Croatia 2014

This year was the first time of running our Wildlife Watching and Tracking course in Croatia. We had a brief recce of the area last year and were blown away by the shear beauty of the area and also the amount of wildlife sign we observed in a short four days.  We knew then that this had the makings of an awesome course and this year proved that to be the case.

The instructor team went out a day early to set the course up and just a brief visit into the Risnjak National Park yielded Wolf tracks and Marten scat beside a small stream and as we were walking back we encountered a Fire Salamander crawling across the track.

The following day the course participants joined us and after a journey through some stunning scenery, a bite of lunch on route and a stop off in the nearest big town for a spot of grocery shopping,  they were introduced to the instructor team and our Croatian hosts.

The following day, the group went into the park and to introduce everyone to Risnjak, we followed the three mile long Leska trail along the length of which are 23 educational boards in Croatian and English giving a great insight into the history, geology, flora and fauna  of the area. We were soon immersed into this amazing pristine forest and what should have been a 2 hour walk, took all day as we became absorbed into new species of plant and fungi.

We also found plenty of animal sign including woodpecker, red deer, hare and wild boar. The icing on the cake was to find fresh lynx tracks in the sand next to a stream on this first day. Considering that there are only a handful of lynx in the park and that they roam vast distances we were incredibly privileged.

We finished the day with a dusk sit spot next to a wild boar feeding spot.

The rest of the week carried on in a similar way. Days were spent exploring areas of the park from the Source of the Kupa river to the top of Mount Risnjak, looking for tracks of the local wildlife, watching the diversity of bird species, identifying plant and fungi species, and generally just soaking up this amazing country.

Evenings were spent sampling typical Croatian cooking as we were spoilt with some fantastic meals in our guest house……. I’m certain that everyone went up a belt size during the week!

In addition we;-

• Befriended the park rangers and learned about their work and have struck up a partnership to work with them in future years
• Dissected owl pellets to identify what they had been feeding on
• Set up trail cameras
• Played owl and wolf calls to attract a response and had a Pygmy Owl reply.
• Examined hazel nut shells to determine what small mammal species where in the area
• Learned how the local community utilise some of the wild plants to make medicinal preparations.

Towards the end of the week, we took it in turns four at a time to spend the night in the Lazac lodge.  Situated by a clearing in a remote part of the park at an elevation of 100om, the area is baited by park staff to attract bear and boar.

On the second night we were lucky to have a small family of wild boar come down to the baiting area. They waited until it was completely dark before making an appearance but there was just enough moonlight so spot these illusive creatures.

The lodge saved the best for last. On the Saturday the lucky last group  hit the jackpot as a female bear with two cubs crossed the clearing in front of the lodge.  We had spotted plenty of bear sign around; tracks, fresh scat, claw marks on trees and even found a hair caught on a fallen tree across one of their trails but this was the pinnacle of an amazing week.

All in all a remarkable trip, so much so that many of the people who went this year have rebooked for next year’s trip in May.  There are just a few places left here.

Below is a list of all the plant and animal species observed or that we saw sign of in 2014

Flora and Fauna Species List for Croatia 2014

Fungi
Common Name	Latin Name	Comments
Lion’s Mane Fungus	Hericium erinaceus
Cauliflower Fungus	Sparassis crispa
Hedgehog Fungus	Hydnum repandum
Horse Hoof Fungus	Formes formentarius
Porcelain Fungus	Oudemansiella muscida
Dog Stinkhorn	Mutinus caninus
Scarlet Elf Cup	Sarcosypha coccinea
Shaggy Inkcap	Coprinus commatus
Earth Star	Geastrum sessile
White Cheese Polypore	Tyromyces albellus
Split Gill Fungus	Schizophyllum commune
Monilophytes
Bracken Fern	Pteridium aquilinum
Hart’s Tongue Fern	Phyllitis scolopendrium
Coniferae
Silver Fir	Abies alba
Mountain Pine	Pinus mugo
Norway Spruce	Picea abies
Juniper	Juniperus communis
Angiospermae
Hazel	Corylus avellana
Beech	Fagus sylvatica
Sweet Chestnut	Castanea sativa
Sycamore	Acer pseudoplatanus
Alpine Buckthorn	Rhamnus fallax
Ash	Fraxinus excelsior
Wych Elm	Ulmus glabra
Silver Birch	Betula pendula
Common Dogwood	Cornus sanguina
Large-leaved Spindle	Evonymus latifolia
Elder	Sambucus nigra
Bramble	Rubus fructicosa
Raspberry	Rubus ideaus
Wild Strawberry	Fragaria vesca
Dandelion	Taraxaclum officinale
Common Solomon’s Seal	Polygonatum multiforum
Blue Eyed Mary	Omphalodes verna
Sticky Sage	Salvia glutinosa
Wood Sorrel	Oxalis acetosella
Dogs Mercury	Mecurialis perenis
Purple Cyclamen	Cyclamen purpurascens
Clematis	Clematis vitalba
Alpine Clematis	Clematis alpina
Stemless Carline Thistle	Carlina acaulis
Perennial  Honesty	Lunaria rediviva
Sweet Woodruff	Gallium odoratum
Yellow Archangel	Galeobdolon luteum
Wood Anemone	Anemone nemorosa
Wood Spurge	Euphorbia amygdaloides
Angelica	Angelica sylvestris
Tansy	Tancetum parthenium
Alpine Aster	Aster alpines
Autumn Crocus	Crocus nudiflorus
Gallant Soldier	Galinsoga parviflora
Marsh Marigold	Caltha palustris
Ragged Robin	Lychnis flos-cuculii
Bilberry	Vaccinium myrtillus
Butterbur	Petasites hybridus
Winter Heliotrope	Petasites fragrans
Sanicle	Sanicula europea
Stinging Nettle	Urtica diocia
Wild Carrot	Daucus carota
Wild Basil	Clinopodium vulgare
Hairy Bittercress	Cardamine hirsuta
Narrow-Leaved Bittercress	Cardamine impatiens
Wood Avens	Geum urbanum
Balm Leaved Dead Nettle*	Lamium orvala
Rosebay Willowherb	Angustifolium epilobium
False Lily of the Valley*	Maianthenum bifolium
Large Flowered Calamint*	Calamintha grandiflora
Broad-Leaved Helleborine*	Epipactis helleborine
Lungwort*	Pulmoniaria officinalis
Deadly Nightshade*	Atropa bella-donna

