tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139552439119858152024-02-20T18:58:38.115-08:00Bosnia-Herzegovina Birding - 2015Welcome to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Birding Blog. I want to communicate what this beautiful country has to offer for birders by sharing my own birding experiences and to be a resource for others to share theirs. Topics include: highlights of what I see, favorite birding spots in BiH, other BiH related birding news. I have been posting my sightings to the Laboratory of Ornithology eBird website: http://ebird.org/ebird/eBirdReports?cmd=Start
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-1542294041294321302015-07-04T08:11:00.000-07:002015-07-14T08:16:17.031-07:00Wednesday-Thursday, July 1-2, 2015: More on Hippolais polyglotta of Hutovo Blato, BiH.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIWk-BXgTQP9UitC4Bgd7hHcc5NJo7A2WQ3WHaw3Tp0i8k2z8IhdyEA5v1fqyFBI1_jF6jmzL9mDuZ4-v4O6YeZXToiwY_UkQgHuzS1LtAA8D5GoxZrvxHOK_SRtSHI79pgBNderVNM0/s1600/DSCN0815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIWk-BXgTQP9UitC4Bgd7hHcc5NJo7A2WQ3WHaw3Tp0i8k2z8IhdyEA5v1fqyFBI1_jF6jmzL9mDuZ4-v4O6YeZXToiwY_UkQgHuzS1LtAA8D5GoxZrvxHOK_SRtSHI79pgBNderVNM0/s320/DSCN0815.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEQEWUDBW-Rdi13YIkuHJtc7d3sA2Igz9se8iJT9ltcdmdwwbNxsjraG8vU-qS-skZUwAR8gGIPDSGevXoejlEAKxDUKNduKnhq64DqrYg-Y7sdX7OlO2NDBYiO4JMQGPoBG_B64hW_g/s1600/DSCN0819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEQEWUDBW-Rdi13YIkuHJtc7d3sA2Igz9se8iJT9ltcdmdwwbNxsjraG8vU-qS-skZUwAR8gGIPDSGevXoejlEAKxDUKNduKnhq64DqrYg-Y7sdX7OlO2NDBYiO4JMQGPoBG_B64hW_g/s320/DSCN0819.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Since early May I have been following 4 territorial </span><i style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hippolais</i><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Warblers at Nature Park Hutovo Blato near Čapljina. On May 9 I video recorded and photographed one singing male; At the moment, I am seeking independent confirmation that the individuals I have video recorded and photographed are </span><b style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="highlight" style="background: none repeat-x rgb(255, 235, 144); color: #417394;">Melodious</span> Warblers. </b><br />
<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> The individual first spotted and recorded on May 9th </span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">represents only the second country record; the first was in May 2011. Subsequently, I made trips on May 23 and 31 and again on July 2-3, primarily to assess the status of this and other species. On subsequent trips I found two more actively singing males, plus on July 2-3 two territorial pairs that displayed very agitated behavior by my presence, bringing the total number of territories to four. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> The photos above were made on July 2. I was able to photograph one of those agitated individuals as it hopped actively around in low bushes and one small tree no more than 3-4 meters high. Both pairs were repeating an alarm call over and over - the non-musical, dry, short, rapid trill with no high notes thrown in.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Assuming these birds are nesting - their behavior strongly, but not conclusively suggests they are - this would represent a significant breeding range extension southward. BirdLife International Data Sheet for Melodious Warbler shows the southern extent of their breeding range to be in Croatia north of Split, a distance of more than 70 miles (>110km).</span><br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-33354168427239894442015-06-23T11:02:00.002-07:002015-06-23T11:24:30.273-07:00Blagaj for Lunch<div class="p1">
Stopped at Blagaj near Mostar at the Vrelo Buna (source of the Buna River) for trout lunch in a restaurant near the base of the cliff. Here is the list tallied during the hour we were there. Sunny, warm, T ~ 28C.</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt; mso-outline-level: 5;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1. Rock
Pigeon (Wild type) </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Columba livia (Wild type)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(x)<i><span style="mso-tab-count: 5;"> </span></i></span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-top: .05in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">many pairs flying in and out of likely nesting crevices and
ledges<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; mso-outline-level: 6;">
<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Breeding
Code<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">N
