Hot summer days in the Crimea Peninsula, Ukraine

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Ukraine is home to three very different globally recognised spots for biodiversity: the Crimean Peninsula, the Danube delta and lakes and the Carpathian forests, all of them among the crown jewels of our European Natural heritage. From brown bears to wolves and lynx in the Carpathians, Pelicans, migrating waterfowl and the endangered European mink in the delta of the Danube to the feather-grass steppe and juniper forests along the Crimea – nature in the 2nd largest country of Europe deserves to be explored much more! We commissioned Polish photographer Grzegorz Lesniewski to explore the Crimean peninsula, bounded by the Black and Azov Seas, and its variety of habitats and species. He found an abundance of photographic subjects in and around the Bagerova steppe, although he was there quite late in the year: elegant Demoiselle cranes and strange-looking glass lizards, Red-footed falcon and bee-eater colonies, cute spotted sousliks and the rolling hills of moving stipa grass.

(c) Wild Wonders of Europe

Published: 2012-06-18 13:00:28 UTC

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Bagerova Steppes Landscape in Kerch Peninsula

The Kerch Peninsula is a major and prominent geographic feature located at the eastern portion of Crimea. Stretching towards the Taman peninsula, it is reminiscent of an isthmus between two neighboring seas: Azov Sea and Black Sea.

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Bee-Eaters in Breeding Colony

The European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster, is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. It is strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, India and Sri Lanka. This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly-coloured, slender bird. This is a bird which breeds in open country in warmer climates. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch.

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Black-headed Bunting Perching on Vegetation, Bagerova Steppe

The Black-headed Bunting, Emberiza melanocephala, is a passerine bird in the bunting family. The breeding male has bright yellow underparts, chestnut upperparts and a black hood. The female is a washed-out version of the male, with paler underparts, a grey-brown back and a greyish head. It breeds in southeast Europe east to Iran. It is migratory, wintering in India. It is a rare but regular wanderer to western Europe.

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Stone-Curlew at Nest

The Stone Curlew, Eurasian Thick-knee, or Eurasian Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) is a northern species of the Burhinidae (stone-curlew) bird family, with a strong yellow and black beak, large yellow eyes (which give it a "reptilian", or "goggle-eyed" appearance), and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as a wader, this species prefers dry open habitats with some bare ground.

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Little Souslik on Alert

The little ground squirrel or litle souslik, (Spermophilus pygmaeus) is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family. The little ground squirrel inhabits steppes and semi-deserts in Central Asia east to the Aral Sea including Kazakhstan, Georgia, Dagestan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. It is found at altitudes of up to 500 metres. The range of the species has reduced over the last 20 years, probably as a result of climate change with more wet weather and wet years in the region.

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Sheltopusik

The Scheltopusik or European Legless Lizard (Pseudopus apodus) is a large glass lizard found from southern Europe to Central Asia. This lizard can reach a length of 135 cm. Though their legs are barely discernible, they can be easily distinguished from a snake by their ears, their eye lids, and ventral scales. This lizard likes open country such as short grassland or sparsely wooded hills.

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Two Little Owls Perching on a Concrete Dam.

The Little Owl was sacred to the goddess Athena, from whom it gets the generic name (Athene noctua). This is one of the most distributed owls and, due to its adaptability to human settlements and small size, probably ranks among the world's most numerous owl species.

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Flock of Mediterranean and Yellow-legged Gulls Resting on a Salt Lake at Bagerova Steppe

Adults are similar to Herring Gulls but have yellow legs. They have a grey back, slightly darker than Herring Gulls but lighter than Lesser Black-backed Gulls. They have a red spot on the bill as adults, like the entire complex. There is a red ring around the eye like in the Lesser Black-backed Gull.

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Colony of Lesser Mouse-eared Bat in Caves on Bagerova Steppe

The Lesser Mouse-Eared Bat (Myotis blythii) is a species of vesper bat. These large-sized bats are around 62 to 70 mm long. They weigh around 16 to 26 grams.

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Sea of Azov