10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

The shallows are full of ducks in eclipse, a real puzzle that requires a bit of time and a sharp eye – something you usually reserve for warblers and such. Wigeons are only migrants and not a breeding species in Serbia and August is a bit too early for any longer distance duck movements. The autumn migration has clearly started.

Serbia 159

Serbia Protection Eagles Ducks 159

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

A month ago I was in the Iron Gates National Park in eastern Serbia, where one Black Woodpecker flew across the road, right in front of us (proving it is an extant taxon). Iron Gates National Park in eastern Serbia. At some point, our spotter called: “ Greater Scaups , 4 of them.”.

Serbia 176

Serbia Geese 2001 Ducks 176

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). Hence, I had the be equally grumpy to explain to them that I had an equal right to be there (equal right? All dabbling ducks can dive, but rarely do.

Serbia 236

Serbia Stray Dog Protection Botswana 236

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

all the time pointing with my right hand while holding the steering wheel with my left, and the hardest thing, keeping my eyes on the road. More productive areas of the Balkans have January eBird lists from 105 to 115 species (but I combined several areas in two countries, Greece and Serbia), so I have every reason to be satisfied.

Owls 104

Owls Greece Serbia Woodpeckers 104

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”. In late February and March, the only duck species that does not overwinter here is heading back – the Garganey.

Serbia 226

Serbia Birds Ducks Eagles 226

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

The first stop of the morning: young White–tailed Eagle , right next to the road and several dozen Rooks around. Back in November, one group of British birders visited Serbia and, as one of them later wrote in his blog, their local guide promised them the GGS – “That one is guaranteed“, the guide declared. ‘He

Serbia 234

Serbia Owls Rodents Eagles 234

10,000 Birds

APRIL 16, 2015

I am parked at the bridge over the Reva Pond in the suburb of Belgrade, Serbia, mere 150 metres away from the nearest buildings behind me, but facing the fascinating undeveloped 1.2 Scope to the left, there are three Ferruginous Ducks now… but what are those fishes doing? Birding Europe Mammals otters Serbia'

Otters 173

Otters Serbia Fish Mammals 173

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 24, 2020

They are about the same length (NL 6.2in / 158mm; EL 6.3in / 160mm) and weight (NL 30oz / 850g; EL 29.6oz / 840g), and obviously, the same lens diameter, hence, they should feel the same, right? So I watched an unknown duck now, quite bright, clearly a male. Nothing can be more wrong.

Chile 301

Chile Argentina Raised Serbia 301

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). They got the message right. And so did I.

Serbia 236

Serbia Birds Spain Hungary 236

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

I was canoeing the Danube backwaters inside Belgrade, Serbia, on a warm and sunny November day when a Northern Goshawk tried to catch one of two Pygmy Cormorants. A female Mallard was running on the water right out of the thickets, flapping its wing frantically. Northern Goshawk in Serbia, (c) Szekeres Levente.

Serbia 242

Serbia 2004 Eagles Chickens 242

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2018

Usually only several birds overwinter in Serbia – the biggest count ever was less than 10. In the shallows of the submerged Moldova island, among Common Coots , Common Goldeneyes , Tufted Ducks and Common Pochards (oh, don’t you just hate calling birds “common”), a few Smews and two dozen Goosanders (a.k.a. Their claim to fame?

Moldova 118

Moldova Birds Serbia Greece 118

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2014

These days I am busy with something called the “avitourism product“ of Belgrade, Serbia. By the end of a day, the best bird was the White-tailed Eagle that caught and ate a fish right in front of us – a species they have seen in the UK only once. Pygmy Cormorant – winter (it breeds in Serbia, but overwinters in Belgrade).

Serbia 171

Serbia Eagles Birds Sparrows 171

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2014

Several Eurasian (Western) Marsh Harriers later, two clumsy young European (Brown) Hares are hopping towards us and then, in surprise, suddenly stop right in front of the car, only to retrace their steps back. Birding Europe Serbia wetlands' We are in the reserve buffer zone and around us are wheat fields. Photo by Senka Puhalo.

Badgers 217

Badgers Deer Serbia Europe 217

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

In front of us, the river is two miles wide… and it is paved with birds: smaller groups of Greater White-fronted and Greylag Geese , numerous Mute Swans and Mallards , plus Eurasian Teals , Gadwalls , Common Pochards , a few Ferruginous and Tufted Ducks , Common Goldeneyes and several Smews. Yeah, right. Watch for the dark beaks.”

Geese 168

Geese Hunting Boars Birds 168

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2017

While Serbia claims to strive towards the EU membership, it is back to the Chinese credit and Chinese environmental standards. The Convention on Migratory Species (the Bonn Convention) lists two of these species – the Ferruginous Duck and the White-tailed Eagle – in Annex I, with a further 64 species in the Annex II.

