Polhograjska Grmada

Polhograjska grmada in central Slovenia is a habitat of Jovibarba hirta.

Here's a link to photos from habitat:

http://www2.arnes.si/~bzwitt/flora/jovibarba_hirta.html

I visited this place today. It's nice, from the state of the paths it is clear that there are many people in summer. But today I saw very few mountaineers, despite nice weather (partly sunny, bit coldish wind). I had no difficulties finding the plants and took many photographs also of habitats. I will put these somewhere online later, probably on my website-to-be. Right now I like to comment that the population looks healthy. There is ongoing succession of pine-trees in this area but there are sufficient exposed places for S. hirtum.

Great photos, Paul! You seem to have a good camera! Thanks for sharing this with us!

More photos from habitat:

http://www.bioportal.si/fotoarhiv.php

And yet some more habitat photos: http://www2.arnes.si/~sopjslat/netreski/grmada.htm

And one more photo: https://picasaweb.google.com/117393767671602590895/PolhograjskaGrmada02#5326512160243267938

Today the weather was beautifull, although there was a strong, cold wind. Grmada is easy to reach from Ljubljana so I decided to drive there after my work (I sometimes work in weekends). I wondered how the housleeks look in the end of winter/early spring. There was no snow and the rocks warm up quite a bit in the sun, but when the sun was gone, the temperature quickly dropped to near freezing. Must be very cold at night. Interestingly, the plants look all very similar now, the small adaptations to more and less light are gone. But ow, they are so nice!

Last year's flower


In Dutch language we call this butterfly the "little fox". It winters as adult and in spring the somewhat damaged butterflies appear as soon as they can warm up in the sunlight.


At Grmada there is a population of common wall lizards. Today I only saw this male, probably many more were active in the middle of the day.


This raven landed in a nearby tree while I was photographing the housleeks. It then started singing, at least it looked like that from the movements it made. I didn't hear anything. Maybe a soft "subsong"? In any case, it's sounds were probably meant for other ravens rather than for me ... When it flew off I could see it's sunlight-reflecting wings for a very long distance. Enjoying nature like this makes the difference between growing houseleeks in the garden and seeing them in nature.