10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

I observed this species in the Little Rann of Kutch in India and since then, have been burning with desire to see them back home. I observe them, but feel I still lack experience to tell with certainty the SEO from LEO in flight. Birding city birds Europe owls Serbia' And the citizens of Kikinda are justly proud of it.

Serbia 244

Serbia Owls Rodents Eagles 244

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 10, 2015

To those unfamiliar with the Old World geography, this means that these grebes breed way north from the banks of the Danube, where I reside, and overwinter by the coasts, away from land-locked Serbia. As a consequence, this species is only a rare vagrant in Serbia. Which costed me a lifer.

Serbia 176

Serbia Norway France Japan 176

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2018

As you know, I started to bird from a canoe, exploring the Danube backwaters in Belgrade, Serbia. It is a fascinating world of swampy forests of willow and poplar, inhabited by Black Storks , White-tailed Eagles , Eastern Olivaceous and Icterine Warblers (above), among more than 200 other species. Nevertheless, Nagy was right.

Beavers 127

Beavers Serbia Eagles Hungary 127

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 254

Serbia Birds Spain Hungary 254

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2018

Yet, it takes great logistical effort to organize the census all the way from Germany to Austria, Hungary and Serbia in the same day, to count on numerous volunteers and hope for the best February weather. Yet, David, who has much more experience with bustards, isn’t convinced: “In winter, some females develop bristles, too.”.

Hungary 157

Hungary Serbia Austria Eggs 157

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. I still believe that choosing the right approach may be the most important phase of any research. What more would I ask from eBird?

Serbia 189

Serbia Bosnia Research Lions 189

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2017

I have just returned from Costa Rica, the country about which I knew very little, despite it coming under my radar all the way back in 1999 when the “Africa – Birds & Birding” magazine published some of John Graham’s experiences from his visit in 1993. With its 920 species, Costa Rica has 2.6 to great birding.

Costa Rica 190

Costa Rica San Jose Serbia Europe 190

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 21, 2019

” Landfill often made me wander off into some half-forgotten gulling experience of mine. Caspian gulls have a strange quality: they’re more aggressive than herring gulls but also I think more beautiful.” At one moment I even realised where I’d like to be while reading it: deep in rural Norfolk.

Angola 195

Angola United Kingdom Mozambique Botswana 195

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2020

7 beats contributed their sightings from 7 countries (Hong Kong, UK, China, USA, Serbia, Australia and, of course, Costa Rica). 149 checklists were submitted, accounting for 465 species. I know that we are all looking forward to a time when we might return to the old normal, but until then, please stay safe and keep your distance.

2020 154

2020 Sparrows Niger Woodpeckers 154

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2017

The species he was thrilled to see was the Mute Swan. Well, for me – no, but for Nicolaas, Mute Swans were a lifer species. Worried that such experience might traumatise young Spongebob, I held the paddle as an obstacle, pointed at the angry bird.

Birds 129

Birds Namibia Greece Feral 129