Probable--Visiting Probable Nest site<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.7pt; mso-outline-level: 5;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.7pt; mso-outline-level: 5;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2. Alpine
Swift </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Apus melba<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 10.5pt;">(10)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.7pt; mso-outline-level: 5;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Obviously resident and probably nesting in crevises near the
base of the cliff where the water flows out of a cave.</span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; mso-outline-level: 6;">
<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Breeding
Code<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">N
Probable--Visiting Probable Nest site<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.7pt; mso-outline-level: 5; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt; mso-outline-level: 5;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3. Eurasian
Kestrel </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Falco tinnunculus<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(1)</span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.7pt; mso-outline-level: 5; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt; mso-outline-level: 5;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4. Eurasian
Crag-Martin </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ptyonoprogne rupestris<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(3)</span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-top: .05in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">at least three flying around the cliff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.7pt; mso-outline-level: 5; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt; mso-outline-level: 5;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5. Common
House-Martin </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Delichon urbicum<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(10+)</span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.7pt; mso-outline-level: 5; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt; mso-outline-level: 5;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6. Eurasian
Blackbird </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Turdus merula<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(1)</span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.7pt; mso-outline-level: 5; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt; mso-outline-level: 5;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7. Gray
Wagtail </span></b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Motacilla cinerea<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(1)</span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="p3">
<span class="s2">View this checklist online at <a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S24024098"><span class="s3">http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S24024098</span></a></span></div>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-22895258649501019232015-06-21T04:44:00.000-07:002015-06-21T06:00:06.077-07:00Probable Nesting Status For Two Warbler Species at Hutovo Blato, Bosnia and Herzegovina<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<h3>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy6I0WHcVuCMSeMVH3Tmaa3QiQwapVfIkDSjBB8deuXZgDZOv3Fn4TadyCcZyQtvpif-SClsgdb4JEFLzhndw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></h3>
</div>
The first annual ebird Global Big Day on May 9th gave me the excuse to try my luck in BiH where I have lived for the last 4.5 years. While my total fell short of a goal of 90 species, I can blame much of that on the discovery at Hutovo Blato of two warbler species that occupied my attention for far too long as I tried to document them.<br />
<br />
The first, a Melodious Warbler (<i>Hippolais polyglotta)</i> is a second country record, the first having been recorded on May 20, 2011 by Ena Hatibovic and me. The bird cooperated well and I managed to obtain video (see above) and photographs of the bird singing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcK1Js5KZjyYpGixKLfKpBr1KVonuCD402h-HI2D5UotUUa0HuDFmPKcwmLyDNvh-UJYhPTOVOJIr1QZSsFxhm3vuzdBGVRge_b4picVKIidAyMGWQwVnrJqWR4xXBRjuDyz58EoSMbaE/s1600/Hippolais+Warbler+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcK1Js5KZjyYpGixKLfKpBr1KVonuCD402h-HI2D5UotUUa0HuDFmPKcwmLyDNvh-UJYhPTOVOJIr1QZSsFxhm3vuzdBGVRge_b4picVKIidAyMGWQwVnrJqWR4xXBRjuDyz58EoSMbaE/s320/Hippolais+Warbler+02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqORhw_TdiZv6JHouDs-uNu547V0eL16Mh0fJhrcfQ8ExvwUfH_r0n3uEV8mpE0CWFNksCk3kRwxig79DQFQlmRc-jL8aH9eOl6a-_4c8gdsJeRFY9NKyj031GxG4CONGt2JnxasyuuI/s1600/Hippolais+Warbler+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqORhw_TdiZv6JHouDs-uNu547V0eL16Mh0fJhrcfQ8ExvwUfH_r0n3uEV8mpE0CWFNksCk3kRwxig79DQFQlmRc-jL8aH9eOl6a-_4c8gdsJeRFY9NKyj031GxG4CONGt2JnxasyuuI/s320/Hippolais+Warbler+01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Presumably