10,000 Birds

APRIL 26, 2018

Our destination lies further west, along the Drina River, which marks the border between Serbia and Bosnia. Due to mass wolf poisonings in the 1960s and the 1970s, Griffon Vultures in Serbia suffered a dramatic population crash. Povlen, a quick stop filled with a song that sounds familiar, but I haven’t heard it since last year.

Serbia 106

Serbia Herzegovina Bosnia Sheep 106

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2018

We were heading to the Djerdap (Iron Gates) Gorge National Park, stretching along the south bank of the Danube in eastern Serbia, to do the 400 km / 250 mi bird tour interconnecting possibly the very best sites around Belgrade reachable within a day. Michael’s summer birding along the Danube in Serbia appeared first on 10,000 Birds.

Serbia 119

Serbia Woodpeckers Birds Bears 119

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2020

And I am in the southeast of Europe. mi2 of the Danube backwaters in Belgrade, Serbia. Out of my total of 15 observations ever, this is only the third within Serbia (the rest were half in India, the other half in Greece). published in the US as “Birds of Europe”), shows only a male in breeding plumage.

Serbia 269

Serbia Birds Ducks Cyprus 269

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2019

Some five years ago I was involved in a project of ecotourism evaluation of the river Danube in Serbia, which included the city of Belgrade, founded at the bank of this river. Cranes breed in very small numbers in UK but are always impressive en masse. Black Storks migrate along and breed in the Danube flood zone.

Serbia 249

Serbia Birds Woodpeckers Breeding 249

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2015

Two years ago, I was counting active nests of Rooks in the flat agricultural landscape north of Belgrade, Serbia. We drove for about 290 km through the 400 square kilometres expanse of Pancevacki Rit and found 8 breeding colonies with 252 occupied nests, or a density of 1.6 Birds city birds crows eBird Europe Serbia'

Experience 242

Experience Experiments Science Serbia 242

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 24, 2015

Here is a joint media release: WWF, Decembar 11, 2015 – This December, 3,800 Pygmy Cormorants are wintering by the river Sava in Belgrade, Serbia, representing 2 percent of the global population and 5.4 “The Pygmy Cormorant is a strictly protected bird species in Serbia, as well as in the European Union. .

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Serbia Protection Europe 2015 182

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2015

Some lovely and touristy cities of Western Europe are justly proud of their cathedral Peregrines (Barcelona, Norwich, Bristol), even London (which has its charms, but is far from lovely) – why not Belgrade (isn’t proud, I mean)? Conservation Peregrine Falcon poisoning Serbia Switzerland' Yet, not a trace of a falcon.

Switzerland 193

Switzerland Serbia Feral Falcons 193

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 17, 2013

While it might fall within the autumn migration, if you are in the south of Europe, it isn’t in full swing. This timing suites Britain and Netherlands well, I suppose, but Europe is somewhat larger than that.). One expat birder, who had just arrived to Serbia, described the event: “Had a great birding, led by Dragan Simic.

Serbia 226

Serbia Europe Netherlands Eagles 226

10,000 Birds

JUNE 13, 2013

Serbia holds 13 per cent of the European breeding population of this “electrified” species which is not only Endangered in Europe but also listed as Globally Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Conservation Europe falcons Serbia' We were searching for the territories of Saker Falcons.

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Falcons Serbia 2007 Europe 224

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

This map shows the distribution of the World’s bird species, based on overlying the breeding and wintering ranges of all known species. I live in the southeast of Europe, for a while lived in the south of Africa and also have extensively birded western and central India. Map by BirdLife International. And it shows.

Sri Lanka 257

Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 257

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2014

These days I am busy with something called the “avitourism product“ of Belgrade, Serbia. Okay, that choice is something to be expected, but how about this: some seven years ago I was guiding another British couple to a nearby fish farm where I was happy to show them the Great White Pelican – the only one I have ever seen in Serbia!

Serbia 176

Serbia Eagles Birds Sparrows 176

10,000 Birds

APRIL 16, 2015

One Common Raven is disappearing towards its nest among the branches of the poplar plantation, only to reappear a few minutes later to give a good chase – aerial acrobatics included – to its first neighbour, the White-tailed Eagle which breeds in the vicinity. Birding Europe Mammals otters Serbia' kilometres / 0.7

Otters 176

Otters Serbia Fish Mammals 176

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2015

I have asked myself that same question many times over the last six months, until last week, when I was involved in an opening ceremony of five new bird hides at the Palic Lake, by the town of Subotica in the very north of Serbia, along the border with Hungary (all photos are from that area).

