Vercors in Summer Naturetrek Tour Report 17 - 24 July 2013 Almond-eye Ringlet Cicada - Tibicen plebejus Stoat Epipogium aphyllum Report and images compiled by Paul Harmes, Jessica Turner and Julian Gayarre Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 England 0NG T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Vercors in Summer Tour Leaders: Paul Harmes Naturetrek Naturalist Jessica Turner Naturetrek Naturalist Julian Gayarre Naturetrek Driver & Naturalist Participants: Jill Anderson Ray Anderson Diane Askew Herb Askew Kate Cherry Anita Ferguson Pat Keith Alan Keith Sue Mort Pauline Rawden Peter Rawden Helen Sterne Maureen Wiskin Day 1 Wednesday 17th July Weather: Warm with hazy sunshine, rain and thunderstorms developing later. Thirteen group members met Paul and Jessica at Heathrow for the BA flight to Lyon St. Exupery. Owing to a one hour delay, we did not arrive until 15.00hrs local time. We soon completed passport control and baggage reclaim and made our way out to the arrivals area, where we met with Julian, who had arrived earlier from Spain. While Jessica and Julian organized some refreshments, Paul went off to the vehicle-rental area. Soon the luggage was stowed and we boarded the vehicles for the journey to the Vercors region. We drove westwards, stopping for refreshments and a comfort break at the Aire Burcin service area, before moving on, towards Grenoble Sessenage, where we turned up onto the Vercors Plateau. Along the way a good number of Black Kites were seen. It was not long before we arrived in Lans en Vercors and the Hotel Le Val Fleuri, our base for the rest of the tour. Here we were met by our host, Eliane Bonnard, and her helpers, Justine and Pauline. At 19-00hrs we met in the garden, and Paul, Jessica and Julian outlined the week ahead for us, before sitting down to dinner. Day 2 Thursday 18th July Weather: Misty with light rain at first, becoming cloudy with sunny periods. Rain again later A pre-breakfast excursion to La Sierra, a ski-ing area ten minutes away from Lans en Vercors, produced sightings of Capreolus capreolus (Roe Deer), together with European Crested Tit, Mistle Thrush, Eurasian Jay and Northern Raven. Following a splendid breakfast, we made the short journey to the small hamlet of Les Merciers. Here we explored a steep path, rocky lane sides and some meadows. Early finds were Digitalis ambigua (Large Yellow Foxglove), Asplenium viride (Green Spleenwort) and Saxifraga paniculata (Live-long Saxifrage), and Song Thrush was heard singing. © Naturetrek January 14 1 Vercors in Summer Tour Report The rocky roadbank added Asperula rupicola (a Squinancywort), Dianthus carthusianorum (Carthusian Pink), Sedum sexangulare (Tasteless Stonecrop) and Buphthalmum salicifolia (Yellow Ox-eye). This led us into a meadow situated above a deep gorge. Here we found our first butterflies, beginning with Silver-studded Blue. Soon we added Marbled White, Brown Argus, Apollo and Pearly Heath. Overhead, we were treated to a splendid aeriel display by Common Swift and a small group of Alpine Swift, and a Common Linnet showed well in a small rose bush. Chamaespartium sagittale (Winged Greenweed), Sedum anglicum (White Stonecrop), Populus tremula (Aspen) and Sorbus aria (Whitebeam) were also added. Other insects were also seen. These included Lygaeus equestris (Gendarme Bug), Graphasoma italicum (a black and orange Shield Bug), Geotrupes stercorarius (Dor Beetle) and a good number of Cteniopus sulphureus, a yellow Beetle. As we returned to the vehicles, it was obvious the warming sun was encouraging more butterflies to become active. These included Large Wall Brown, Black-veined White and Small Heath. We now made our way down through the Gorges du Furon to a stream-side meadow at La Bruyant, for our picnic. Along the way we saw a pair of Black Kites and a solitary Northern Goshawk. During our meal we added Red Admiral, Large White and Small White to the butterfly list, Cirsium montanum (a Thistle), Ribes alpinum (Mountain Currant) and Lonicera xylosteum (Fly Honeysuckle), and Common Firecrest was heard. We left this beautiful spot and made our way back to another small hamlet called Traffet, where we explored some natural mixed woodland, with open glades. Soon we added Little Blue, Ringlet, Scarce Copper and Dark Green Fritillary, before taking the the track through the wood. Here we recorded Cephalanthera rubra (Red Helleborine), Anacamptis pyramidalis (Pyramidal Orchid), Monotropa hypopitys (Yellow Bird’s-nest), Moneses uniflora (One-flowered Wintergreen) and the dead stems of Neottia nidus-avis (Bird’s-nest Orchid). A pair of Common Buzzards was also seen, long with European Crested Tit and Marsh Tit. Our final stop of the day was an area of wetland, streams and a pond at Les Buryeres. Here we added some new insects to our list, among them: Libellula depressa (Broad-bodied Chaser) and Anax imperata (Blue Emperor) dragonflies, and Enallagma cyanthigerum (Common Bluet) and Coenagrion