Shepherd's children, Mercheasa

For our last day in Transylvania we headed to Mercheaşa to explore another area of wood-pasture where over 1,500 ancient oaks can be found in around 1,200 hectares grazed extensively by cattle and buffalo. For much of our visit we were accompanied by four young lads, who found our antics quite amusing. 

In the grassland were a number of now familiar species including Bug Orchid and Arrow-jointed Broom, along with Yellow Wood-sorrel Oxalis stricta , Great Burnet Sanguisorba officinalis , Smith's Pepperwort Lepidium heterophyllum , Dyer's Greenweed Genista tinctoria and Heath Grass Danthonia decumbens . 
 
In front of a spectacular ancient oak, one of the oldest in the park, ephemeral pools were being patrolled by a Broad-bodied Chaser. Sending Yellow-bellied Toads diving for cover, we carefully fished out one of the pool's other inhabitants: a Tadpole Shrimp! These fascinating crustaceans are among the most ancient animal species known in the world, and are adapted to these transient waterbodies that dry up in the summer with resilient eggs that can withstand decades of desiccation. We had a glimpse of a Middle-spotted Woodpecker as we headed for the shade of a veteran oak for lunch. 
 
Returning to Crit, we had an unfruitful trip to Saschiz, aside from adding Stock Dove to our list and having great views of a Serin whole-heartedly singing his jangling song. Back in Crit and several of us took to the meadows behind the village where we were rewarded with several new species including the striking purple and yellow Melampyrum bihariense, Common Broomrape Orobanche minor , Whorled Clary Salvia verticillata  and the understated flowers of Crow Garlic Allium vineale . We also found more Downy Woundwort and Large Milkwort, along with a patch of Honeywort Cerinthe minor nestled at the base of a patch of scrub. 

We spotted a number of interesting invertebrates here, including Black Hairstreak, a large assassin bug Rhynocoris cuspidatus and several Napoleon Spiders ambushing Honeybees on scabious flowers. A group of Hawfinches bustled overhead calling noisily as we started our way back to the village. 

Extract from Wildlife Travel Transylvania trip report, Laurie Jackson, June 2019