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. A birding year in Serbia. What has changed in the meantime?

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Serbia Bulgaria Farming Turtles 187

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 11, 2022

Iron Gates, after the ancient Roman name for the gorge, Porta Ferrea) National Park lies in the north-eastern Serbia, where the Danube has incised the longest gorge of Europe, extending for over 100 kilometre (62 mi), stretching from the medieval Golubac Fortress to the Roman castrum Diana. Horned) Lark and the Woodchat Shrike.

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Serbia Woodpeckers Birds Romania 263

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2019

It is part of the international ecological corridor and the “Confluence of the Sava and the Danube Rivers” Important Bird Area (IBA), already proposed for a nature reserve by the Government’s Institute for the Protection of Nature of Serbia. All in the name of progress. Hashtags : #Beljarica #spasimobeogradskuamazoniju.

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Serbia Otters Boars Hunters 246

10,000 Birds

APRIL 11, 2019

Where to find shorebirds around Belgrade, Serbia? So far, 33 species have been eBirded in Serbia. Let me add that the only ever ringed Critically Endangered (yet, possibly extinct) Slender-billed Curlew was ringed in northern Serbia (Carska bara Ramsar site) in the 1970s. Common Redshank. Collared Pratincole.

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Serbia New Jersey Europe Hunters 184

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2018

This October, a previously unknown name shined in the eBird alerts in Serbia: Raphael Nussbaumer. Here is how he prepared for his tour of Serbia: Guest-author : Raphael Nussbaumer. This was the feeling I had last October, when we travelled to Serbia with my wife for a week. There was none in Serbia.

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Serbia Switzerland Farming Montenegro 160

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 16, 2018

Serbia has 317 eBirded species so far, or 89% of the 356 in the national checklist. Among travel guides, due to its extensive coverage of natural history and birding sites, recommendation goes to Laurence Mitchell’s Serbia: The Bradt Travel Guide (5th edition, 2017). Every few years, Rosy Starlings appear – this was one such year.

Serbia 181

Serbia Macedonia Geese Owls 181

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 24, 2022

The weather has already improved, and in 23 days the spring will be back. With longer and warmer days, we feel the urge to bird in the country, away from our local city patches. So, if you were coming into my neck of the woods – Belgrade, where would I suggest you go birding?

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Serbia Woodpeckers Owls Eagles 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2021

Also, it is a part of the international ecological corridor and the “Confluence of the Sava and the Danube Rivers” Important Bird Area (IBA), already proposed for a nature reserve by the Government’s Institute for the Protection of Nature of Serbia. White-tailed Eagles in Beljarica. mi2 of the Danube Backwaters in 2014 (cover photo).

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Serbia Boars Deer Otters 279

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 115

Serbia Herzegovina Bosnia Sheep 115

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2015

Serbia has a large number of pigeon fanciers and a long history of lack of law enforcement in the field of wildlife crime ( Newsweek on poaching in the Balkans ). This time it is not in Serbia, but in Zurich, Switzerland, where this particular Serbian pigeon fancier / blogger lives. Painting (c) by Paschalis Dougalis.

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Switzerland Serbia Feral Falcons 220

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 12, 2023

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 Cormorant was a common breeding species of wetlands around Belgrade until most wetlands were drained and the birds were lost, at one moment – from the entire territory of Serbia.

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Protection Serbia 2004 Legislation 279

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. In the northern Backa region of Serbia, in the mid-1970s there were more than 37,000 active nests of Rooks, while in 2009 there were less than 8500, indicating a loss of more than 76% over a time span of 35 years ( source ).

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Experience Experiments Science Serbia 259

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2014

Some 40 km north of Belgrade, Serbia, I am driving to the very end of an oxbow lake with the intention of looking for the Ruddy Shelducks ( Tadorna ferruginea ) that were found here the day before. Ruddy Shelducks do not normally show up in Serbia. Birds ducks Europe Serbia' I already have a history of searches for this species.

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Serbia Ducks Poland Kazakhstan 252

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. Still, we are a bit disappointed: those are not Sakers, but Common Kestrels – the only truly common falcon species of Serbia.

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Falcons Serbia 2007 Europe 249

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

In Belgrade, Serbia, winter months offer surprisingly good birding possibilities. Also, a rare Greater Spotted Eagle was spotted here in December (only about a dozen of them overwinter in Serbia). Winter is a season of extremes – opt for the very top and the very bottom of the city.

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Serbia Woodpeckers Ducks Birds 306

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 31, 2013

Hence, in land-locked Serbia, it has been recorded only three times: in 1857, one was shot at the Morava River; in 1993, one was observed by a bird photographer Rastko Aleksandrov at the Centa fish farm, north of Belgrade; and in 2012, a team of Croat and Serbian ornithologists found one at the Belgrade city rubbish dump.

