Wildlife discovery: donkeys, owls, birds ("bird-watching")

You are one of those who are close to nature, isn't it? Close to the animals?

Here, you will be not disappointed.

First, a specific to Corsica singularities is absence total of vipers; not the least! Only the snakes - by harmless definition - both plain and mountain, are sometimes visible in the same way as some species of lizards or other turtles.

Other animal missing: Raven, you will not hear therefore never croasser; so far, you'll hear crailler since, very useful also in their cleaning work, the crows abound.

They are amators or illuminated, ornithologists are injoying their observations in our island because there is no doubt that their science here is largely satisfied; it considers: raptors (including, to the nature reserve Scandola, the bearded whose scope may exceed 2,50 m), Ospreys (Eagles fishermen), Turkey  tourterelles, Jays, sparrows, Sardinian Warblers coucous, sittelles (small birds endemic to the "Isle of beauty"), huppes, owls, "African hunters", Blackbirds,...

On the coast, Audouin gulls share the sky with ducks, huppés cormorants, gulls...

 

(Biguglia, just to the South of Bastia, pond is a privileged stopover for many migratory birds).

So therefore, there is room to live without zero disappointment this leisure come to the u.s., "bird watching": day as night, it became possible to observe far without disturbing, all these birds with high definition cameras and the powerful power magnification.

But mention the animal world in Corsica, also mention the elusive sheep, deer, and swine (wild boar - each year, thousands of them are killed at memorable battues!-, pigs in "probation")

(did-you know the laie stubbornly refuses to mate with the pig but the dam does not withstand the charm of the boar?...) ; two "small" advice: do not give to eat too close to one of these half feral pigs; unfortunately, few tourists, washed away their "enthusiasm", were seriously beat at hand.

Also, do not look to separate piglets from their mothers ...

Poultry, rabbits, sheep, cattle, goats and horses - even downright wild in the Niolu - are the subjects of our fowls holdings.

But, in Corsica, there is an animal which is, perhaps, more respected than others, it's the donkey!

Our sumeru! Why is this so? Because since ancient times, it is and remains our most loyal companion. Without him and his courage, his valour at work, his self-sacrifice on the long and sometimes perilous journeys from the inside, its reliability, his loyalty, how would have done our ancestors to move from one village to another, a Valley to the other of a ridge to another?...

How would they have to deprive? Night and day, without reluctant, he has run which it was requested and has never failed.

In memory of the austere life of our predecessors, we are him grateful; irreplaceable friend, make something bad to him would be a sacrilege.

An amusing story is to report: a few years ago a worried visitor us has very kindly questioned: "but in your mountains, you must have wolves, or even of the hyenas?...". Be assured, we have never meet neither one nor, still less, others...

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Flora discovery: nature, forests, maquis

Our "scented island" is, certainly, the verdant island of the Mediterranean Sea.

Its vegetation mainly consists of dense forests and a hopeless maquis up to six meters high! The wild boar there reigns the master... (Sometimes, night, it pushes the temerity to attend residential neighborhoods of the Sanguinaires road to Ajaccio...).

 

This vegetation consists of three about distinct levels, and mainly, lets you stroll to see around the following species:

- coastal approximately 500 m above sea level : morisia enfouissante *, dianthus of calanche *, Corsica calament *, wild orchids *, corses crocus *, fennel or wild asparagus, Peppercorn Mint, blackberries, cédratiers, Agave America, Muscovy fig, Aloe Vera, Cypress, eucalyptus (planted in the 19th century to fight against mosquitoes and malaria which raged on coastal), cyclamen, Green Oaks, cistes de Montpellier or leaf Sage or Crete, mushrooms, tree Heath, myrtes, asphodèles, lentisques, olive trees, arbousiers, chênes-lièges (especially in the area of Porto-Vecchio, Porti'tou Vechju), clématites...;

-from 500 to 1,500 m: chestnut trees, pines laricio (rights as the "i" up to 40 m tall!) or Corte or marine, Cedars (to the col de Bavella), beech, fir pectinés, corses hellébores *, thyme in cats, "small muguets", Birch...;

-Beyond (Monte Cinto to Corte Northwest culminates at 2.710 m): Alder odorous, legend of the Frost *, Etna épines-vinettes *, Bernard ancolies, cotonneuses daisies, violet corses *, dwarf juniper *, waterlily mountain lakes (Nino, Creno, Calacuccia...)...


* PLANTS OR FLOWERS ENDEMIQUES PROTECTED IT IS FORMALLY PROHIBITED TO PICK!
How can we not subjugated by a such proliferation of fragrance? Vertigo olfactory subtleties at each... Of course, you will not have the chance to observe all these wonders in the Tasso region even, because few of them exist only in certain "micro regions" island; however, one thing is acquired: here, in our mountains of our streams of our cascades in the heart of our forests, happy walkers - you will become - range from very pleasant surprises in reals wonders ! Your eyes and your lungs must prepare their own bliss...