The Yukon RiverTake a visual journey with Jason down the iconic Yukon RiverJason18 April 202019 April 2020
Croatia – The Badger to Bear UpgradeTracking European Brown Bear in the Croatian wildernessJason2 May 201915 April 2020
Bushcraft and canoeing in Sweden with Woodland WaysA blend of traditional bushcraft skillsJason6 April 201615 April 2020
Urban Bushcraft – Friction Fire ExperimentsChallenging yourself to bettermentJason11 April 201914 April 2020
Bushcraft Torches and Lanterns Part 3 – Pinch pots and WicksPart of a 4 part seriesJason8 March 201714 April 2020
Three Months of Total Immersion Into BushcraftBushcraft & Survival Skills magazine competition winnerJason13 November 201414 April 2020
Observations from South AfricaAn emotive story of Continuous Professional Development Jason16 December 201414 April 2020
Croatia Checklist Update After two fantastic weeks tracking and wildlife watching in Croatia we are finally back in the UK. Over the two weeks our instructor team between them clocked up nearly 400 miles on foot between, summited Mount Risnjak 3 times and looked at literally hundreds of tracks, scat and other sign. The first week was some joint team training with Pablo, J.P, and the Woodlife Trails Team quickly followed by our normal spring Tracking & Wildlife Watching Course. We had some notable new sightings to add to the list this year as well as capturing some amazing video of bear, boar and deer on our trail cameras. In addition to the star attraction of bear and wolf sign, we had some new unusual ones to learn from some slightly smaller but nether the less still exciting animals, firstly a Fire Salamander track and the tracks of a Yellow-bellied Toad hopping. Young Bear tracks Fire Salamander Tracks Two new reptile species; Common Wall Lizard and a melanistic (black) Adder…….which slithered right underneath a customer’s legs on a sit spot! Some good new bird species were added to the list including; Black Stork, Hoopoe, Nutcracker, Middle-spotted Woodpecker, Ural Owl (a rare dark-faced form), Golden Eagle and Peregrine. Hoopoe (picture by Ed Sellen) We had a few nice mammal firsts; a couple of nice sets of Polecat tracks, a dead Water Shrew, an Eagle owl pellet which contained both Glis Glis and Bank Vole remains. The icing on the cake was for the first time in 4 years we finally got to see the elusive Chamois, not once but 3 times observing 4 different animals (20% of the park’s total population). Chamois (Picture by Ed Sellen) We also got to see some clear Chamois tracks and also feeding sign where they are browsing on Deadly Nightshade! The are one of the few animals which are reported to eat this extremely toxic plant and seem to suffer no ill effects. Chamois tracks Over the 4 years since we have been running this trip we have built up quite an impressive list of flora and fauna that we have either observed or seen direct sign of. Flora and Fauna Species List for Croatia Fungi Common Name Latin Name 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 Morel Morchella esculenta Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus Monilophytes Bracken Fern Pteridium aquilinum Hart’s Tongue Fern Phyllitis scolopendrium Bryophyte Polytrichum attenuatum Hard fern Blechinum spicant Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes Lady Fern Athyrium filix-femina Coniferae Silver Fir Abies alba Mountain Pine Pinus mugo Norway Spruce Picea abies Juniper Juniperus communis Mountain 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 Rowan Sorbus aucuparia Large-leaved Spindle Evonymus latifolia Elder Sambucus nigra Dwarf Elder Sambucus ebulus Wild Cherry Prunus avium Bramble Rubus fructicosa Raspberry Rubus ideaus Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca Dandelion Taraxaclum officinale Common Solomon’s Seal Polygonatum multiforum Spotted Cat’s Ear Hypochaeris maculata Goat’s Beard Aruncus silvestris Liverleaf Hepatica nobilis Hacquetica epipactis Bastard Agrimony Aremonia agrimonoides Spring Snowflake Leucojum vernum White Butterbur Petasites albus Black Bryony Dioscorea communis Selfheal Prunella vulgaris Bugle Ajuga repens Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus Moschatel Adoxa moschatellina Marsh Valerian Valeria dioica Common Valerian Valeria officinalis May Lilly Maianthemum bifolium Adenostyles alliariae Alpine Enchanter’s Nightshade Circaea alpina Coralroot Bittercress Cardamine bulbifera Lady’s Mantle Alchemilla vulgaris Salad Burnet Sanguisorba minor Opposite-leaved Golden-Saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Spurge-laurel Daphne laureola Mezereon Daphne mezereum Crosswort Cruciata laevipes Sweet Cicely Myrrhis odorata Cow Parsley Anthriscus sylvestris Hogweed Heracleum sphondyllium Ramsons Allium ursinium Drooping Bittercress Cardamine enneaphyllos Toothwort Lathraea sqamaria Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara 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 Crosswort Cruciata laevipes 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 White Butterbur Petasites alba 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 Drooping Bittercress Cardamine enneaphyllos 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 Stinking Aposeris Aposeris foetida Amphibians Common Name Latin Name Observed Heard Sign Observed Comments Fire Salamander Salamandra salamandra √ √ Several dead ones on road, tadpoles found. Tracks Alpine Newt Triturus alpestris √ Smooth Newt Triturus vulgaris √ European Tree Frog Hyla arborea √ √ Seen in pool calling Yellow-Bellied Toad Bombina