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Author Topic: Tatra Mountains  (Read 57696 times)

Cephalotus

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #90 on: July 31, 2009, 01:27:23 AM »
Fifth day I decided to go searching for a very tiny and rare orchid, Listera cordata. Of course I had planned whole trip day earlier. I went through Chochołowka Valley in about 90% of its length and I haven't found this species. I was looking very carefully for this plant whole 9 km without success... You will know more after watching photos.  

Onobrychis montana - we started with finding this parasite. In the mountains most of them are still preparing to flower. Before making this photo I tried to make one of a fly looking like a bumble-bee. It was in white, yellow and black stripes. I have never seen anything like it before. Sorry, I cannot show it to you.


Vanessa cardui - this year we have a "plague" of this butterfly. In past years when I found one or two it was something fantastic, it was so rare in Poland. I do not know why, but this year is is the most common butterfly I see. I do not complain. I like it very much!


Lilium martagon - with those photograps is related funny history. I was making photos of this species. A group of tourists with a guide was nearby. The guide asked me if though I know what I am photographing. I answered (in polish of course): "Yes, Lilium martagon." The guide made a surprised face. :) Probably the very first tourist who he met that know what is photographing... After that the guide asked his group: "Does anyone know what is this species?" Some tourist answered: "Lilium...." They heard when I was saying the species, but they couldn't remember the hard thing. In polish it is: Lilia złotogłów (in loose translation: gold-head). Than the guide asked his group again: "Can I pick the flower?" No one answered, so he did: "Of course not. It is protected by the law, because it grows in a National Park. But outside the National Park..."; "... you also cannot pick it.", I added. He made more surprised face and said: "You can." I said: "Fortunately, you cannot, because it is protected species". Guide opposed: " No it isn't". Than I: "Unfortunately, it is and even strictly protected, so one one can." The guide felt endangered by me and resigned: "I will not bet on that, because I do not like to loose.", and run away with his group as fast as he could. :D That was terrible, what knowledge guides share with tourists. If I weren't there, he would have allowed a quite large group of people to pick a protected species outside a National Park...




Spring and beginning of a stream




Aconitum firmum - an old friend, still growing in the water. Amazing. :D


A bug. :D I am sorry, I didn't have enough time to identify this one. It was lying eggs. Some tourists were afraid of it very much, because of its "sting". But it is not a sting, it is used to lay eggs not to protection. There is also one that is fake, just to scare animals, and those less informed people. ;-)


Usnea sp. - hard to identify. I haven't got sure which one it is. It is the tiniest one, not those big, and easy to see. This lichen grows only in pure, crystal clear places, where is non chemicals are any pollution. It is the most sensitive of all lichen. That proves that this place is probably intact by pollution.


Some sight around Trzydniowiański Peak. :D Hard name, even in Polish. ;-)




On the peak


Wile going down - it is almost impossible, but there were hardly no flowers. This parts of Tatra Mountains are acid, there is no lime in the soil. It is amazing how those two conditions make the environment almost deserted by flowers. I have found 7 Campanula alpina. What is that in compare to hundreds, which I passed wile going on Ciemniak? But the sight were fantastic. The same mountains, but I felt like in totally different place.
















Heliosperma quadridentatum


Shoe of the Mountain Spirit - nature do not like emptiness. Every place, every thing is covered by it, even artificial, lost things.


Lichen on the trees


Stream


Place where Pope Jan Paul II have been


Listera cordata - when we were going back, when I was sure we will not find anything. I have accidentally found this species 3 meter from the place when we took a different track. :) Amazing. If only I made few steps forward earlier, I would have found it than. It is very, very tiny orchid. I thought it to be about twice as big. The plants had about 4 cm in hight and their leafs were smaller than my finger nails.




Try to find it... There are probably four or five on the photo






The place it grew


Lactarius deliciosus - as the Latin name says, this mushroom is delicious. :D Fried on on butter on pan. Mmmm. :D Of course when found at my forest, not in National Park.


Avalanche


Like that we ended day five. The last day I firstly planned to relax a bit, lay off. Than I decided to make some better photos of Chamorchis alpina so we went to its habitat on the track to Ciemniak.

Gladiolus imbricatus - I saw this meadow wile driving bus to our accommodation. I could not let myself not to make a photo of a whole meadow of this species. ;-)




Nymphalidae sp. - this species is very hard to identify. I am not a specialist, so I do not know exactly which one it was.


