Slovakia

An Alpine Garden Society Tour

A Greentours Trip Report

7th – 16th July 2013

Led by Martin Hrouzek

Itinerary 7th July Arrival at Vienna 8th July Certoryje, Zahrady (White Carpathians) 9th July Vyskovec, Vrsatec, Pruske (White Carpathians), early arrival to Terchova 10th July Forest above Kubikova, Snilovske sedlo pass, Stefanova (Mala Fatra NP) 11th July Lucky, Besenova (Chocske hills), Botanical garden in Tatr. Lomnica 12th July Poland, Tatr. Javorina, forest track near Zdiar in rain 13th July Lomnicke sedlo pass, Belanske luky meadows (The High Tatras) 14th July Tatr. Javorina to Kopske sedlo pass (The Belanske Tatras) 15th July Krakow city tour 16th July Departure from Krakow

Day 1 ARRIVAL (7th July)

The tour was much influenced by the fact that 3 out of 4 participants wanted to watch birds rather than to look for flowers and they had no objections to make changes to the original itinerary. It was though not too possible to reorganize things to have a satisfactory birdwatching. July is the worst month when most species go quiet and moult before migration. We were nowhere near a nice wetland site where birds are still in abundance throughout the summer. Despite that we managed to visit all of the sites as per itinerary and enjoy some nice flowers and other wildlife.

Days 2-4 WHITE CARPATHIANS, MALA FATRA NP (8th to 10th July)

CERTORYJE, White Carpathians (8th July) Large area of flowery meadows at Czech-Slovak border. Certoryje reserve itself covers around 700 hectares. The meadows are dotted with solitary trees, mainly oaks and lindens.The season was much advanced here due to the long lasting heat and many flowers were in seed or gone due to the big drought in May and June. Still we managed to see a wonderful variety of mesophilic meadow species.

Flowers included: Stachys alpina and sylvatica, beautiful specimens of Senecio umbrosus, Astrantia major, Cirsium panonnicum, Centaureum erythraeum, Inula salicina, Centaurea jacea, Trifolium montanum, Dorycnium germanicum, Linum flavum, Scabiosa ochroleuca, Cuscuta epithymum, Lathyrus latifolius, Stachys recta, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Gymnadenia conopsea, Lathyrus niger, Silene vulgaris, Melampyrum nemorosum, Rhinanthus major, Centaurea stenolepis, Campanula rapunculoides, Asarum europaeum, Anthericum ramosum, Betonica

Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 1 officinalis, Prunella grandiflora, Campanula glomerata, Helianthemum grandiflorum and obscurum, Inula ensifolia, Dianthus carthusianorum, Centaurea scabiosa, Salvia verticillata, Knautia kitaibelii, Melampyrum cristatum, Hieracium maculatum, Chrysanthemum corymbosum, Thalictrum simplex, Cirsium arvense, Geranium sanguineum, Linaria vulgaris, Salvia pratensis, Anthylis vulneraria, Serratula tinctoria, Nepeta panonnica, Melitis melissophylum, Allium carinatum, Ononis spinosa, Elytrigia intermedia, Danthonia alpina and decumbens, and Digitalis grandiflora.

Important meadow phytocenosis with arundinacea and Carex montana was also seen. : Scarce Swallowtail and Swallowtail, Large, Green-veined, Small and Wood White, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Great Banded Grayling, Short-tailed, Small, Holly and Common Blue, Scarce Copper, White-letter Hairstreak, Marbled and Lesser Marbled Fritillary, Purple Emperor, Peacock, Map , Heath, Dark Green and Silver-washed Fritillary, Ringlet, Chestnut Heath, Dingy, Essex, Large, Small and Large Chequered , Zygaena filipendulae.

ZAHRADY POD HAJEM, White Carpathians (8th July)

Beside flowers that were seen repeatedly we found more species along the track. Trifolium rubens, Iris graminea, Bromus erectus, Carex flacca and montana, Orchis ustulata and militaris (in seed), Gymnadenia conopsea, Gentiana cruciata, Silaum silaus, Epipactis palustris and muelleri, Melampyrum nemorosum praecox, Galium verum, Pseudolysimachion orchideum, Ornithogalum brevistyllum, Centaurea jacea, Pyrethrum corymbosum, Thalictrum lucidum and minus, Colchicum autumnale.

Butterflies showed wery well and we managed to closely inspect all the below listed species. It was hot and peaking summer season. There were especially good numbers of Alcon (4mM1mF) and Scarce Large Blue (20+fMF), both beautiful butterflies and not worn at all. Others were Scarce Swallowtail and Swallowtail, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Great Banded Grayling, Brown Argus, Short-tailed, Chapman´s (5+fM) and Common Blue, Scarce Copper, Twin-spot Fritillary (1mF), Peacock, Red Admiral, Weaver´s (1fM), Dark Green and Silver-washed Fritillary, Small and Wood White, Pale Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Ringlet, Dingy, Essex, Small and Large (20+).

Birds of the day were just a few. Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Golden Oriole, Sparrowhawk, Red-backed Shrike and Mistle Thrush are worth a mention.