the same individual was still occupying the same territory on May 23rd and 31st. For atlas purposes, the eBird breeding code, S7 Probable Singing Male present 7+ days, applies here. Additionally I located 2 other singing males nearby around the open water called Skrka. Here is a link to a Google Map that pinponts (C, G, and D) the sightings this May. Pinpoint A is the location of the singing Melodious Warbler recorded on May 20, 2011.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zvf21VqY8Vrg.kcGObV0jxSWo&usp=sharing" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"> Google Maps - Hutovo Blato Sightings May 2015</span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
A nearby Eastern Orphean Warbler (<i>Sylvia crassirostris</i>), also a singing male and apparently on territory, responded to a recording but did not show himself well enough for photo or video. Subsequently, I did not locate the bird for certain on May 23rd (damp and cool weather kept singing to a minimum). However, when I returned to Hutovo Blato on May 31 I did succeed in recording an individual occupying precisely the same territory as the bird on May 9. Here is a video of this individual.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz6yuhOacxEr7PVl915HaAFhldm4AMHvlOfPcxTOiR4LInVhLSKpEbl0lQiZTrgK90z6e5QvllfmNiITSqz6Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here is a link to a longer video/sound recording of the same bird: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_uwQBQkd0Yofjl3U1otRlRUQzlpM1hCb2ZOY3oxU09YcHcyVFdKQ2trY0YwTVRrTUl2ME0&usp=sharing" target="_blank">Eastern Orphean Warbler, Hutovo Blato, BiH, 31 May 2015</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Also on May 31st, I located a second singing male on a hillside facing Skrka. The presence of a singing male more than 7 days apart also establishes Eastern Orphean Warbler as a Probable nester.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
The most recent records at Hutovo Blato for Orphean Warbler according to Kotrošan and Sarajlić in a paper <i>Ornitofauna Hutovog Blata - Stanje i Perspektive </i>are attributed to S. Obratil in a paper dated 2000. However, Shirihai et al. in <u>Sylvia Warblers</u> (2001) treated the species as "two well-differentiated forms that we regard as allospecies," an Eastern (<i>Sylvia crassirostris) </i>and Western (<i>S. hortensis). </i>The IOC adopted the change in<i> </i>a revision dated January 2008. Kotrošan (per. comm) is not aware of any records more recent than 2000.<br />
<br />
Bosnia and Hercegovina falls within the range for the Eastern Orphean Warbler. The hillside where this bird was found is consistent with the description of the habitat preferences for this species by Shirihai et al.Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-26084622580481453482011-05-13T21:37:00.000-07:002011-05-13T23:23:11.466-07:00May 13: Falcons! Was working at my desk about noon today when I glanced up and saw a dark, crow-sized-or-larger bird flying directly toward our house from the direction of Kosovo Stadium. The wingbeats and speed immediately ruled out crow. I dashed to the window for a better look muttering something to the effect of "What the heck is THAT!", getting there just in time to watch as a <b>Peregrine Falcon</b> (<i>Falco peregrinus) </i>powered its way overhead toward the top of the ridge and beyond. Funny! I've been in BiH now working on 5 months, and I hadn't seen any Peregrine's until two days ago. Now I've seen three.<br />
Later that evening, while my son practiced soccer with his team out in Ilidza, I checked out my favorite stretch of the Zeljeznica River in Butmir. I was pleased to flush a <b>Little Bittern (</b><i>Ixobrychus minutus</i><b>), </b>my first in the canton,<b> </b>and there were 2 <b>Little Ringed Plovers</b> <b>(</b><i>Charadrius dubius</i><b>), </b>and<b> </b>2-3 <b>Western Yellow Wagtails</b> (<i>Motacilla flava</i>) foraging along the shore, but nothing else out of the ordinary. I was hoping to see or hear a <b>Great Reed Warbler (</b><i>Acrocephalus arundinaceus</i><b>); </b>at least one has been present for the past week, but no luck.<br />
