Croatia's Dalmatian Coast

Situated along the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, Croatia’s famous Dalmatian Coast boasts sapphire waters and scattered islands, dramatic limestone mountains and charming coastal towns. The region’s rich biodiversity is a product of its varied habitats and landscapes, and the diverse range of birds, butterflies and other wildlife that lives here complements Dalmatia’s equally rich culture which has Roman, Ottoman, Venetian and Slav influences. Within easy reach of Mount Velebit, the beautiful Paklenica National Park, the island of Pag, Lake Vrana — an Important Bird Area — and the world famous Krka National Park, our hotel base for the week will be a newly-restored 18th century Ottoman ‘caravanserai’ (an old travellers’ inn). Here we will be within walking distance of Lake Vrana, a shallow freshwater lake close to the Adriatic and a hot-spot for both migratory and resident birds, and within an hour’s drive of all the other wildlife sites that we will visit during the week.

After a short flight to the historic city of Split, a 90-minute drive will take us to our charming hotel. Here we will be surrounded by meadows and farmland free from the intensity of management we are used to in the UK. This is an area rich in birdlife, where Blue Rock Thrushes, Hoopoes and Turtle Doves, together with huge colonies of breeding Spanish Sparrows, are amongst the many species to be found. The nearby Lake Vrana — which will be the focus of a number of our daily excursions — supports colonies of Purple Herons and Pygmy Cormorants, as well as a large number of typically Mediterranean species such as Eastern Subalpine and Sardinian Warbler, Blackeared Wheatear and Rock Partridge, which can be found in the scrub on the limestone hills around the lake. The reedbeds play host to a substantial part of Europe’s wintering Moustached Warbler population and the last birds should be in song and preparing to leave while we are there. If the spring has not been too cold, there should already be a variety of butterflies on the wing, including Large Tortoiseshell and the first broods of several species of blue.

On one day we will visit the island of Pag, one of the largest islands in Dalmatia, where swathes of rough grazing land are covered with Branched Asphodel (Aphodelus ramosus). Little Owls are a regular feature of the many stone barns dotted about the island and both Stone Curlews and Rock Partridges are common, the latter reaching densities that are now difficult to find elsewhere. The island also features two Croatian ‘Important Bird Areas’, which are magnets for migrant birds such as Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, a variety of Yellow Wagtail races and waders including Little Ringed Plover. They also offer protection for a significant number of Montagu’s Harriers, which should be engaged in their looping aerial displays at this time of year.

On another day we will visit Krka National Park which is famed for its lakes and waterfalls, notably Skradinski Buk, a set of travertine cascades not dissimilar to the more famous waterfalls of the Plitvice Lakes National Park to the north-east. The unusual microclimate here, influenced by the large volumes of cascading water, permits the growth of some unusual plant species, including the beautifully scented Spring Sowbread (Cyclamen repandum) and the rare Joint Pine (Ephedra fragilis), all set in a sub-Mediterranean woodland of Christ’s Thorn (Paliurus spina-christi), Prickly Juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus), Oriental Hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis) and Downy Oak (Quercus pubescens), with perhaps some early Lady Orchids (Orchis purpurea) to be found.

We will also explore Paklenica National Park during our stay, which is famous amongst naturalists for its endemic flora and for a number of bird species close to the north-westerly limit of their range. Western Rock Nuthatch and Sombre Tit are both possible here, together with Eastern Orphean Warbler and flocks of Alpine Swifts. Whilst the blooming of Mount Velebit's flora is largely a summer display, the woods on the mountain's lower slopes will be brightened by carpets of Spring Sowbread (Cyclamen repandum) and Broad-leaved Anemone (Anemone hortensis), together with a wide range of other spring flowers that burst into life following the winter rains such as hellebores, bitttercresses and violets.

During our week in Croatia we will spend each day enjoying Dalmatia’s stunning mix of natural beauty, biodiversity and history, before returning to our hotel each evening for a delicious meal made from fresh, seasonal produce. Finally, we must return to Split, though not before taking time to enjoy a little culture on the Adriatic coastline ahead of our flight home.