VYSKOVEC, White Carpathians (9th July)

Weather was bad and windy. We hoped to see some birds at this mountain village but they were quiet and we better continued to Vrsatec, our first site in Slovakia.

VRSATEC, White Carpathians (9th July)

We took a short and easy trail across the hillside and found a few interesting plants in bloom. The carpets of flowers usually seen there in June were gone. Dozen or so Apollos were very pleasing and other butterflies included Chalk-hill Blue, Silver-spotted Skipper, Geranium Argus, Large Wall Brown and Comma. Flowers were represented by Dianthus carthusianorum, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Epipactis atrorubens in seeds, Scabiosa lucida and Prunela laciniata.

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Late lunch in Pruske was taken in an ordinary restaurant. We could taste a menu of the day and see how Slovaks dine on a working day. Then we moved to Mala Fatra National park for a two night stay.

MALA FATRA MOUNTAINS (10th July) ABOVE KUBIKOVA (10th July)

We spent the morning in a forest above the village of Kubikova near a small pass. This was intended to bring some more forest species of birds. Forest with nice stands of old spruces and beeches was alive with bird calls at times. We managed to watch Goldcrest and Firecrest, glimpsed Goshawk and recorded a couple of commoner forest songbirds like Bullfinch and Siskin. Spotted Flycatcher posed well and we had several good views of Crested Tit. Great Spotted Woodpecked showed couple of times, Black Woodpecker was flying round at two spots while Three-toed slipped through as we were trying to get a better view of it. We also found one of the biggest European butterflies, a Poplar Admiral.

SNILOVSKE SEDLO PASS (10th July)

We took a lift to Snilovske saddle at 1300m where we expected many alpine flowers to be in blossom. Weather was beautiful and sunny. There were a few tourists on trails and everyone enjoyed time spent on his own after an initial botanizing as a group.

Flowers: Dianthus nitidus, Polygonum bistorta, Knautia alpina, Pedicularis verticillata, Cicerbita alpina, Doronicum montanum, Swertia perennis, Thymus alpestris, Cirsium erisithale, Parnassia palustris, Allium victorialis, Campanula glomerata, Rhodiola rosea, Silene rubrum, Anthyllis vulneraria, Cerastium sp., Tofieldia calyculata, Chrysanthemum alpinum, Linum extraaxillare, Holcus lanatus, Scabiosa lucida, Phyteuma orbiculare and spicatum, Delphinium elatum, Draba aizoides, Salix reticulata, Salix alpina, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Biscutella laevigata, Hypochoeris sp., Campanula cochleariifolia, Lycopodium clavatum, Homogyne alpina, Centaurea alpestris, Saxifraga moschata and paniculata, Polygala amara, and Dryas octopetala.

Other wildlife recorded were Water Pipit, glimpsed Alpine Accentor, Peregrine, Mountain Ringlet, Brimstone, Large Wall Brown and Small Tortoiseshell.

STEFANOVA (10th July)

Short walk following the tourist trail from village Stefanova produced some flowers and smaller birds. Highlight was probably an extremely elusive Nutcracker that we saw at short distance in the spruce forest understorey. Flowers were represented by angustifolium, Campanula glomerata, Doronicum austriacum, Epipactis neglecta and Gladiolus imbricatus. Birds included usual Grey Wagtail and Dipper along the stream.

Day 5 TO THE TATRAS (11th July) LUCKY (11th July)

We met our guide Bohus who received a call up only previous day. We went to his favourite area to look for birds. Although it was likely that we will see virtually nothing we tried and spend some 3 hours on a winding forest track with a small incline. Birds were very elusive and we watched mostly passerines from time to time, an odd woodpecker showed briefly a few times. And so the

Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 3 best bird was a Goshawk in Lucky village at the beginning of the valley. There were nice wet meadows along the stream and we stopped at clump of Telekia speciosa in full blossom. It was not a botanical site at all. Other flowers were Lilium martagon, Epipactis atrorubens, Digitalis grandiflora, Salvia glutinosa, Gymnadenia conopsea and Platanthera chlorantha. Butterflies Large Wall Brown, Silver-washed Fritillary, Large and Silver-spotted Skipper and Lesser Marbled Fritillary.

BESENOVA (11th July)

The last bird species of this walk was Goldeneye, a family of 3 females and 17 juveniles - the first proved nesting of the species in Slovakia! They nested in nestboxes as we were told and this success encouraged Bohumil Murin who accompanied us to put out more boxes. Besides, there were couple of waterfowl species on the water, gulls, terns, White Stork, Sedge and River Warbler and other passerines round. Geranium Argus showed well.

Days 6-8 THE TATRAS (12th - 14th July) ZAKOPANE, TATRANSKA JAVORINA WALK, ZDIAR WALK (12th July)

Since the tour itinerary included a visit to Polish Tatras we set on our way to Zakopane. We parked not far from the border and took an easy forest track. There were quite a few good flowers to look at along the trail like Gymnadenia conopsea and odoratissima, Orchis signifera, Traunsteinera globosa, Coralorhiza trifida (in seed), Rosa pendulina, Aconitum firmum, Cicerbita alpina, Phyteuma spicatum and orbiculare, Astrantia major, Pyrola minor, Ranunculus platanifolius, Clematis alpina, Gentiana asclepiadea, Aruncus sylvestris and Ribes petraeum. The only butterfly worth mention was Mountain Green-veined White resting low above the ground.

