Dolomites Days and 5 and 6

Day 5 comprised two walks in the Sella Pass, the second of which finished on the scree at our highest elevation of around 2,300 metres.  Day 6 comprised two main stops at Predazzo and the Park Natural Paneveggio, which also ended up on scree.

The photos are in no particular order and reflect a little my guilt at having largely failed to do much justice to the many flowers.

After an early success with a mountain fritillary at Sella Pass, most butterflies were on the wing apart from alpine heath, which was definitely the most seen butterfly throughout the six days.  However the compensation was a rarity later on in the morning - Warren's grizzled skipper, which was found ovipositing on its main food plant.  

Ring ouzels and nutcrackers were spotted on the way up to the scree and I saw the "mysterious" fly.  It had a clear red band on its waist the likes of which I've never seen before but I couldn't find any shots of similar flies on the internet.

The scree itself was a disappointment as the sun disappeared soon after we arrived and only one butterfly was sighted in passing.  However a few from the group did manage a close encounter with a marmot.

Day 6  was notable for the repeated appearance of a couple of apollo butterflies at a layby en route.  Perhaps even more striking for me was the fleeting sighting of a purple emperor at the same location and the carnelian burnet was arguably the star rarity.

Large ringlet was seen a lot at Predazzo with some other wetland species and large grizzled skipper (in numbers) was a first sighting as we moved uphill.  I again found some bug interest in the form of the rose chafer.

There was a lone sighting of a pearly heath (last photo) showing its similarity to the alpine version.

Once more today, the scree was not yielding any major sightings but we probably saw most of the target sightings elsewhere on the trip except for dewy ringlet.  And the marmot was far more obliging this time, turning up near the refugio during our last refreshment stop.

It seemed like a fitting end to a great holiday.

24rd June and 25th June

Went up the Ahorn lift and walked to Edelhutte.  A bit cloudy so not so rich in butterflies but highlighted by excellent view of male and female ring ouzel that flew fortuitously into tree just past a rock edge as I was approaching.  I even knew from the calls and could readily see the white edgings to male's feather patterns but was 90% luck - right place at right time. Got photographs but too blurred to show much.

I saw several crag martins (apparently) and an annoying pipit that clearly wasn't a meadow pipit and kept flying up at 45 degrees chirruping all the way and back down onto the same rock.  This may have been a water pippet, which does occur in the Tirol.  Also several black redstarts.



The next day rain interrupted walk up one of the valleys towards Schlegeis at Teufelsbrucke.  Only one butterfly, but did get very good view of redstart in hedgerow which was constantly tutting and calling and seemed to follow me around.  There were also some tits moving around non-stop that at first I took for willow or marsh tits but there bibs were far too big, extending way down onto chest.  Again there are one or two rarities that looked possible but on balance I think they must have been the local variation of coal tit without the usual pinkish hue and white stripe at back of head.  My German bird book indicates some difference and some photographs of the Tannenmeise do look very like willow/marsh tit.

Wednesday 20th June

Holiday in Mayrhofen, Austria

Arrived around lunchtime after overnight stay in Kufstein.  Decided to go for walk to Brandberg as weather good.  Not a lot seen apart from a black redstart, a butterfly like a grayling and a red deer.

21st June

Very long (too long!) walk on and down Penkenberg.  Saw an obscure warbler singing single note like tsit from pine trees.  Looked most like arctic warbler and not bonelli's - maybe greenish warbler? Did not behave or sing like willow warbler.

Almost immediately after got a clear sighting of two nutcrackers including characteristic tail feathers before they made off.  Have been hoping to see one in Germany since 2004, so well-pleased.  On getting up to restart walk at Penkenjoch a black bird landed directly infront of me on the grass. Although it had its back turned you could see the white band on its chest so clearly a ring ouzel.  Sat down to try to minimise disturbance but immediately it flew off leaving me feeling disappointed at such a fleeting encounter with one of my main targets and certainly the top-listed one for this holiday. Kept a careful eye open on the way down but all suspects proved to be blackbirds.

Also saw a profusion of flowers and butterflies, many of which are hard to identify as they are local species not known in the UK.  Those identifed were (or were similar to) small tortoiseshell, speckled wood, painted lady, small pearl bordered fritillary, brown argos, alpine blue, dingy skipper, plus some strong-flying yellows that never settled - suspect brimstone, clouded yellow plus one that had a slight swallow tail.