Epilobium angustifolium - I like this plant, especially on landscape photos.


Gymnadenia conopsea forma alba


Landscape


This photo is artificially made with assistance of my cousin. She borrowed her feet. I decided to make one like that to show how many mountains plants end. Under someone's shoe. When I was making photos standing carefully on rocks, and not on the plants, a curious lady came to see what I was photographing. She didn't stepped on rock, no, she walked through plants... That was pitiful view... I didn't say anything, because I knew, that there might be wore effect, and she might pick a flower to show me that I do nothing about it. That is sad, but that hos the reality looks like.


That was I was talking about earlier. A bit of lime in the soil, alkaline pH, and there you see the difference.




Oxytropis carpatica - Some more photos






Chamorchis alpina - finally some really good photos for you. I wanted to make better ones. So rare orchid deserve for a perfect photo.
















For good buy with the mountains, landscapes






On the end of trip, sheep and their gourds.






Learning, learning... ;-)


Goodbye to Tatras


I hope you enjoyed. Because half of the pleasure of such a trip is possibility to share with it with others.

Cheers,
Chris
« Last Edit: December 10, 2011, 08:51:12 PM by Cephalotus »
Best regards,
Chris Ciesielski
Zary, Poland

My photos: http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a206/cephalotus/

johnw

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #91 on: July 31, 2009, 04:20:45 AM »
Krzysztof - Marvellous shots of the Tatra.  I love the stream shots and especially that Gladiolus imbricatus, I assume it must be bone hardy.

johnw
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Brian Ellis

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #92 on: July 31, 2009, 09:08:22 AM »
Thank you so much for sharing your trip with us Krzysztof, it has been really delightful, I look forward to your return. :)
Brian Ellis, Brooke, Norfolk UK. altitude 30m Mintemp -8C

tonyg

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #93 on: July 31, 2009, 09:32:19 AM »
 Quote: Vanessa cardui - this year we have a "plague" of this butterfly. In past years when I found one or two it was something fantastic, it was so rare in Poland. I do not know why, but this year is is the most common butterfly I see. I do not complain. I like it very much!
On holiday in Wales at the end of May we too encountered a 'plague' of 'Painted Ladies'  (the English name for Vanessa cardui)  There were literally thousands in our camping field, blown in on the winds from the south.  It was the same everywhere for a few days.  I hear that it is a 'good year' for them, must have been a good winter down south too.  Now we have the next generation appearing in our garden, 250 miles from our Welsh camp site and you have them in Poland.  I suppose it must be the same all across Europe.

WimB

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #94 on: July 31, 2009, 09:43:23 AM »
There was a discussion about Vanessa cardui on the early wildlife 2009 thread:

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3104.msg95410#msg95410

If I remember correctly what some people told me in the beginning of the year there are so many Painted ladies because of the jet stream that was just right to bring them to Europe.
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Ragged Robin

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #95 on: July 31, 2009, 01:05:30 PM »
Chris, your impressions of the Tatra Mountains are very special as are the plants you find to show - I wonder who inspired you to be so passionate about Nature?  It is a rare gift at your age and I think somehow you should help spread the word so others can be inspired too!  My comment about Tourists is that without them the local economies could not survive - this is the situation here in the mountains in Switzerland - so surely the most important thing is, as you say, to inform people through enthusiasm, to increase their knowledge & understanding of the flora and fauna of a region and therefore enjoyment of going on walks in these spectacular landscapes that everyone should experience at least once in a lifetime  :)
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Heather Smith

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #96 on: July 31, 2009, 03:34:13 PM »
Chris, I was in the Tatras in '95 and in spite of the rain, enjoyed it very much.  Only 1 lift at that time so a lot of walking up  to ridges and down into valleys with picturesque mountain huts offering home-made soup and delicious meals. However, there was only a single Flora and it was in Polish - so thank goodness for scientific names!  Are there any others now and with translations?

I have thoroughly enjoyed the pictures - you saw more plants than I did.

shelagh

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #97 on: August 01, 2009, 01:34:14 PM »
Chris I just found this entire thread today.  It is wonderful and has brightened up a very dull and rainy day here in Bury.  Thank you so much for giving us a glimpse of the Tatra mountains/
Shelagh, Bury, Lancs.

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shelagh

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #98 on: August 01, 2009, 01:52:43 PM »
By the way Chris what camera are you using?
Shelagh, Bury, Lancs.