Serbia 243

Serbia Birds Spain Hungary 243

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2020

Then about a 100 km to the Ismarida Lake and Porto Lagos lagoons for breeding and migrating waders. This was only my seventh observation of this species in Europe (3 in Greece, 4 in Serbia). From there to the nearby Evros River Delta, at the very border with Turkey, with more easterly species such as the Spur-winged Plover.

Greece 233

Greece Bulgaria Birds Serbia 233

10,000 Birds

JUNE 25, 2015

Zlatar in western Serbia, heading towards the town of Sjenica and, behind it, the bridge on the River Vapa. This is my first visit to this area, known as the Madz Brod, where two new breeding species for the country were discovered a decade ago. As we go lower, from glorious sunshine, we enter the morning fog. Still, we are lucky.

Europe 248

Europe Serbia Russia Breeding 248

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 16, 2014

While there are some two dozen birding spots in Belgrade, Serbia, that stand out, in this guideblog I will focus on the river Danube and its floodplain, inside the Important Bird Area “Confluence of the Sava and the Danube Rivers”. While regular in winter, Pygmy Cormorants do not breed in the vicinity and are absent in spring and summer.

Serbia 233

Serbia Birds Ducks Eagles 233

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

Photo: This area holds 3 to 4 breeding pairs of White-tailed Eagles , which represents the biggest density per square mile anywhere in the country. Wigeons are only migrants and not a breeding species in Serbia and August is a bit too early for any longer distance duck movements. Photographed by Szekeres Levente. and one ad.).

Serbia 166

Serbia Protection Eagles Ducks 166

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2019

The other day I counted my favourite section of the Danube River, the wide and shallow Labudovo okno Ramsar site in Serbia. These globally threatened raptors breed from Ukraine eastward through Siberia and only a few come to overwinter here. The biggest count ever was less than 10 birds in the whole of Serbia.

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Geese Serbia Birds Estonia 145

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2014

The night temperatures in Belgrade, Serbia, were already below minus 10 Celsius / 14 degrees Fahrenheit for two weeks. Up to the mid-20th century, Pygmy Cormorants were a common breeding species of wetlands around Belgrade… until the wetlands were drained and the birds were lost, at one moment – from the whole of Serbia.

Serbia 193

Serbia Protection Legislation Europe 193

10,000 Birds

JULY 10, 2014

Consequently, my first local patch becomes a largish Danube River floodzone opposite to Belgrade (Serbia) city centre (cover photo: April 1992). It is a winter trap for rare gulls and that is where I found the 4th Great Black-backed Gull for Serbia this winter, as well as the 6th Pallas’s Gull two winters ago.

Serbia 241

Serbia Stray Dog Protection Botswana 241

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2018

I am preparing for the new census of one of the rarest birds of Serbia, the globally threatened Great Bustard , taking place two days from now. Habitat destruction combined with hunting has pushed them away from their former breeding grounds. Bustards are being counted in February because their breeding season starts in March.

Serbia 104

Serbia Romania Hungary Hunting 104

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 26, 2015

And I had a friend working in the museum, who put me in touch with their birds curator (with whom I recently birded the Griffon Vulture gorges of western Serbia) and who answered all my questions at the time. Not a field guide for Europe, that is for sure, but which one? Bird census techniques” by Colin J.

Serbia 189

Serbia Bosnia Research Lions 189

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2014

Even among the protected areas of Serbia, the Iron Gates National Park (in Serbian: Djerdap) stands out as better preserved. Birds of the Iron Gates: While the best birding season here is the breeding period (May to June), the Iron Gates is also an important migratory stopover and wintering area. Trips birdfinder Europe Serbia'

Serbia 188

Serbia Turtles Birds Eagles 188

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2016

Although quite a few species will have a second brood ( European Starlings among them), in the lowlands, mid-June is the end of the breeding season for many small passerines. They normally breed inside roof spaces of tall buildings and neither of us has observed them using clay cliffs. Three hours later, the census is done.

Abandon 144

Abandon Abandoning Abandonment Serbia 144

10,000 Birds

JULY 10, 2011

One of Britain’s recent colonisers the Mediterranean Gull begins to arrive in bigger numbers every year as post-breeding dispersal takes hold. To date individuals have been recorded from nine different countries in Europe; our Med Gulls are coming from Germany, Holland, Poland and other countries as far east as Serbia.

