Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Škocjan Caves

On our way back to Italy from Croatia last weekend we decided to call in at this UNESCO World Heritage site in Slovenia, just a short drive from the borders. The region is famed for the karst geology, which takes the rivers underground through the limestone landscape and creates vast cave systems. It also leads to some dramatic surface features where these caves collapse creating large holes called dolines. This is a short clip taken across Velika dolina and Mala dolina with the Reka river thundering through the bottom dwarfing the visitors to the caves walking alongside.



The caves are home to some unique wildlife but on our flying visit we concentrated on the forested surroundings where Short-toed Treecreepers were abundant and Spotted Flycatchers hawked for insects. The dolines were home to Ravens and are a wintering site for Wallcreepers. Just a few photos from this very short visit.

Fire Bug Pyrrhocoris apterus



Green-winged Orchid Anacamptis morio (prefer this over the other possibility A. picta)


Narrow-leaved Helleborine Cephalanthera longifolia


Photos taken with Canon Powershot SX50 HS

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