The Apennines: Italy’s Abruzzo National Park Naturetrek Tour Report 17 - 24 May 2018 Marsican Iris Brown Argus Red Fox Western Green Lizard Report & images by Jessica Turner Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report The Apennines: Italy's Abruzzo National Park Tour Participants: Jessica Turner and Nicola Scatassi (leaders) together with 13 Naturetrek clients Summary The Abruzzo National Park in the central Apennines of Italy always offers a wide range of wildlife encounters, including a few surprises, set amidst a variety of habitats. We were exceedingly fortunate to have such good and extended views of a Marsican Brown Bear on the first occasion we went looking! These are truly wild animals, never fed by humans, and any sighting of them or Wolves, which we did not see during the week but found plenty of evidence of in the form of scats, is a bonus. It was a late season, with the area having had a lot of snow and rain. We were very aware of the snow in Val di Rose, where we had good views of Abruzzo Chamois, and carpets of Spring Crocus and Alpine Squill where the snow was starting to melt. The orchids were also just coming into flower, and very fresh, and we saw more than we sometimes do. The unsettled weather meant there were fewer butterflies on the wing, but a fresh Baton Blue, Red-underwing Skippers and large numbers of hill- topping Scarce Swallowtails were a joy. The good views of Wild Boar, Red and Roe Deer, Red-backed Shrikes, Cirl Buntings and other species added to our pleasure. Geraldine and Marco, as ever, provided a warm welcome, delicious food and excellent hospitality, introducing us to several local specialities. Everything contributed to an excellent week in a delightful location! Day 1 Thursday 17th May UK to Rome to Pescasseroli Ten group members met Jessica at London Heathrow Terminal 5 for our mid-morning flight to Rome. After a slight delay in take-off, we made up some time. Having collected our bags, we met up with Nicola, who had flown from Milan, and also with the other three group members. Jessica and Nicola collected the vehicles, always a slow process, and picked up the group, who were having refreshments and topping up their tans in the late afternoon sun (or waiting in the shade). The traffic on the Rome ringroad was fairly slow, but we picked up speed as we drove east. As we went we were able to note Umbrella Pines (Pinus pinea), Hooded Crows, Swallows, Yellow-legged Gulls, a flooded field full of Cattle Egrets, and other birds. As we drove towards the mountains, we enjoyed the little hill-top villages and gorges of the Apennine foothills. We stopped for a break just inside Abruzzo Province. Soon after, the motorways branched, and we took the A24 towards Pescara, passing the flat plain that is the remains of Lake Fucino, the third largest lake in Italy. We left the autostrada beyond Avezzano, to drop down to Pescina and round the edge of the plain before climbing up into the National Park, noting the bright yellow Laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides), and some hearing Nightingale. Near Gioia Vecchio we could see many spikes of lemon-yellow Sparse-flowered Orchids (Orchis pauciflora). As we dropped down towards Pescasseroli we saw three Red Deer hinds, and later a large solitary male Wild Boar and a Roe Deer in a meadow. © Naturetrek May 18 1 The Apennines: Italy's Abruzzo National Park Tour Report We drove through Pescasseroli to the Albergo Paradiso, where we received the usual very warm welcome from Geraldine and Marco. We quickly settled into our rooms and then had a delicioius dinner, during which Jessica outlined plans for the morrow. After a very long day, we then retired to bed. Day 2 Friday 18th May Around Hotel; Camosciara; Gioia Vecchio This morning dawned fine and sunny, and some of the group ventured out at 7am, to explore the local area. Tree Sparrows were around the hotel and showed well, as did a Common Firecrest which responded vigorously to a brief snatch of song from Nico’s phone, displaying his firey crest. A Wryneck was heard, Serins were singing and displaying, and a small party of Crossbills flew over. We walked up the track behind the hotel, towards a small hill. On a rocky bank we found the endemic Pansy Viola eugeniae in yellow and deep purple, together with Meadow Saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata), and a Coal Tit was very close in a bush, probably nesting nearby. On the hill slope, we found good numbers of Green-winged Orchids (Anacamptis morio) and Toothed Orchids (Neotinea tridentata) just coming into flower, and Dark Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum). From the hill we had stunning views in all directions, with the cloud partly covering the mountains, and a Brown Hare was seen. An early butterfly was Brown Argus, resting on a Salad Burnet (Poterium