Friday 26 October 2018

October 10th - 24th (Slovenia)

We had a two week holiday in the Village of Kranjska Gora (810m).The village has a wonderful setting surrounded by the northern mountains of the Julian Alps and the Karavanke range and is    within walking distance of the Italian boarder.It is best known as a winter sports centre (Skiing) but also has many walking and cycling routes all graded and well sign posted.

The weather during our stay,was exceptionally warm,considering it was mid October.Although it did turn colder towards the latter end of our last week.

Slovenia is well known for its range of Owl species and Woodpeckers.Although we looked very hard and long,we found no roosting Owls and only saw or heard three species of Woodpecker,Black,Grey-headed and Great Spotted.During our stay,numbers of Blackbirds,Song Thrushes,Redwings and Fieldfare were noted passing through.On the whole birding was rather slow,especially in the forests,In all we saw a total of (52) species,(41) of which were in the Kranjska area.

SPECIES LIST
Carrion Crow  Hooded Crow  House Sparrow  Tree Sparrow  Great Tit  Blue Tit  Marsh Tit  Crested Tit  Long-Tailed Tit  Black Redstart  Dipper  Chaffinch  Mallard  Grey-headed Woodpecker  Black Woodpecker  Great Spotted Woodpecker  Blackbird  Song Thrush  Fieldfare  Redwing  Water Pipit  White Wagtail  Kestral  Nutcracker  Starling  Goldfinch  Linnet Chiffchaff  Jay  Goldcrest  Siskin  Grey Heron  Treecreeper  Wren  Brambling  Serin  Alpine Chough  Crossbill  Raven  Common Buzzard.

Away from the Kranjska area - Cormorant  Goosander  Pintail  Jackdaw  Magpie  Mute Swan  Common Kingfisher  Mistle Thrush  Wood Pigeon  Nuthatch  Coot.

We saw three Butterfly species - Red Admiral  Clouded Yellow and one white (sper).