Eagles 159

Eagles Campaign Otters Serbia 159

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2016

Here go those moments of curiosity, in no particular order: Europe: And so, I was driving from Greece to Serbia… in central FYRO Macedonia, two birds were circling not far from the motorway… black and white… perhaps White Storks on migration? Actually, when I started to bird, my second ever duck, after the Mallard, was a Ruddy Shelduck!

Wildlife 172

Wildlife Tigers Asia Europe 172

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. Go right after the bridge with bright red railings and follow the international Danube cycling route sign for the Kladovo and the Donji Milanovac. Trips birdfinder Europe Serbia' Milovanovic and M.

Serbia 182

Serbia Turtles Birds Eagles 182

10,000 Birds

MAY 14, 2015

Loess bluff with numerous bee-eaters and one Northern Wheatear and, cut into a low grassy ridge, the set of tracks veers right. Not far from Deliblato Sands lies the village of Dubovac and, between it and the Danube, a wetland important for its heronry – in some years among the largest in Serbia. Deliblato Sands.

Factory 219

Factory Stray Dog Turtles Serbia 219

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

In mid-eclipse, ducks posed quite a challenge. In my native Serbia, I observe them every few years, but… I cannot see its bill. One more, right in front of a car… this time I can see it through the opening among the leaves. With a lot of effort, I IDd 8 species. A 1st winter Caspian Tern , what else?

Greece 181

Greece Pelicans Serbia Eagles 181

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2016

North of Belgrade, Serbia, lies once a vast floodplain (155 mi2 / 400 km2) mostly dried up and turned into a bread basket, but several larger floodzones between the rivers and embankments remain. While checking floating logs for ducks, I counted European pond turtles (strange things birders do?) What is the right stuff for you?

Birds 109

Birds India Africa Serbia 109

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. What has changed in the meantime? eBird bar chart. #3

Serbia 150

Serbia Birds Bulgaria Farming 150

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 24, 2022

In Baranda, ask the fish farm management for permission to visit, in the last building on the right hand side as you leave towards Sakule. Almost 230 species have been recorded so far. Use the Zrenjanin road to reach the area. In Sakule, daily permits are sold to anglers, and you are likely to encounter a warden checking if you are a poacher.

Serbia 256

Serbia Woodpeckers Owls Eagles 256

10,000 Birds

APRIL 28, 2016

Oh, the joys of urban birding… Add half a dozen Ferruginous Ducks (cover photo), two Whiskered and 40 Black Terns to the previous picture, plus an eagle, an immature White-tailed Eagle. I am at my favourite local patch, the Reva Pond , on the outskirts – but still inside the city of Belgrade.

Europe 147

Europe Otters Eagles Birds 147

10,000 Birds

JULY 29, 2021

The very best wetland birding around Belgrade, Serbia, is not to be found in the locally famous and tourist-promoted Obedska or Carska Bara Ramsar areas, but at Beljarica Backwaters and the fish farm triangle of Centa, Baranda and Sakule villages, in the Tamis River floodplain. Before that, on a rather sharp right bend, 1.8

Farming 264

Farming Birds Fish Boars 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2017

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). Unexplainably, it feels right to follow the waters towards the delta. Ferruginous Duck – Aythya nyroca. Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos.

Romania 116

Romania Serbia Turtles Blackbirds 116

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2014

The mighty Persian fleet was beached right here, where we had our lunch today, although the beach itself must have been much wider, because the sea level was some eight metres lower than today. Birdwise, there is not that much – Eurasian Marsh-Harriers , Ferruginous Ducks , Little Grebes , etc.,

Greece 188

Greece Birds Serbia Europe 188

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2017

Best birds: Common Shelduck , Garganey , Ferruginous Duck , Little Bittern , White-tailed Eagle , Black and Whiskered Terns , Eurasian Penduline Tit , Bearded Reedling , Savi’s Warbler , Common Reed Bunting. At the southeast part of the lake is a breeding colony of Black-crowned Night , Purple and Squacco Herons. eBird checklist.

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Birds 2017 Eagles Otters 200

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2019

This year the big prize must go to Tom who has pushed himself, right to the wire to acheive a magnificent score for a self-funded, wife-organised, wife-sponsored Little Big Year , accounting for 57% of the total. Plumed Whistling-Duck – Dendrocygna eytoni. White-faced Whistling-Duck – Dendrocygna viduata.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2018

9 beats shared 100 checklists from 8 countries (Costa Rica, USA, UK, Brazil, Serbia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Australia. Watch out for Tom during October to see this anomaly put right. Yellow-billed Duck – Anas undulata. Red-billed Duck – Anas erythrorhyncha. Alphabetic Taxonomic. 14 Jun 2018.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2020

9 beats visited 9 countries (China, Costa Rica, USA, UK, India, Australia, Jamaica , Serbia and Japan) and submitted 151 checklists when they got back. Plumed Whistling-Duck – Dendrocygna eytoni. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck – Dendrocygna autumnalis. West Indian Whistling-Duck – Dendrocygna arborea.

2020 153

2020 Sanctuary Australia Sparrows 153