- the lack of post discal spots is the easiest way to eliminate the two main default species Glanville and Marsh Fritillary 
The dry meadows were full of butterflies including Small Heath, Pearly Heath, Black-veined White, Marsh and Glanville Fritillary, Small White, Large White, Clouded Yellow, Common Blue, Duke of Burgundy, Woodland Brown (on the edge) and Painted Lady. Day flying moths including Nine-spot Moth, Latticed Heath, Silver-Y, six-spot Burnet and Narrow-bordered Bee Hawkmoth.
Melitaea sp probably britomartis (thanks Attila Steiner for id) 
Clustered Bellflower 


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