April was quite eventful! We had a lot going on, with some trips planned and plenty of birdwatching adventures. It was exciting to see friends and acquaintances adding new bird species to their life lists during our outings. Plus, we were lucky enough to spot a lifer ourselves, adding to the excitement of the month.
Southern Velebit birding
A nice adult Red-breasted Merganser male, curiously cautious.
At the beginning of the month, we had the privilege and opportunity to meet up with our friends from Birdingplaces.eu and show them around southern Velebit area. Velebit mountain has some great species one can see, and we were about to go and see some of them.
We started by birding the Plemići beach first thing after the sunrise. Cold morning did not stop us to get out of the car and start searching for some great birds. The first thing that caught our eyes was a gorgeous male Red-breasted Merganser, cautiously posing for us just a couple of steps away. It was certainly not the only bird in the area! Little Ringed Plover, Black-bellied Plover and Eurasian Curlew were foraging in the shallows, with every now and then, we heard the loud rich, ringing “COURli … COURli … COURli …” coming from the Curlew! All the while we were enjoying the waders, we got a treat! Montagu’s Harrier flying above the fields, but not just one – a total of 3 birds!
We could have spent more time at the beach, but after about an hour of searching and 18 species seen, it was time to start heading towards our destination for the day. However, with birds being birds and our penchant for observation even while driving, we didn’t remain on the road for long. Wonder why? A gorgeous Eurasian Hoopoe flew next to us and we just had to make a quick stop. The stop turned out to be very productive – in total 4 Hoopoes were seen, and we even saw two in flight. All the while, many other things were heard and seen. A melodious song of a Blue Rock Thrush was spotted singing on a rooftop, and was seen flying around the area, not really caring we were there. We even heard a Eurasian Scops Owl, but hearing it from the dense brush, we weren’t able to relocate it. A quick stop turned into a one hour stop, with amazing views of 13 different species.
Black and white skirmish (Eurasian Hoopoe).
Our final stops were in the southern Velebit area, where we scoured a wider area in search of a few target bird species. Among the first sightings was the Western Rock Nuthatch, its loud and carefree calls echoing from the rocky outcrops. Witnessing them alongside Blue Rock Thrushes and Alpine Choughs provided a striking contrast in size. While Choughs gracefully adorned the peaks of southern Velebit, they were fewer in number. As our journey concluded, we were treated to splendid views of Eastern Black-eared Wheatears, Wood Larks, Alpine Swifts, and Eurasian Crag Martins, culminating a fulfilling day of birdwatching. The end of the day count said 45 species spotted, but what a quality day it was!
A nice male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, right before the performance.
Bosnia and Herzegovina birding
From April 19th to 21st, we were invited to Herzegovina, where we participated in a workshop “Audit of four IBA areas in Canton 10: Overview and analysis of results so far”, under the project “Sustainable Future for the freshwater ecosystem Livanjsko polje in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, with our friends from Ornithological Society “Naše ptice”, Topić Sokić and Stur.ba. The goal of the workshop was to review current data for the IBA areas and discuss the possibilities of promoting the birdwatching and sustainable tourism in karst habitats and karst fields. Other than that, we participated in conducing fieldwork and gathered some valuable data to improve the knowledge of birds inhabiting the area.
A 2cy male European Pied Flycatcher migrating.
Our first outing was surveying Ravanjsko and Vukovsko polje, where we enjoyed amazing views of the karst habitats, vast open fields and, of course, birds. These high elevation fields are amazing for Eurasian Skylarks, bird that prefers open meadows and pastures, and we have seen dozens of them! Wherever there were cows, Skylarks were around (but honestly, they were everywhere!). Another bird that absolutely thrives in the karst habitats is the Northern Wheatear, and during the surveying the karst fields, almost every single rock had it. April is the month when they migrate to their northern territories, but many stay in the area. When going through the Norway Spruce forests, we spotted a Eurasian Pygmy Owl, one of the amazing birds many people only wish to see! To top it all off, at the forest edges we were hearing a “weird blackbird” song. We very soon realized what we were hearing, and after checking out the area for a few minutes, we found the bird – the gorgeous Ring Ouzel.
When you’re working with friends, at the end of the day, it does not feel like work.
On the final day of our weekend getaway, we explored the surrounding areas and fields. We were fortunate to witness the migration of numerous falcons, including the Red-footed Falcons, and also Lesser Kestrels, the newest breeding bird of Bosnia and Herzegovina! After another fantastic day of birdwatching, we enjoyed a delicious meal at a local restaurant before heading back home, eagerly awaiting our next adventure together! End of the weekend tally – 51 species (plus 2 we haven’t seen, but our friends were happy to gloat about)!
Eurasian Wryneck workshop in Hungary
Looking for the Wryneck.
Although it wasn’t one of our usual birding destinations, we had the privilege of attending the International Wryneck Workshop, hosted by the Hungarian Woodpecker Group in a neighboring country. The workshop took place from April 26th to April 28th and featured fascinating lectures delivered by colleagues from Hungary, Austria, Germany, Czechia, Poland, and Switzerland.
This atypical woodpecker species had a different ecology than the “real” woodpeckers, which we talked about during the weekend, as well as learning about some new discoveries about the wryneck migration, the challenges the species faces, and ongoing efforts to help it thrive. The workshop ended with a nice excursion in the wryneck habitat where there were several nest boxes placed, and as we were finishing the walk, the main focus of the weekend, the Eurasian Wryneck, said goodbye to us, but was elusive enough not to be seen by the participants.
Before heading back to Croatia, we stopped a little south of Budapest, in search for the species we unfortunately do not have in Croatia any more – the Great Bustard. This bird, the heaviest flying bird in Europe, prefers treeless open plains and natural steppes, occupying some low-intensity agricultural areas. We found seven individuals (1 male and 6 females), with a male displaying for almost half an hour, before scared away by a pair of White-tailed Eagles. Along the Great Bustard, we were lucky enough to find a pair of Eastern Imperial Eagle, which made the weekend one that we will remember for a long time! The last weekend tally – 67 species with 1 lifer (Great Bustard)!
A male Great Bustard in flight.
In the end, we would like to say our thanks to our friends from Birdingplaces.eu from Netherlands, Ornithological Society “Naše ptice”, Topić Sokić and Stur.ba canoe and birdwatching from Bosnia and Herzegovina for inviting and birding with us, as well as the people from the Hungarian Woodpecker Group of the MME for inviting us to the workshop and sharing their knowledge and experiences with us!