It was mid afternoon and raining heavily when we returned to the bus. We wanted to finish the day near our hotel following a trail into Belanske Tatras. Meadow was nicely in flower and we walked for about half of a mile.

LOMNICKE PASS, SKALNATE PLESO LAKE, BELANSKE LUKY (13th July)

Skalnate pleso is a mountain lake at 1750 meters reached by cabin lift. It is usually rather crowded there and only worth looking at flowers. Some were seen as we were waiting for the chairlift to Lomnicke sedlo pass to start operating (it goes once in an hour) like Campanula cochleariifolia and Gentianella sp. Coming up by chairlift there was a very well fed Marmot grazing right below our feet. We saw the same specimen on the way back too. Splendid views of a group of Chamois (endemic Tatra race) came soon after we got off the chairlift at 2200 meters. It was a group of females and young that fearlessly walked out of view in a couple of minutes. A lone male provided equally good views when traversing the steep south slope. We looked into Mala studena dolina valley on the other side of the mountain. Rather spectacular and almost aerial view of high rocky peaks, waterfall and couple of mountain lakes. Flowers were scarce and apparently were at their best some 2 weeks earlier. We found only Senecio abrotanifolius carpaticus, Holcus lanatus and Tanacetum alpinum.

TATRA FOOTHILLS (13th July)

We got down at around noon and headed for meadows below the Tatras. It was a large complex of wet meadows on flysh soil at foothills of Tatras. We briefly looked at the edge of a large reserve and continued to a nice mire where plenty of flowers are usually found.

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Flowers: Melampyrum pratense and arvense, Epipactis palustris, Parnassia palustris, Pedicularis palustris (in seed), Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinum, Eriophorum vaginatum, Listera ovata, Thalictrum aquilegiifolium, Comarum palustre, Aquilegia vulgaris, Geranium sylvaticum and Polemonium caeruleum. Butterflies included Chestnut Heath, False Heath Fritillary, Scarce Copper and Arran Brown.

BELANSKE TATRAS (14th July)

Our last day was spent in the Belanske Tatras. Christine opted to stay in the village and have a rest while other four hiked from 1000 to 1750 meters to Kopske sedlo pass, a long and steady but not steep ascent. Birds were quiet as usual and we saw just nice couple of Serin, juvenile Ring Ouzel and Grey Wagtails. Butterflies included Mountain, Yellow-spotted and Blind Ringlet and a few Shepherd´s Fritillaries and Purple-shot Coppers.

Flowers were all along the trail and out of those we haven´t seen yet most were found near the saddle. The vegetation was much ahead again but it simply can´t go wrong at this place. The richest mountain flora north of the Alps still showed much of its abundance. We kept on finding various commoner or rarer species along the trail. They included Dianthus superbus (masses of it) and endemic Dianthus glacialis (last flowers), Veratrum album, Silene acaulis, Androsace chamaejasme, Pilosella aurantiaca, Lilium martagon, Arenaria tenella (?), Chamorchis alpina, Leucorchis albidus, Senecio integrifolius capitatus, Coeloglossum viride, Ranunculus alpestris, Campanula tatrae and alpina, Biscutella laevigata, endemic Cirsium erisithale, Astrantia major, Phyllitis scolopendrium, Streptopus amplexifolius, Tofieldia calyculata, Aconitum firmum, Delphinium elatum and endemic Delphinium oxysepallum, Cicerbita alpina, Adenostyles alliariae, Centaurea montana, Aquilegia vulgaris (ssp. longisepala), Traunsteinera globosa, Pyrola media, Phyteuma spicatum, Malaxis monophyllos, Digitalis grandiflora, Aruncus sylvestris, Viola biflora, Viola sudetica, Gnaphalium norvegicum, Gentiana punctata, Rhodiola rosea, Gymnadenia conopsea and odoratissima, Ranunculus platanifolius, Juncus trifidus, Pedicularis verticillata, Paris quadrifolia, Solidago virgaurea, Lloydia serotina, Rosa pendulina, Linum extraaxillare, Blysmus compressus, Botrychium lunaria, Sempervivum montanum, Pulsatilla scherfelii (in seed), Veronica fruticans, Soldanella carpatica, Draba sp. (probably tomentosa), Astragalus penduliflorus and many other commoner species.

Day 9 DEPARTURE (15th July)

We set on our way and reached Krakow in less than two hours. Martin could not find the access to the hotel for about 15 minutes as it was located in the very center and the navigation always took him wrong way. Martin left soon after the things were sorted out and the group spent the afternoon having a city tour with local guide.

Everything was one to two weeks ahead. Despite this fact everyone seemed to had an enjoyable and easy going holiday.

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