Haut-Jura Regional Nature Park

Natural Park · France

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Photo © Pmau

Photo © Pmau — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the Jura folds into its highest, quietest reaches, a mosaic of spruce forest, hay meadow and limestone ridge spreads across the landscape around Lajoux. This is upland country shaped by centuries of grazing and mowing, where open pastures meet dense conifer stands and the ground is never far from rock. The climate is temperate and humid with no dry season, so springs stay charged, streams run clear, and the vegetation is lush in the cool, damp way of a mid-mountain massif rather than anything Mediterranean. Wildlife follows the habitat: woodland songbirds and small forest mammals in the spruce, birds of prey working the meadow edges and thermals above the ridges, and a rich community of insects and pollinators in the flower-rich hay meadows that only survive because they are still cut late and by hand in places.nnFor photographers and birdwatchers, the appeal is the combination of open light and intimate forest. Early mornings bring mist pooling in the hollows and long, low light raking the meadows, ideal for capturing birds of prey hunting over the pasture edges and small mammals moving along hedgerows and stone walls. Late spring and summer deliver the flowering meadows and peak insect activity, while autumn turns the beech and spruce to gold and bronze and brings visible movement of migratory birds through the passes. Access is by foot and by the network of farm tracks and marked trails that thread the pastures and forest, rewarding those who walk slowly and wait. Bring layers, expect changeable mountain weather, and give the working farmland the respect it deserves.

Aquila chrysaetos

Red-breasted Goose

Branta ruficollis

Anas platyrhynchos

Red-crested Pochard

Aythya fuligula

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Tetrastes bonasia

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Cuculus canorus

Common Wood Pigeon

Columba palumbus

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Rallus aquaticus

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Chlidonias hybrida

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Black-throated Loon

Ciconia ciconia

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Egretta garzetta

Western Cattle Egret

Pandion haliaetus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Griffon Vulture

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Lesser Spotted Eagle

Clanga pomarina

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Eurasian Wryneck

Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker

Picoides tridactylus

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocoptes medius

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

European Green Woodpecker

Falco tinnunculus

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Garrulus glandarius

Eurasian Magpie

Northern Nutcracker

Nucifraga caryocatactes

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Lophophanes cristatus

Poecile palustris

Poecile montanus

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

Lullula arborea

Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Hirundo rustica

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Phylloscopus sibilatrix

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Phylloscopus bonelli

Phylloscopus trochilus

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Acrocephalus palustris

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Regulus regulus

Troglodytes troglodytes

Eurasian Nuthatch

Tichodroma muraria

Eurasian Treecreeper

Certhia familiaris

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Turdus philomelos

Turdus viscivorus

Common Blackbird

Turdus torquatus

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Erithacus rubecula

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Phoenicurus ochruros

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Saxicola rubetra

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

White-throated Dipper

Cinclus cinclus

Passer domesticus

Prunella modularis

Anthus pratensis

Anthus trivialis

Anthus spinoletta

Eurasian Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

Fringilla montifringilla

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Linaria cannabina

Loxia curvirostra

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Carduelis citrinella

Serinus serinus

Eurasian Siskin

Emberiza citrinella

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

White-throated Sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Tadorna ferruginea

Spatula querquedula

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Mareca strepera

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Northern Pintail

Ferruginous Duck

Western Capercaillie

Tetrao urogallus

Coturnix coturnix

Red-legged Partridge

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Tachymarptis melba

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Porzana porzana

Gallinula chloropus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Pluvialis squatarola

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Gallinago gallinago

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Tringa glareola

Common Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Calidris pugnax

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias niger

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Larus cachinnans

Plegadis falcinellus

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Circus macrourus

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

Rough-legged Buzzard

Western Barn Owl

Aegolius funereus

Eurasian Pygmy Owl

Glaucidium passerinum

Common Kingfisher

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Grey-headed Woodpecker

Falco columbarius

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Woodchat Shrike

Pyrrhocorax graculus

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Riparia riparia

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Locustella luscinioides

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Alpine Accentor

Prunella collaris

Anthus campestris

Red-throated Pipit

Anthus cervinus

Acanthis flammea

Plectrophenax nivalis

Emberiza calandra

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Emberiza cirlus

Branta leucopsis

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Aix galericulata

Somateria mollissima

Melanitta fusca

Mergellus albellus

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Reeves's Pheasant

Syrmaticus reevesii

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Recurvirostra avosetta

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Black-tailed Godwit

Lymnocryptes minimus

Phalaropus fulicarius

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

Calidris canutus

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Calidris minuta

Sternula albifrons

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Hydrocoloeus minutus

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Great Black-backed Gull

Red-throated Loon

Northern Bald Ibis

Geronticus eremita

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Ardeola ralloides

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

Eurasian Scops Owl

Short-eared Owl

Melopsittacus undulatus

Bohemian Waxwing

Bombycilla garrulus

Melanocorypha calandra

Cetti's Warbler

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatus

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Blyth's Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus dumetorum

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Luscinia svecica

Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Common Rosefinch

Carpodacus erythrinus

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Western Red Deer

Lepus europaeus

European Fat Dormouse

Muscardinus avellanarius

Eurasian Red Squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris

Eurasian Water Vole

Arvicola amphibius

Microtus arvalis

Clethrionomys glareolus

Yellow-necked Field Mouse

Apodemus flavicollis

Long-tailed Field Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

West European Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

Daubenton's Myotis

Myotis daubentonii

Kuhl's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus kuhlii

Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

European Badger

Mustela erminea

Mustela nivalis

European Wildcat

Felis silvestris

Northern Chamois

Rupicapra rupicapra

Eurasian Wild Boar

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Myocastor coypus

European Garden Dormouse

Eliomys quercinus

Marmota marmota

Eurasian Beaver

Short-tailed Field Vole

Microtus agrestis

Common Pine Vole

Microtus subterraneus

Eurasian Harvest Mouse

Micromys minutus

Rattus norvegicus

Greater White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura russula

Eurasian Pygmy Shrew

Schreibers's Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus schreibersii

Bechstein's Myotis

Myotis bechsteinii

Brandt's Myotis

Myotis brandtii

Myotis crypticus

Geoffroy's Myotis

Myotis emarginatus

Common Whiskered Myotis

Myotis mystacinus

Natterer's Myotis

Myotis nattereri

Greater Noctule

Nyctalus lasiopterus

Leisler's Noctule

Nyctalus leisleri

Nyctalus noctula

Nathusius's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus nathusii

Soprano Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pygmaeus

Western Barbastelle

Barbastella barbastellus

Brown Long-eared Bat

Plecotus auritus

Gray Long-eared Bat

Plecotus austriacus

Alpine Long-eared Bat

Plecotus macrobullaris

Savi's Pipistrelle

Eurasian Particolored Bat

Vespertilio murinus

Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus euryale

Greater Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Lesser Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus hipposideros

European Pine Marten

European Polecat

Mustela putorius

Northern Raccoon

Common Raccoon Dog

Nyctereutes procyonoides

Alcathoe Whiskered Myotis

Myotis alcathoe

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