Naturetrek in Abruzzo Week 1

Near the top of Val di Rose

The first week in Abruzzo is over and we have now returned to our hotel in Pescaserolli from Rome with the second group. 

The weather was generally good - lots of warm sunshine interspersed with occasional thunderstorms! Our lovely group were enthusiastic about every aspect of Abruzzo's special flora and fauna which made the week hugely enjoyable. We were usually out by 5:30am to look for mammals before breakfast then out walking all day finding an exciting range of  flowers, insects and birds. Just three of us were lucky enough to see a Marsican Brown Bear but everyone enjoyed extended views of large groups of Red Deer and Wild Boar throughout the week, along with ridiculous numbers of voles and mice! The variety and abundance of orchids was stunning and a total of 32 butterfly species were seen.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Mammals
Marsican Brown Bear
Abruzzo Chamois
Wild Boar
Snow Vole

Plus lots of Red Deer, Roe Deer,  Brown Hare etc.

Birds
Golden Eagle
Long-eared Owls (2 Owlets with adult)
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Wryneck
Crag Martin
Water Pipit
Alpine Accentor
Black-eared Wheatear
Bonelli's Warbler
Red-backed Shrike

Plus lots of Redstart, Black Redstart, Firecrest, Chough, Tree Sparrow and Cirl Bunting.

Long-eared Owlets

Butterflies

Southern Scarce Swallowtail
Swallowtail
Wood White
Berger's Clouded Yellow
Mazarine Blue
Adonis Blue
Spotted Fritillary
Lesser Spotted Fritillary
Heath Fritillary
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Large Wall Brown
Clouded Apollo

Southern Scarce Swallowtail

Flowers
Lady's Slipper Orchid
Adriatic Lizard Orchid
Bird's Nest Orchid
Berteloni's Bee Orchid
Late Spider Orchid
Military Orchid
Green-winged Orchid
Lady Orchid
Toothed Orchid
Burnt Orchid

Lady's Slipper Orchid