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| Colour-ringed male Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana |
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| Male Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana on Quercus pubescens - a favourite song post |
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| Female Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana |
Early morning spent on the karstic grasslands surveying
ORTOLAN BUNTINGS. Quite successful session with no less than 7 singing males and 1 female. At least 2 pairs are now breeding in the area. Also managed to see a returning male with colour rings (ringed last year on the site). The only ringed bird seen so far (1 out of 7).
The local pair of
GOLDEN EAGLES is doing well, with one fluffy chick visible in the nest. When I arrived on site at dawn, the adult male was perched on a pine some 50-100 metres in front of me!
The situation is otherwise pretty lively "at the buntings" with loads of birds. Most obvious are
Hoopoes (up to 5 singing), also frequently flushed from the local roads. Among the various singing Cuckoos today I also saw a rufous female, which I've never seen before.
More entertainment was provided by two singing
Subalpine Warblers (perhaps the first I get in Slovenia?), 2-3
Turtle Doves, 1
Quail, 1 Black & 1
Grey-headed Woodpecker, Melodious Warbler, fly-by Alpine Swifts and a happy family of Rock Buntings.
On the way back home I was greeted by a
Short-toed Eagle flying over the motorway.
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| Always a pleasure to see - Hoope Upupa epops |
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| Centaurea rupestris |
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| Limodorum abortivum |