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style> Yesterday late morning-early afternoon when I visited the site, I had witnessed a movement of <b>Red-footed Falcons</b> (<i>Falco vespertinus</i>) and <b>Hobbys </b>(<i>Falco subbuteo</i>). So, this evening I casually kept an eye out skyward just is case. Sure enough, as I was walking back to the car, I picked up a group or five (2 females and 1 male Red-footeds, and 2 adult Hobbys, presumably a pair as the size difference in the two individuals suggested a male and female). They worked the skies upstream and downstream of the bridge that connects Butmir and Sokolovici. The light with the sun low in the W-NW and the mostly blue skies afforded me the best opportunity I've had to study the birds and to work on separating them by shape. Their presence further reinforces my conjecture that the river serves as a migrant corridor for these two species.Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-35689319208549452272011-05-12T07:17:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:24:07.371-07:00May 12: Red-footed Falcon and Hobby I'm beginning to think that the Zeljeznica River where it empties into the plain near Sarajevo (Butmir), is a flyway of sorts for Red-footed Falcon (<i>Falco vespertinus</i>) and perhaps Hobby (<i>Falco subbuteo</i>) too. As on May 6, when I watched a group of Red-foots hunt overhead for more than 45 minutes, the weather today was sunny and mild with a gentle NW wind (15 kph). The first group I spotted was at least 13 individuals - similarity of behavior and shape suggested they were all Red-footed. Despite their height above me, I did definitively pick out two males with the silvery primaries. Most of that group seemed to move on and perhaps three or four stayed overhead, or so I thought. Suddenly, more birds appeared. For the next hour, there was a steady trickle of birds. It was difficult to count which birds were repeats, if any, as the falcons were actively hunting and soaring at the same time. For the most part, birds appeared in groups of 4-6.<br />
Two Eurasian Hobbies (<i>Falco subbuteo</i>) also moved through, and there were a small number of the migrants among the high-flying Red-foots that I suspect may have been Hobby. These two, a pair presumably, came in much lower - one snagged an aerial insect - before working their way higher and down river.<br />
One Little Egret (<i>Egretta garzatta</i>), a Gray Heron (<i>Ardea cinerea</i>), two Little Ringed Plovers (<i>Charadrius dubius</i>) a singing Great Reed Warbler (<i>Acrocephalus arundinaceus</i>) and a displaying Sky Lark (<i>Alauda arvensis</i>) highlighted an otherwise predictable list.<br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-81360566001184572922011-05-11T23:35:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:24:07.448-07:00May 11, 2011: Peregrine Falcons, Rock Bunting I took a long walk today along the bike path that follows the Miljacka River (600 m asl) to the Kojija Ćuprija (Goat Bridge) dating from the mid 16th Century. After crossing the bridge, the trail climbs the ridge on the opposite side continuing parallel to the river some 80-100 meters above it. I walked about 5 km before doubling back to the car. The trail passes underneath some rugged cliffs which I scanned, and sure enough a <b>Peregrine Falcon</b> (<i>Falco peregrinus</i>) sailed out briefly from the cliff and returned to perch out of sight. A second bird was located with effort on a branch of a tree growing out from one of the rock faces.<br />
The birdlife along the trail was for the most part quite ordinary. Lower down, Nightingales (<i>Luscinia megarhynchos</i>) were singing every 200 meters or so; Blackcaps (<i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>) were also very numerous, not only down along the river but up along the trail (680 m asl). There were a few Greater Whitethroats (<i>Sylvia communis</i>) and Chaffinches (<i>Fringilla coelebs</i>) as well. White-throated Dipper (<i>Cinclus cinclus</i>) and Gray Wagtail (<i>Motacilla cinerea</i>) are usually reliable along the stretch of river from the bridge to Sarajevo, but I missed them today.<br />
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
One pleasant surprise was a male Rock Bunting (<i>Emberiza cia</i>) sitting atop a spruce tree near the base of a scree slope. I had previously seen this species only this winter at Mostarski Blato (near Mostar); it is new for me in Sarajevo Canton.<br />
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-26554170655451916592011-05-09T12:00:00.000-07:002011-05-10T04:31:33.749-07:00Birding Summary for April 17-May 6<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; min-height: 14.0px}
span.s1 {text-decoration: underline}
span.s2 {font: 12.0px Courier}
span.s3 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
span.s4 {font: 12.0px 'Andale Mono'}
span.Apple-tab-span {white-space:pre}
</style>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; min-height: 14.0px}
span.s1 {text-decoration: underline}
span.s2 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
</span></b><br />
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; min-height: 14.0px}