variegata √ √ Tracks seen Fire-Bellied Toad Bombina bombina √ Common Toad Bufo bufo √ √ Found eggs and ovaries from Buzzard predation Agile Frog* Rana dalmatina √ Common Frog Rana temporaria √ Reptiles Slow Worm Anguis fragilis √ Common Lizard Lacerta vivipara √ Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis √ Common Viper (melanistic) Vipera berus √ Birds Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo √ Grey Heron Ardea cinerea √ √ Footprints and droppings at Kupa source Little Egret Egretta garzetta √ White Stork Ciconia ciconia √ Black Stork Ciconia nigra √ Mallard Anas platyrhynchos √ √ Tracks Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos √ Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus √ Buzzard Buteo buteo √ √ √ Feather found Feeding sign found Goshawk Accipiter gentilis √ Black Kite Milvus migrans √ Kestrel Falco tinnunculus √ Peregrine Falco peregrinus √ Pheasant Phasianus colchicus √ Woodcock Scolopax rusticola √ Rock Dove Columba livia √ Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus √ Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto √ Cuckoo Cuculus canorus √ Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum √ √ Call heard and replied to recording Eagle Owl Bubo bubo √ √ √ Pellet found at top of Risnjak. Pair seen in 2013, seen 2016 and 2017 Barn Owl* Tyto alba √ Several pellets found in grassy area behind village Tengmalms Owl Aegolius funereus √ Heard calling in reply to recording 2015 & 2017 Ural Owl Strix uralensis √ √ Several heard calling in reply to recording Rare dark faced bird seen 2017 Tawny Owl Strix aluco √ Swift Apus apus √ Kingfisher* Alcedo atthis √ Grey-Headed Woodpecker Picus canus √ √ √ Green Woodpecker Picus viridis √ √ Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major √ √ White-Backed Woodpecker Dendrocopus leucotos √ √ Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus medius √ √ Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Denrocopos minor √ √ Three-Toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus √ √ √ Feeding sign and holes Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius √ √ √ Lots of confirmed feeding sign and holes Wryneck Jynx torquilla √ √ Swallow Hirundo rustica √ Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea √ Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava √ White Wagtail Motacilla alba √ Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis √ Starling Sturnus vulgaris √ Jay Garrulus glandarius √ √ Hoopoe √ Magpie Pica pica √ Jackdaw Corvus monedula √ Hooded Crow Corvus cornix √ Raven Corvus corax √ √ √ Foot prints found Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes √ √ √ Split Hazelnut shells Heard and seen 2017 Dipper Cinclus cinclus √ √ Wren Troglodytes troglodytes √ √ √ Footprints in mud. Nest Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla √ √ Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita √ √ Goldcrest Regulas regulus √ √ Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe √ Whinchat Saxicola rubetra √ Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus √ Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros √ √ Robin Erithacus rubecula √ √ Blackbird Turdus merula √ Song Thrush Turdus philomelos √ √ Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus √ Willow Tit Parus montanus √ Sombre Tit Parus lugubris √ Blue Tit Parus caeruleus √ √ Coal Tit Parus ater √ √ Great Tit Parus major √ √ √ Footprints in mud Nuthatch Sitta europaea √ Treecreeper Certhia familiaris √ √ House Sparrow Passer domesticus √ √ Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs √ Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula √ √ Serin Serinus serinus √ Greenfinch √ Mammals Mole Talpa europaea √ Molehills and dead mole Noctule Nyctalus noctula √ √ Pipistrelle* Pipistrellus pipistrellus √ √ Common Shrew Sorex araneus √ √ Dead animal Water Shrew Neomys fodiens √ Dead animal Eastern Hedgehog Erinaceus concolor √ Scat Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus √ √ A couple of burrows found Brown Hare Lepus capensis √ √ Droppings, form and kill site. Dead one on road Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris √ √ Spruce cone, hazel nut and spruce tip feeding sign. Dead one on road Edible Dormouse Glis glis √ √ Hazel nut feeding sign, bones found in Eagle Owl pellet. Seen in 2013 Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius √ Hazelnut feeding sign Common Vole Microtus arvalis √ √ Runs in long grass, remains in Barn Owl pellet, hazelnut feeding sign Bank Vole Clethrionomys glareolus √ √ Scat and feeding sign, bones found in Eagle Owl pellet Snow Vole* Micotus nivalis √ Burrows at top of Risnjak Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus √ √ Hazel nut feeding sign Brown Bear Ursus arctos √ √ √ Scat, tracks and hair Wolf Canis lupus √ √ Scat and tracks Red Fox Vulpes vulpes √ √ Lots of scat Weasel Mustela nivalis √ Latrine Stoat Mustela erminea √ Scat and Latrine Steppe Polecat Mustela eversmanni √ Western Polecat Mustela putorius √ Tracks and scat Pine Marten Martes martes √ Scat Beech Marten Martes foina √ Scat and tracks Badger Meles meles √ √ Latrines, tracks, digging 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,possible den, latrine Wild Boar Sus scrofa √ √ Lots of scat and feeding sign, particularly Wild Carrot. Chamois Rupicapra rupricapra √ √ Scat by salt lick on Risnjak 4 seen 2017 Red Deer Cervus elaphus √ √ Scat, tracks and feeding sign Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus √ √ √ Scat, tracks and feeding sign. *Denotes probable
