France - The Vercors - by air Naturetrek Tour Report 15 - 22 May 2016 Knapweed Fritillary Lotus maritimus Orchis militaris Le Grand Veymont from the Hauts Plateaux Report and Images by Paul Harmes & Laura Benito 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 France - The Vercors - by air Tour participants: Paul Harmes and Laura Benito (leaders) with 11 Naturetrek clients Day 1 Sunday 15th May London Heathrow – Lyon St, Exupery – La Chappelle en Vercors The group met with Laura and Paul at Lyon St. Exupery Airport, after catching flight BA360 from London Heathrow, Terminal 3. After completing immigration formalities and collecting our luggage, we made our way to the car park, where our vehicles were waiting. With luggage loaded, we set off travelling towards Grenoble, on the A43 and A48. We stopped for our lunch at a motorway rest area, Aire l’Isle d’Abeau. With our lunch complete, we continued on down the A48 towards the outskirts of Grenoble, leaving the motorway to visit the area around Grenoble Isère Airport. The first location produced three circling Black Kites, a perched pair of Kestrels, Marsh Harrier, Corn Bunting and Red-backed Shrike. We also heard Melodious Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap and Common Nightingale. For the plants, the adjacent arable margins revealed Trifolium incarnatum subsp. incarnatum (Crimson Clover), Geranium dissectum (Cut-leaved Crane’s-bill) and Lamium garganicum (Large Red Dead-nettle). As we were about to move on, a pair of Montagu’s Harriers were seen circling over our heads. A little further on, we made a stop to scan the boundary fences of the airport. Here we located three Red-footed Falcons. We now continued on our journey up to the Vercors plateau, via St. Marcellin and Pont-en-Royans and on via Les Petits Goulets and Les Barraques en Vercors, to La Chapelle en Vercors and the Hotel Bellier, our base for the week. After settling into our rooms, and relaxing for a while, we reconvened, at 6.45pm, for an outline of the week from Laura and Paul, before it was time to enjoy our evening meal. Day 2 Monday 16th May Route Combe Laval – St-Jean-en-Royans – Font d’Urle - Vassieux en Vercors We started the day by heading towards St-Jean-en-Royans, as it was Whit Monday and the hypermarket would only be open until midday. On the way, we made a short stop at the magnificent Col de la Machine, where we enjoyed the fabulous views. House Martin and Crag Martin were very active. Plants included Arabis alpina (Alpine Rock-cress), Hornungia petraea (Hutchinsia), Helleborus foetidus (Stinking Hellebore) and Saxifraga granulata (Meadow Saxifrage We now made our way along the precipitous Route Combe Laval and on down to St-Jean-en-Royans, where we visited the hypermarket to do the week’s picnic shopping. A small meadow produced Neotinea tridentata (Toothed Orchid) and Small Heath, Swallowtail and Heath Fritillary butterflies. Eurasian Wren was calling regularly, also. On the return journey, we stopped on a roadside above St-Jean, where we found Orchis purpurea (Lady Orchid), Ophrys insectifera (Fly Orchid), Tilia platyphyllos (Broad-leaved Lime) and Hippocrepis emerus (Scorpion Senna). A small meadow produced Orchis simia (Monkey Orchid), Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid) and Orchis anthropophora (Man Orchid), and there were also Orange Tip and Scarce Swallowtail Butterflies. We then moved back through the Col de la Machine and Lente, into the Forêt Communuale de Bouvante, for lunch. © Naturetrek October 16 1 France - The Vercors - by air Tour Report Laura and Paul set up the picnic by a stream, the banks of which had a good show of Anemone ranunculoides (Yellow Anemone), and there were emerging spikes of Dactylorhiza sambucina (Elder-flowered Orchid), in both colour forms. Some adjacent woodland produced Cardamine heptaphylla (Seven-leaflet Bitter-cress), Luzula luzuloides (White Wood-rush) and Valeriana tripteris (Three-leaved Valerian). Bird life was quite slow, but we did hear Firecrest, Blackcap and Robin. We now moved to the Font d’Urle, an area of open limestone crags and meadows used for skiing in winter. We began by exploring the slopes adjacent to the car park, where Paul told us that snow had been lying a week earlier. There were many spikes of Erythronium dens-canis (Dog-tooth Violet), some of which were in fruit, but lots were still in flower. There was also Viola calcarata (Long-spurred Pansy), Scilla bifolia (Alpine Squill) and Crocus vernus subsp. albiflorus (Spring Crocus). A large number of Alpine Choughs were circling above us, and we had distant views of Water Pipit, Skylark, Northern Wheatear, a solitary Short-toed Snake Eagle and Black Redstart. Where snow had previously lain, the winter tunnels of Snow Vole were also evident and, as we progressed, we added Narcissus pseudonarcissus (Wild Daffodil), Gentiana verna (Spring Gentian), Draba