puella (Azure Bluet) damselflies. The pond also held a small population of Hybrid Pool x Edible Frogs. Emerging Aconitum napellus (Monk’s-hood), and Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet) were also recorded. An additional reason to visit this site is that it has sometimes been a location for Marsh Warbler in the past, and this year we were not disappointed as a family was in residence. We now made our way back to the hotel for refreshments and dinner. Day 3 Friday 19th July Weather: Misty at first, Becoming warm and sunny. Some heavy showers later Today we left Lans en Vercors and headed south through Les Geymonds and down to the northern end of the spectacular Gorges de la Bourne, where we made a stop at the river bridge at Les Jerrards. Here we had brief glimpses of White-troated Dipper, on a small shingle bar in the River Bourne, before exploring the lane verges, finding Speckled Wood, Small Skipper and Peacock butterflies, as well as Campanula rapunculus (Rampion Bellflower) and Epipactis helleborine (Broad-leaved Helleborine). Just as we were about to leave, both male and female Catopteryx virgo (Beautiful Damoiselle) were seen. We continued south into the gorge, making a second stop at the Pont Valchevriere. The cliff faces here had Campanula cochlearifolia (Fairy’s Thimbles), Silene rupestris (Rock Catchfly) and Gymnocarpium robertianum (Limestone Fern), and the verges produced Linaria repens (Striped Toadflax), Prenanthes purpurea (Purple Lettuce) and Adenostyles alliariae (Adenostyles). 2 © Naturetrek January 14 Vercors in Summer Tour Report Red Admiral, Comma and Woodland Ringlet [subsp. hippomedusa] were added to the list and there were additional sightings of White-throated Dipper and also Grey Wagtail. We then headed south through St. Julien en Vercors and la Chapelle en Vercors and made our way up over the Col de la Chau (1337m), stopping to take our picnic in the forest. Whilst our leaders were preparing lunch, examination of the verges and clearings revealed Large White, Small White, Mazarine Blue, Clouded Apollo and, surprisingly, an Orange Tip and a Green-veined White. Plants included Platanthera chlorantha (Greater Butterfly Orchid), Phyteuma nigra (Black Rampion), Anthemis triumfetti (Southern Dog-daisy), Gymnadenia conopsea (Fragrant Orchid) and Platanthera bifolia (Lesser Butterfly Orchid). There was also a splendid Wood Tiger Moth, which happily sat on a leaf for photographers, Burnet Companion and Silver-ground Carpet. Our objective for the afternoon was the Font d’Urle (1500m), a ski station with limestone outcrops and meadows. As we approached the parking area we marvelled at the wonderful display of Veronica spicata (Spiked Speedwell), Dianthus monspessulanus (Fringed Pink), and Persicaria bistorta (Bistort). Early on, we had close views of Marmota marmota (Alpine Marmot), and in the distance, Alpine Chough. Black Redstart and Water Pipit were also evident, and examination of photographs later, revealed a pair of Red-billed Chough. Plants included Phyteuma orbiculare (Round-headed Rampion), Gymnadenia austriaca var. gallica (a Black Vanilla Orchid), Daphne alpinum (Alpine Mezereon), Hypericum richeri (Alpine St. John’s-wort) and Gypsophila repens (Alpine Gypsophila). In addition, there were also Almond-eyed Ringlet, Grizzled Skipper, Common Brassy Ringlet and Purple-edged Copper butterflies, and Purple Treble-bar, Bright Wave and Silver Y moths. Further wonderful views of Marmota marmota (Alpine Marmot) were an added bonus. We made our way back over the Col de la Chau, pausing briefly to examine a Black Woodpecker nest hole. No birds were in residence however, but we were delighted when a Glis glis (Edible Dormouse) looked out to see what was happening. We then descended to the valley, and stopped at the cemetery near Vassieux, where the victims of a Nazi reprisal against the Resistence, in 1944, are buried. We continued on towards the Col de Rousset and down to a Griffon Vulture roost below Chamaloc. Here we found only a few of these majestic birds returning to roost on the crags above us. Retracing our steps, we made a short stop to photograph the majestic Campanula speciosa (a Bellflower). It was now time to return north to the small town of La Chapelle en Vercors, where we took dinner at the Hotel Bellier, before returning to our hotel in Lans en Vercors. Day 4 Saturday 20th July Weather: Fine, hot and sunny Another early excursion to the slopes above the La Sierra ski station produced some good views of Lepus europaeus (Brown Hare), but unfortunately no ungulates. Following another excellent breakfast, we left the hotel and drove south once again through the Gorges de la Bourne. We took the road leading to the south-west, making our way down towards Choranche, where we turned west and began to climb up towards the Route de Presles. This is a magnificent limestone cliff formation, over-looking the Commune de Chatelus and the valley of the River Bourne.