span.s1 {text-decoration: underline}
span.s2 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
</span></b></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"><b>April 17, Zeljeznica River-Butmir (Sarajevo):</b></span><b> </b>A male <b style="font-weight: bold;">Ferruginous Duck</b><b> </b>(<span class="s2"><i>Aythya nyroca</i></span>) was present again today, probably one of the two that were here yesterday.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">
</span></b><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"><b>April 19:</b></span><b style="font-weight: bold;"><u> </u> </b><b style="font-weight: bold;">A Little Egret</b> (<span class="s2"><i>Egretta garzetta</i></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">)</span>, Common Greenshank</span><b> </b>(<span class="s2"><i>Tringa nebularia</i></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">) and </span>Little Grebe </span>(<span class="s2"><i>Tachybaptus ruficollis</i></span>) were highlights along the Zeljeznica River, <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">while earlier in the morning I heard my first </span>Nightingale</span> (<span class="s2"><i>Luscinia megarhynchos</i></span>) of the season<b>.</b></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="font-weight: bold;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
</b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">April 25: Vrelo Bosne (Ilidza-Sarajevo): </b>Of the 27 species I recorded in about an hour's walk through Vrelo Bosne Park, <b style="font-weight: bold;">Middle Spotted Woodpecker</b><b> </b>(<span class="s1"><i>Dendrocopos medius</i></span>), <b style="font-weight: bold;">Short-toed Tree-creeper </b>(<span class="s1"><i>Certhia brachydactyla</i></span>) and <b style="font-weight: bold;">Collared Flycatcher</b> (<span class="s1"><i>Ficedula albicollis</i></span>) were new for my Bosnia list. <b style="font-weight: bold;">Nightingales</b> (<span class="s1"><i>Luscinia megarhynchos</i></span>) were in full song as were <b style="font-weight: bold;">Song Thrushes</b><b> </b>(<span class="s1"><i>Turdus philomelos</i></span>) and <b style="font-weight: bold;">Chaffinches</b><b> </b>(<span class="s1"><i>Fringilla coelebs</i></span>) among others.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="s1"><b><u>April 26, En route to Dubrovnik:</u></b></span><b> </b>With my mother visiting from the US, we left Sarajevo by car for 6 days on the Croatian coast (mostly non-birding). On the way near Konjic, overlooking the reservoir, I picked up a singing <b>Serin</b> (<i>Serinus serinus</i>).</span><br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Further along, our route took us through the town of <b>Trebinje</b> on the Trebi<span class="s2">š</span>njica river. A fantastic concentration of birds were present on a shallow and slow-moving half-kilometer stretch with reed beds and floating algae mats in places.<b> Common swifts (</b><i>Apus apus</i><b><i>)</i></b> and hundreds of swallows (Barn Swallow, Sand Martin and House Martin) hunted over the surface and perched on the electric wires that crossed the river. There were at least 60 <b>Common Moorhens</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Gallinula chloropus</i></span>) as well as several <b>Little Grebes</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Tachybaptus ruficollis</i></span>). A <b>Purple Heron</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Ardea purpurea</i></span>), 2 <b>Squacco Herons</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Ardeola ralloides</i></span>) and a <b>Little Bittern</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Ixobrychus minutus</i></span>) were nice surprises. At least 2 <b>Great Reed Warblers</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Acrocephalus arundinaceus</i></span>) called from the emergent vegetation. A brief 15-20 minute stop added 7 new species for my Bosnia list. </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Trebinje is perhaps an hour drive (or less) from Hutova Blato, one of the premier birding sites in Bosnia, and it is along the more direct route from Mostar and Sarajevo to Dubrovnik. I recommend the stop for interested birders.