aizoides (Yellow Whitlow- grass) and Saxifraga exarata subsp. delphinensis (a Musky Saxifrage). At the head of the valley we enjoyed more of the magnificent scenery the Vercors has to offer, before we returned to the vehicle. From here, we moved to a roadside viewpoint above the valley of Vassieux en Vercors, on the Col de la Chau, with panoramas to the east across to Le Grand Veymont, which, at 2340m, is the highest peak in the region. Erinus alpinus (Fairy Foxglove) and Cerastium arvense (Field Mouse-ear) were found. We now moved down into the valley, and made a short stop outside the village of Vassieux en Vercors, at the cemetery where the victims of the Nazi massacre at that village, during the Second World War, are buried, before returning to the hotel for dinner. Whilst here, we had superb views of a Short-toed Eagle, directly above us. Day 3 Tuesday 17th May Herbouilly - Les Merciers - Les Bruyeres – Valchevriere The highlight of the early morning bird walk today, was a Eurasian Wryneck, which was calling from trees at the back of the hotel. After breakfast, we made our way up to the northern end of the Vercors Plateau. Our main objective was to try to find a Wallcreeper, but we found interesting things en route, as well. Leaving La Chapelle, we drove north through the village of St Martin en Vercors, where we turned off towards the hamlet of Herbouilly. We made our first stop on a verge in the forest to see a small stand of Orchis pallens (Pale-flowered Orchid). There was also Lathyrus vernus (Spring Vetch), Ribes alpinum (Mountain Currant) and Sambucus racemosus (Red-berried Elder). Firecrest and Song Thrush were both heard. We continued on to a point just north of Lans en Vercors, to the hamlet of St. Merciers. Parking in a wide quarry-like lay-by, we set off for a tall crag. Laura took the birders to seek out the elusive Wallcreeper where it had been seen in past years. Settling down on the top of a viewing point to wait and watch for signs of movement, they made themselves comfortable. Meanwhile, Paul took the botanists off to explore. They found emerging Saxifraga paniculata (Live-long Saxifrage), Anthyllis montana (Mountain Kidney-vetch), Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid), masses of Dactylorhiza sambucina (Elder-flowered Orchid) in the yellow form, and a single 2 © Naturetrek October 16 France - The Vercors - by air Tour Report spike of Neotinea ustulata (Burnt Orchid), but this was barely in flower. Insects were starting to become active, and we found Green Hairstreak, Dingy Skipper and numerous Orange Tips. When we all reconvened, Laura’s group had recorded Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Northern Raven, Western Bonelli’s Warbler and Common Buzzard. Their highlight, however, was a solitary Northern Goshawk but, unfortunately, no Wallcreeper. We now moved down to the southern end of the Gorges du Furon, where we took our picnic in a grassy clearing by the river at a place called Bruyant. Whilst we were there, we added Adoxa moschatellina (Moschatel), Chrysosplenium alternifolium (Alternate-leaved Golden Saxifrage), Saxifraga rotundifolia (Round-leaved Saxifrage), Pimpinella major (Greater Burnet Saxifrage) and Cirsium montanum. We also heard Common Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Wren, and saw White-throated Dipper and Grey Heron. A female Brimstone, Comma Butterfly, Orange Tip and Swallowtail butterflies were also seen. We now made our way to some wet meadows at Les Bruyeres, where we found Tephroseris helenitis (Swiss Ragwort), Valeriana dioica (Marsh Valerian) and Dactylorhiza majalis (Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid). A small pond produced a number of Hybrid Edible Frogs. Unfortunately, we could not locate the hoped-for Marsh Warbler, but we did see Common Kestrel, Garden Warbler and Grey Heron. It was now time to start our homeward journey, stopping briefly at the abandoned village of Valchevrière, the scene of a battle between the Germans and the Resistance in July 1944. While we were there, Paul demonstrated the leaf characteristics of Cardamine pentaphyllos (Five-leaflet Bitter-cress), before it was time to make our way back to hotel, in time for dinner. Day 4 Wednesday 18th May Col de Rousset – Chamaloc – Les Nonnières – Vallée de Combeau – Cirque d’Archiane Our first stop today was at the head of the spectacular Col de Rousset – there are truly magnificent views from here. Whilst we were here, we had good telescope views of two sets of two Alpine Chamois (two adults and an adult with a youngster). Bonelli’s Warbler was also heard and several Griffon Vultures were seen. Continuing on down the valley, where we made a second stop to look for Griffon Vultures at a roost near Chamaloc. Unfortunately, the birds seem to have moved from the area, so we had to satisfy ourselves with the calls of Short-toed Treecreeper and Cuckoo.