Serbia 218

Serbia Croatia Hungary 2012 218

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

Last month, I birded my favourite local patch, Beljarica – the best eBird hotspot in Belgrade city and the 3rd best in Serbia – four times. Some days ago, one impressive flock of more than a thousand Barn Swallows , Sand and Common House Martins greeted me from the wires. Photo: Gordan Pomorisac. And I felt… relieved?

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Serbia Boars Otters Birds 296

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.

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Serbia Woodpeckers Bears Birds 126

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 17, 2013

Most perching birds have already left us sometime from late August and September; soaring birds do migrate over Serbia, but there is no known bottleneck site to observe them (it is believed that they follow the main river valleys to the east and south); while waterbirds will start arriving in a month or so. Birding city birds Europe Serbia'

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Serbia Europe Netherlands Eagles 243

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2013

Against the European regulation, the Northern Goshawk is a huntable species in Serbia, which is used as an excuse to indiscriminately shoot all medium-sized raptors (especially buzzards) because they are all colloquially called “goshawks”. Birding Europe Serbia' I hate fog. Photos copyright © Senka Puhalo & Dragan Simic.

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Serbia Hoarding Europe Woodpeckers 241

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2020

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). Now, that fits the bird I saw, but soon I will realise another issue: in Serbia, this species was recorded only once! My favourite poplar tree.

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Serbia Birds Cyprus Ducks 296

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”. Trips birdfinder Europe Serbia' In the previous guideblog: Where to watch birds in the Iron Gates.

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Serbia Ducks Birds Eagles 253

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 2007 189

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 217

Serbia Legislation Protection Europe 217

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 23, 2014

and I were counting waterbirds along the Danube and stumbled upon that Great Black-backed Gull that I told you about before – the fourth one recorded in Serbia since mid-19th century and a very uncooperative bird that successfully avoided all photographic searches afterwards. Birds Europe gulls Serbia' This weekend, S.

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Serbia Europe Birds 229

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2014

Avala, some 10 miles south of Belgrade, Serbia. Birding Black Woodpecker Europe Serbia woodpeckers' One more wakeup call way too early (quite often, when I should wake up early – I hardly sleep at all) and I am in a hurry to meet N. at the very top of Mt. That is where I dipped the Alpine Accentor in December.

Serbia 240

Serbia Woodpeckers Europe Blackbirds 240

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

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 Birding city birds Europe owls Serbia' He will think twice before guarantying the GGS next time’ the British birder wrote.

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Serbia Owls Rodents India 247

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!

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Serbia Eagles Sparrows Falcons 203

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Iron Gates (Djerdap) national park, Serbia. This one is most likely my latest swift in Serbia ever. Small canyon among wooded hills. Framed by red Permian sandstone, Eric Hyman is staring into the bare branches of a dead tree, or, to be more precise, into some fluttering t**s. From there we go back to Belgrade through heavy showers.

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Serbia Woodpeckers Birds Bears 259

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2022

In February 2022, the Collaborative submitted 127 checklists in 7 countries ( Costa Rica , United States , Mexico , Trinidad and Tobago , United Kingdom , and Serbia ). The 2022 year list stands at 888 and the life list is now at 4,112.

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Costa Rica United Kingdom Trinidad Serbia 253

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

I used to live in Botswana, where there are about 450 bird species in an area a few dozen miles from the capital; then somewhat naively moved back to Serbia with mere 250 species around the capital. So, the perfect country to move to needs to have at least twice as many species as Serbia. And it shows.

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Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 257

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. Northern Goshawk in Serbia, (c) Szekeres Levente. Entering some old data at eBird, I found myself puzzled with one record. This Goshawk was actually drowning its prey!

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Serbia 2004 Eagles Chickens 258

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 9, 2014

In my native Serbia, I’ve observed this species in winter only once, while here in East Anglia every site held one. While not those we were looking for, I am not disappointed: this is twice as many as I had ever seen in Serbia. that in deforested agricultural areas of Serbia wintering Common Buzzards even use those clods as perches.

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Geese Barn Owls Serbia Sheep 233

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 247

Serbia Stray Dog Botswana Protection 247

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2013

During my lifetime, this species was rare in my native Serbia, too. And so, I was driving from Greece to Serbia… in central Macedonia, two birds were circling not far from the motorway… black and white (above)… perhaps White Storks on migration?

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Sudan Macedonia Botswana Serbia 249

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 17, 2020

along the Carska Bara Nature Reserve, Serbia, a Common Reed Bunting awaits me on a low branch… and then performs a real dance, twitching its tail sideways and following it in a series of quick steps! A way to beat the cold?

Serbia 264

Serbia Deer Birds Woodpeckers 264

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 Birding Europe Mammals otters Serbia' kilometres / 0.7 miles towards the Danube River ahead of me. Photo Matthias Kabel / Wikimedia Commons.

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Otters Serbia Fish Mammals 199