Last Sunday we organized another event to discover Piedmont biodiversity: accompanied by the naturalist Riccardo Alba we explored SCI “Monte Musiné e laghi di Caselette”, in search of the species that inhabit thermophilic forests, arid meadow and wetlands.
We begin our walk through Scots Pines and Juniper shrubs, meeting numerous individuals of Marbled White (Melanargia galathea), a butterfly species that we will observe throughout the morning. Along this first part of the route, we are accompanied by the insistent call of the Eurasian Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis).
As soon as we arrive in a meadow environment dotted with ponds, we see a Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) on the slopes of Mount Musiné. Among the herbaceous plants, Lepidoptera and Odonati abound, which the participants manage to observe closely thanks to the capture by the entomological net, wisely carried out by Riccardo. These include Dryad (Minois dryas), Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius), Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) and Keeled Skimmer (O. coerulescens).
We continue investigating a shrubby area, where we contact a family of Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus), which the participants manage to admire very well thanks to the binoculars made available to them. The highlight of the day, however, is a male of Western Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia iberiae), who exposes himself singing on the top of a tree. Not very close, we find a Large Pincertail (Onychogompus uncatus), a dragonfly belonging to the Gomphidae family.
So we go among the ponds in search of their inhabitants, managing to contact a young Barred Grass Snake (Natrix helvetica), a Wolf Spider (Hogna radiata) and a beautiful male of Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum).
We encounter, in addition, 5 Yellow-spotted Emeralds (Somatochlora flavomaculata), other dragonfly species present in the area.
So we head to the last stop of the walk, the lake. Here among the Odonata the Orthetrum albystilum abound, periodically annoyed by a large Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator). Finally, we observe a Green Frog (Pelophylax sp.), thus bringing our checklist to over 50 species including Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Invertebrates.
The next event between Turin and its surroundings is scheduled for Sunday 19 with the urban trekking and birdwatching at Valentino Park, see you at the next adventure!
Thanks to Veronica Dutto for the photos.