Friday, May 10, 2019

πŸ“– BIRDING CROATIA 2019 πŸ‡­πŸ‡· ~ DAY 4/5

πŸŒ§πŸ’¨ 10C Thursday 9th May 2019 ~ Today we awoke to torrential rain and another hoolie blowing so there was no point even attempting my morning walk.

Blue Rock Thrush ~ Odd to see one perched alongside a reedbed.
However, not to be defeated we took a drive out mid-morning to Lake Peruća and the surrounding meadows about an hours drive and just short of the Bosnia & Herzegovina border. Although we probably spent the entire time birding from the car we did manage to hear a few interesting species which included Quail, Corncrake and Great Reed Warbler. I also managed to get the above photo of a Blue Rock Thrush which we were surprised to find perched alongside a reedbed. A few raptors braved the conditions with Common Buzzard and Black Kite noted.

☀️22C Friday 10th May 2019 ~ The weather here can be quite fickle it seems and after yesterday's complete washout today was a beautiful 22C in cloudless skies. The morning walk was very pleasant with the usual Woodlarks, Cuckoo's, Hoopoe and Corn Buntings singing away along with the grating of many Eastern Subalpine Warblers, which are very common here.

Eastern Orphean Warbler
The first new bird of interest was located by song and having heard many Western Orphean Warblers in Spain this was different. Using my earpiece I nailed it as an Eastern Orphean Warbler and after a while managed to obtain a few record shots.

Spanish Sparrow must have lost his way 🀣
Two more Black-eared Wheater, Red-backed and Woodchat Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher, Tawny Pipit, Turtle Dove and (11) Bee-eaters, which passed overhead calling before I got back to the house, where a Spanish Sparrow was busy at his nest.

Pag Bridge
After breakfast, some sightseeing and a drive out to Pag Island in the Adriatic Sea, which can be reached by a short bridge. It’s known for its barren, moonlike landscape and cheese but of course, there are few places to stop for some birding.

This female Montagu's was one of eight!
It is an amazing place to visit but strangely devoid of many coastal birds such as wading and in particular sea birds. That said the few marsh areas we stopped off at did provide some highlights, including no less than eight Montagu's Harriers over the reedbed at once, including two males.

Photos of the day...

Tawny Pipit


Yellow-belted Burnet

Montagu's Harrier


Great Egret

Species for the Day...

Shelduck, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Pygmy Cormorant, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Marsh Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Coot, Lapwing, Greenshank, Whiskered Tern, Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Turtle Dove, Collared Dove, Cuckoo, Common Swift, Bee-Eater, Hoopoe, Skylark, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, House Martin, Barn Swallow, Tawny Pipit, Nightingale, Blackbird, Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Jay, Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Raven, Starling, Golden Oriole, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Cirl Bunting, Corn Bunting