Poland 157

Poland 2009 Europe France 157

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2014

There are a few spots where entering the heronry is allowed and the birds breeding in that section seem to be habituated to the visits. Off we sail to another breeding colony – that of threatened Dalmatian Pelicans. Trips Europe Greece pelicans' Dalmatian Pelicans – Photo (c) Georgos Spiridakis. My Lake Kerkini eBird list.

Greece 161

Greece Pelicans Breeding Buffalo 161

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2014

This shearwater is a Mediterranean endemic, breeding from Sardinia and Corsica to the Adriatic and the Aegean. As air carriers, to Athens and back from Syros to Athens I used the Aegean Airlines and later, from Thessaloniki, Air Serbia. Trips Europe Greece seabirds' In the next post: the pelican-covered lake Karkini.

Greece 233

Greece Malta Croatia Birds 233

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2016

Paljuvi Dam, some 30 miles SW of Belgrade, Serbia, is a known angling, but not so well known birding destination. All of these are reasonably common breeding species, yet, while Great Crested Grebes and Mallards do nest at the dam, only Grey Herons are known to nest some 15 miles from here.

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Turtles Serbia Breeding Breeders 113

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

“I would certainly recommend Serbia to visiting birders. Nonetheless, I visited some excellent habitats, especially the flooded wetlands, and saw some good birds,” wrote the UK Birdwatch Magazine journalist Mike Unwin of his bird tour of northern Serbia 15 years ago. Black Stork and three pairs of White-tailed Eagles breed here.

Serbia 157

Serbia Birds Farming Bulgaria 157

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2016

Out of just under 200 bird species I observed this year in SE Europe, there are 6 threatened species. The Lesser White-fronted Goose is not only rare in Serbia, but also overlooked among numerous Greater White-fronted Geese. Disturbance on breeding grounds (e.g. Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser eruthtropus.

Serbia 201

Serbia Montenegro Greece Bulgaria 201

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2013

Fruska Gora is a low, forested massif – mostly oak, lime, beech, hornbeam and ash – situated in northern Serbia. In the early 20th century, Imperial Eagles used to live not only in the northern lowlands of Serbia, but also in the southern highland plateaus. Birds eagles Europe Fruska Gora Serbia'

Serbia 203

Serbia Eagles Hungary Cooking 203

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2018

Turning off the asphalt, I enter the Deliblato Sands steppe, between the Danube and the Carpathian Mountains in the northeast of Serbia, where the first bird to greet me is a Northern Wheatear , followed by a Crested Lark. They do not build nests, but occupy old nests of Rooks and breed colonially among them. I must digress further.

Serbia 123

Serbia Eagles Falcons Farming 123

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 9, 2014

It breeds in Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard and overwinters (singly and at mountain top hot springs – if Hollywood is to be trusted) along the coasts of northern Europe. In my native Serbia, I’ve observed this species in winter only once, while here in East Anglia every site held one.

Geese 206

Geese Barn Owls Serbia Sheep 206

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2017

Shallows provide an ideal spawning ground for almost 50 fish species and submerged islands breeding ground for more than 100 bird species. Beside several well-showing Red-backed Shrikes , the highlight was one uncommon Lesser Grey Shrike (highly localized ** , with only 700 to 1000 breeding pairs in Serbia). I like driving.

Romania 120

Romania Serbia Turtles Blackbirds 120

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

What the Owl Knows is organized into nine chapters: introduction, adaptation (including vision and flight), research and researchers, vocalization, courtship and breeding, roosting and migration, cognition, and two chapters on owls and humans–captive owls (not zoos, educational owls) and owls in our cultural history.

Owls 210

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 210

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2016

July is that boring period after the breeding and prior to migration season. I know that you believe that Serbia is a land-locked country, but Belgrade city was actually built on an island in the sea. Sandy terrains are at their best during spring migration and this is the off season for such habitats. And slowed waters deposit silt.

Sheep 123

Sheep Turtles Squirrels Europe 123

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2013

In the end, it was birding that has taken him from his native Serbia, across the Balkans and Turkey, to the very borders of the Old World: East Anglia and Spain, southern Africa and India, where he chased that country’s rarest owl. A pair of these eagles breed nearby, but this bird shows no wish to reappear and show itself better.

Spain 218

Spain Terrapins Eagles Europe 218