A few weeks before Italy was moved into high risk again I managed to get to Abruzzo with Naturetrek.
I was a great holiday despite the various covid restrictions but those didn't detract from my enjoyment.
The hotel was in a lovely location on the outskirts of Pescasseroli surrounded by pines and a nice garden.
I didn't do very well with birds although highlights must be Golden Eagle, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Alpine & Red-billed Chough and Water Pipit, but it was made up by the number of butterflies with quite a few new ones but best of all was 2 Marsican Brown Bears (hence the title of this blog entry).
Another new mammal was Abruzzo Chamois but it took some climbing to see those, and on the last day a large sounder (26 animals) of Wild Boar was seen near the hotel.
I would love to go back to this region in the late spring/summer for orchids and other butterflies.
Here are a selection of photos (there are two Brown Bears - one seen in the morning and one in the evening at GioiaVecchio)