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="s1"><u><b>April 26-May 1 in Croatia</b>:</u></span> Highlights of a mostly non-birding five-six days in Croatia include a <b>European Nightjar</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Caprimulgus europaeus</i></span>) fly-by while we were enjoying a late afternoon glass of wine on our deck at the Hotel Vila Tina in Arbanija overlooking the bay across from Split. A <b>Woodchat Shrike</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Lanius senator</i></span>) was on the Ostra Peninsula at the southern end of Croatia. <b>Sardinian Warbler</b> (<span class="s1"><i>Sylvia melanocephala</i></span>), <b>Sub-alpine warblers</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Sylvia cantillans</i></span>), <b>Black-eared Wheatears</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Oenanthe hispanica</i></span>) and <b>Cirl Bunting</b> (<span class="s1"><i>Emberiza cirlus</i></span>) in full song were easy to locate in suitable habitat. The road from Cavtat to Pridvorje produced several <b>Red-rumped Swallows</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Cecropis daurica</i></span>). During the crossing from Cavtat to Dubrovnik by boat, I spotted two <b>Red-necked Grebes</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Podiceps grisegena</i></span>) in the bay. <b>Common</b> and <b>Alpine Swifts (</b><span class="s3"><i>Apus melba</i></span><b>)</b> plied the air over Cavtat and Dubrovnik.</span><br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="s1"><b><u>May 3, Kobelja Glava (Sarajevo)</u></b></span><b> - </b>Flock of at least 10 <b>Whinchats</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Saxicola rubetra</i></span>) and 5 <b>Western Yellow Wagtails</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Motacilla flava</i></span>) in a plowed field this morning.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u>May 4, Zeljeznica River in Butmir (Sarajevo)</u>- </b>As I was gathering my binocs and telescope from the car, I saw two marsh terns fly by headed down river away from me. I was sure that they were not White-winged Black Terns, but wanted a more definitive look before declaring whether they were Whiskered or Black Terns. As luck would have it, I subsequently saw a single individual (one of the originals?) in flight at close range and at eye level that was unquestionably a <b>Whiskered</b> <b>Tern</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Chlidonias hybrida</i></span>), a species that is not listed in <i>Ptice Kantona Sarajevo, </i>(2010) by Kotro<span class="s4">š</span>an et al. However, It does breed in good numbers in Croatia, Serbia and Hungary according to <i>Birds in Europe: Population Estimates, Trends and Conservation Status (2004)</i> by Burfield and van Bommel on behalf of Birdlife International, so its occurrence during passage is not unexpected.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Also present, were the following waders including <b>Little Ringed Plover</b> (<i>Charadrius dubious</i>), <b>Greenshank</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Tringa nebularia</i></span>), <b>Common Sandpiper</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Actitis hypoleucos</i></span>), <b>Ruff</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Philomachus pugnax</i></span>) and a <b>Black-crowned Night Heron</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Nycticorax nycticorax</i></span>).</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="s1"><b><u>May 5, Kobilja Glava (Sarajevo):</u></b></span><b> Sedge Warbler</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Acrocephalus schoenobaenus</i></span>), <b>Garden Warbler</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Sylvia borin</i></span>) and <b>Eurasian Golden Oriole</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Oriolus oriolus</i></span>) were seasonal firsts this morning. <b>Little Egrets</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Egretta garzetta</i></span>) and <b>Great Reed Warbler</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Acrocephalus arundinaceus</i></span>) highlighted the sightings this evening along the Zeljeznica River. The latter species is apparently quite rare in the canton, recorded only from the month of August; but like Whiskered Tern, it breeds fairly widely in adjacent European countries and no doubt at scattered locations in BiH, its appearance as a vagrant is not unexpected.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="s1"><b><u>May 6, Kobelja Glava and Zeljeznica River (Sarajevo)</u>:</b></span><b> </b>The highlight of this mornings dog walk was the unmistakable call of a <b>Bee-eater (</b><span class="s3"><i>Merops apiaster</i></span><b>)</b> or two passing high overhead. Efforts to see the bird(s) were fruitless. But later this morning, at the open field along the Bosne River near Dolovi, a subdivision of the Sarajevo metropolitan area, I saw a group of 12 hawking after insects and perching in a dead tree along the river. This is another species for which there is scant data in Sarajevo Canton, especially in the Spring; records exist for August and September only. However, its presence as a scarce breeder in the rest of BiH, and its occurrence in neighboring countries would suggest it has been overlooked.