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Paul T

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #99 on: August 27, 2009, 08:44:08 AM »
Krzysztof,

Just caught up on the last few pages of this topic...... Breathtaking photos as usual.  Those Oxytropis, the orchids, the views!!   :o :o  Stunning!!  Thank you so much. 8)
Cheers.

Paul T.
Canberra, Australia.
Min winter temp -8 or -9°C. Max summer temp 40°C. Thankfully, maybe once or twice a year only.

Cephalotus

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #100 on: October 01, 2009, 09:42:56 PM »
Hi everyone.
I have some bad and good news. I will start from the bad one: My space on photobucket have heavily shrunk due to my much upload of many photos. That is why this is probably the last time I am posting photos from the mountains in bigger quantity at once and that way.

The good one is, that the photobucket space become bigger just in one day and I was able to upload some photos from my last trip, which I will show you now. Next times I will have to show photos as everyone does.

Here you have.

Dapnhe mezereum


Gentianella lutescens - the bigger one was picked next day after I made its photo.






Bumble-bee-looking fly. I have never seen anything like that before. I have no idea what species it is.


Parnassia palustris - It was its time in the mountains. It was flowering everywhere in great amount.


Lovely Swertia perennis ssp. alpestris








Some weird Primula minima - it was amazing time for this species to flower. The flowers were much smaller from those in spring.


Some view


Erigeron hungaricus - I like this pink with a drop of red coloured petals.




Dephlinium oxysepalum with Aconitum firmum on the peak


Two type of leaves of Aconitum firmum, or two different species/varieties


My reason of this trip: Gentiana frigida - unfortunately it looked like I was late about 1-2 weeks. I was really sad because I really wanted to see it in full flower. Better that, than nothing.




Minuartia verna leaves... It looks a bit like a kind of needle three


Saxifraga oppositifolia seed bags - I need to go when it is flowering :)


Bupleurum ranunculoides - strange, but I like it


Dianthus superbus ssp. speciosus - This time I found a really nice population of big plants






A Campanula sp. in a crevice. If anyone know can identify the species, I would be thankful.


Aconitum variegatun - artistic shot


Malaxis monophyllos - rare and small, green flowered orchid. That was a nice surprise, since I thought this one to grow in wet places...


Could that be Campanula cochlearifolia? It has so strange look... But the flowers seems to resamle that species... If only mine grew in the garden like this one... Than it would be a beauty. :D Growing in lime rock in crevices. An idea for others how to make that species look much more attractive.






Colias hyale - very beautiful butterfly. If I remember good this species is common in Africa.


Dry and rocky habitat of Ophrys insectifera, Cypripedium calceolus and above Campanula


My first Cypripedium calceolus in Tata Mountains. I really have to make a photo of it wile flowering!


Gentiana ciliata - the first one a bit oppened


Gentiana asclepiadea - an artistic need


Sacred spot


Some muchrooms, fo course eatable.


Lactarius salmonicolor






Weird Campanula hubride or form. This was only that spot where I found this Campanula. I do not think it is a specific species, but a selection, that is looking different from the other one in that place. For example the first one, growing in crevice was the main type growing there.




views






Senecio carpaticus - that one was unexpected. I intended to went where I knew it is growing next time, but I was lucky to find that one flowering. :)


I hope you enjoyed. :)
Best regards,
Chris Ciesielski
Zary, Poland

My photos: http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a206/cephalotus/

Maggi Young

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #101 on: October 01, 2009, 09:56:22 PM »
Chris, wonderful to have more of your super photos.
The only worry with the use of Photobucket is that at some point they may be lost.... this has happened with another Forumist some time. That would mean we lost the pictures from your superb thread, so perhaps it will be even better if in future you load the pix by the ordinary way from your computer in stead of photobucket  ;)??!!   It wouldmean that you are not able to post so many pix in one post, of course, but it will also mean that the page loads much faster for those people on dial-up or slow interent connections.
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Paddy Tobin

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #102 on: October 01, 2009, 09:59:29 PM »
Chris,

A wonderful selection of excellent photographs from a most beautiful location.

Many thanks, Paddy
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Ragged Robin

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #103 on: October 01, 2009, 10:15:50 PM »
Hooray, another trip to the Tatra Mountains and what fantastic gems you found  8)  Lovely photos with such intensity and feeling for the flowers and landscape.
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ranunculus

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Re: Tatra Mountains
« Reply #104 on: October 01, 2009, 10:23:00 PM »
Magical report as usual Chris ... many thanks.
Cliff Booker
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