sanguisorba) flower. After breakfast, with the picnic bought, we headed south-east down the valley of the Sangro, past Opi, to our destination of Camosciara, in the heart of the National Park. Having parked the vehicles, we scanned the hillsides, sighting two groups of Red Deer on different mountain slopes. A Golden Eagle flew across Monte Marsicano and over the valley. We set off up the valley, diverting from the path to explore. Among the Juniper (Juniperus communis), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and Wild Pear (Pyrus pyraster) scrub, we also found some spikes of Lady Orchids (Orchis purpurea) Twayblade (Neottia ovata), Green-winged Orchids, Fly Orchid (Ophrys insectifera), Military Orchid (Orchis militaris), and Early Purple Orchids (Orchis mascula subsp. speciosa) with pointed petals and sepals. They were all growing where there was some protection from grazing. We also noted Nice Milkwort (Polygala nicaeensis), Common Globularia (Globularia vulgaris) and Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa). Orange Tip, Wood White, Duke of Burgundy and Clouded Yellow were added to the butterfly list. The road was lined by trees and shrubs, including Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas), Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris), and Goat Willow (Salix caprea), and under these were more Lady and Early Purple Orchids. Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Wood Warbler were singing, Western Bonelli’s Warbler showed well, while Cuckoo and Song Thrush were also vocal, together with the constant accompaniment of Field Cricket. Common Wall Lizards were sunning themselves, while a Western Green Lizard showed briefly round a boulder. On a bank we found False Vetch (Astragalus monspessulanus). By the stream we found some beautiful flowers of the endemic Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana dinarica), together with Sword-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia), and the enormous kidney-shaped leaves and single yellow flowers of Thore’s Buttercup (Ranunculus thora), and Shrubby Milkwort (Polygala chamaebuxus) with red- or yellow-and-white or -magenta flowers. The endemic, large-flowered Camosciara Butterwort (Pinguicula vallis-regiae) was flowering well on the far side of the water, amongst more Gentians. We also stopped to admire and photograph a clump of Lady’s Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium calceolus) 2 © Naturetrek May 18 The Apennines: Italy's Abruzzo National Park Tour Report just coming into flower by the stream. Another, juvenile, Golden Eagle was seen, and two Roe Deer ran across the road. We had our picnic on a bridge over a streamlet, enjoying a selection of local cheeses and wines as part of the spread. Refreshed, we carried on, finding the leaves of Green False-helleborine (Veratrum lobelianum), and Apennine Lungwort (Pulmonaria apennina). Mayflies were around us, and butterflies included Brimstone, Scarce Swallowtail, Speckled Wood, and Pearl-bordered Fritillary. We reached the café at the end of the road, before climbing to the waterfalls Cascata delle Tre Cannelle and Cascata delle Ninfe (Cascade of Three Channels and Cascade of the Nymphs). Under the Beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) we found a couple of spikes of Coralroot Orchid (Corallorhiza trifida), and Bear’s Ears (Primula auricula) were flowering, in fine condition, by the second waterfall. A Dipper was seen in flight, and Brown Trout were in a clear pool. We stopped at the café for refreshments, before slowly retracing our steps down the valley, finding a good scattering of black, white-and-yellow caterpillars on Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) leaves, which turned out to be Scarlet Tiger. A Smooth Snake was basking by the gate posts of the Park area. We returned to the hotel, one bus seeing a Red-backed Shrike en route. After a break, some of the group met to fill in our checklists. After an early, delicious dinner, after which we ventured out again, driving north up the valley to Gioia Vecchio. We were disappointed to learn that we had missed a bear by 10 minutes, but then another one appeared, probably a female, wandering across the slopes on the far side of the valley, disappearing into the trees to reappear shortly after. We watched it for about an hour, until it was really too dark to see any more, and we had to give up, the bear still foraging. We also saw a couple of smaller Wild Boar in the valley bottom, a fine Red Deer stag in velvet, and a hind, and although the light was failing, the Cuckoos and Field Crickets kept calling. We returned again to the hotel, exhilarated after an excellent first day in the field. Day 3 Saturday 19th May Gioia Vecchio; Val Fondillo; Opi A 6.30 start saw Nicola, Jessica and some of the group heading north again towards Gioia Vecchio.