 

Amphibians
Common Name	Latin Name	Observed	Heard	Sign Observed	Comments
Fire Salamander	Salamandra salamandra	√ 2 seen		√	Several dead ones on road
Common Toad	Bufo bufo	√
Birds
Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo	√
Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea	√		√	Footprints and droppings at Kupa source
Spotted Eagle*	Aquila clanga	√
Buzzard	Buteo buteo	√	√	√	Feather found
Goshawk	Accipiter gentilis	√
Black Kite*	Milvus migrans	√
Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	√
Woodcock	Scolopax rusticola	√
Rock Dove	Columba livia	√
Wood Pigeon	Columba palumbus	√
Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	√
Pygmy Owl	Glaucidium passerinum		√		Call heard and replied to recording
Eagle Owl	Bubo bubo			√	Pellet found at top of Risnjak. Pair seen in 2013
Barn Owl	Tyto alba			√	Several pellets found in grassy area behind village
Kingfisher*	Alcedo atthis		√
Grey-Headed Woodpecker	Picus canus	√	√	√
White-Backed Woodpecker	Dendrocopus leucotos	√
Three-Toed Woodpecker	Picoides tridactylus	√
Black Woodpecker	Dryocopus martius	√		√
Grey Wagtail*	Motacilla cinerea	√
Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	√
Jay	Garrulus glandarius	√	√
Magpie	Pica pica	√
Jackdaw	Corvus monedula	√
Hooded Crow	Corvus cornix	√
Raven	Corvus corax	√	√
Dipper	Cinclus cinclus	√	√
Wren	Troglodytes troglodytes	√	√	√	Footprints in mud
Goldcrest	Regulas regulus	√	√
Black Redstart	Phoenicurus ochruros	√	√
Robin	Erithacus rubecula	√	√
Blackbird	Turdus merula	√
Mistle Thrush	Turdus viscivorus	√
Willow Tit*	Parus montanus	√
Blue Tit	Parus caeruleus	√	√
Coal Tit	Parus ater	√	√
Great Tit	Parus major	√	√	√	Footprints in mud
Treecreeper	Certhia familiaris	√	√
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	√	√
Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs	√
Serin	Serinus serinus	√
Mammals
Mole	Talpa europaea			√
Noctule*	Nyctalus noctula	√	√
Pipistrelle*	Pipistrellus pipistrellus	√	√
Rabbit	Oryctolagus cuniculus	√		√	A couple of burrows found
Brown Hare	Lepus capensis	√
Red Squirrel	Sciurus vulgaris	√		√	Spruce cone and hazel nut feeding sign
Edible Dormouse	Glis glis			√	Hazel nut feeding sign, bones found in Eagle Owl pellet. Seen in 2013
Common Vole	Microtus arvalis	√		√	Runs in long grass, remains in Barn Owl pellet
Wood Mouse	Apodemus sylvaticus			√	Hazel nut feeding sign
Brown Bear	Ursus arctos	√ Mother & 2 cubs seen		√	Scat, tracks and hair
Wolf	Canis lupus			√	Scat and tracks
Red Fox	Vulpes vulpes	√		√	Lots of scat
Stoat	Mustela erminea			√	Scat at Lazac
Pine Marten*	Martes martes			√	Probable scat
Beech Marten*	Martes foina			√	Probable scat
Badger	Meles meles	√
Lynx	Lynx lynx			√	Clear tracks in stream bed, also seen in same location in 2013. Associated with Red Deer tracks.
Wild Cat	Felis silvestris			√	Print and possible den
Wild Boar	Sus scrofa	√		√	Lots of scat and feeding sign, particularly Wild Carrot.
Chamois	Rupicapra rupricapra			√	Scat by salt lick on Risnjak
Red Deer	Cervus elaphus	√		√	Scat, tracks and feeding sign
Roe Deer	Capreolus capreolus	√	√	√	Scat, tracks and feeding sign.

 

*Denotes probable