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>While watching the Bee-eaters, a seasonal first <b>European Turtle-Dove (</b><span class="s3"><i>Streptopelia turtur</i></span><b>)</b> landed in a nearby tree, and a <b>Hobby</b> (<i>Falco subbuteo</i>) passed through.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Later while standing watch along the Zeljeznica River on this gorgeous, sunny day, I watched as a group of 6 <b>Red-footed Falcons</b> (<span class="s3"><i>Falco vespertinus</i></span>) hunt the skies high over the river, moving up and downstream for at least 45 minutes.</span></div>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-17033197428254767112011-04-16T04:40:00.000-07:002011-04-17T06:08:00.767-07:00Saturday, April 16: Late Season Snow Brings in the Migrants<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> We woke up Thursday to a blanket of white covering the landscape. After all the fine weather we had through the early part of April - the greening of the hillsides, the flocks of sheep, the blossoming of the fruit trees, the gardens tilled - we were lulled into thinking that indeed winter was past.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Along with the moderation in the weather, migration seemed to be trickling through, not much - here in Sarajevo anyway - seemed to be happening. At Vrelo Bosne, there was much song in evidence, but for the most part, these songsters were year round residents, or early returnees.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> In the meantime, some waders trickled through one partially flooded field near the confluence of the Bosne and Miljacka Rivers; Green Sandpiper (<span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Tringa ochropus</i></span>), Wood Sandpiper (<i>T<span class="Apple-style-span">ringa glareola</span></i>), Ruff (<span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Philomachus pugnax</i></span>), and Common Redshank (<span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Tringa erythropus</i></span>), but little else as migration seemed to slow with the fair skies and moderate temperatures. A Common Snipe (<span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Gallinago gallinago</i></span>) and Common Moorhen (<i>Gallinula chloropus</i>) on April 7 were the only new additions during the first two weeks of April.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Helvetica Neue'}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana}
</style>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Then it snowed! On Thursday evening, along the Zeljeznica River in Butmir, a subdivision of Ilidza, I spent about an hour walking the river banks. Swallows were moving over the river; besides the predominant Barn Swallows (<i>Hirundo rustica</i>), I also picked out House Martin (<i>Delichon urbicum</i>), Sand Martin (<i>Riparia riparia</i>) and 1 Red-rumped Swallow (<i>Cecropis daurica</i>), all new for me in Bosnia. The river is channelized in places with artificial banks to control flooding and the depth is rarely more than 50-100 centimeters, if that. So it was somewhat surprising to see two male Common Pochards (<i>Aythya ferina</i>) and a Great Crested Grebe (<i>Podiceps cristatus</i>) floating with the current. Several Wood Sandpipers (<i>Tringa glareola</i>) and Ruffs (<i>Philomachus pugnax</i>) were also present as were at least 5 Little Ringed Plovers (<i>Charadrius dubius</i>) and a pair of Common Sandpipers (<i>Actitis hypoleucos</i>), both new on my Bosnia list.</span><br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Helvetica Neue'}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Helvetica Neue'}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Helvetica Neue'}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Helvetica Neue'}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> That was enough to whet my appetite, so I headed back a little further upstream on Friday afternoon where I happened upon two beautiful male Ferruginous Ducks (</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aythya nyroca</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">), always a bonus, and a Greenshank (<span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Tringa nebularia</i></span>) in addition to many of the same waders I encountered the night before.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana}
</style>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> While the Sarajevo valley lacks really good wader habitat and numbers are quite low, I have been pleasantly surprised so far with the variety, 11 species since the first of the year.
The Friday morning the dog walk also produced some surprising waders at one very small wet patch up in Kobilja Glava above the city. I have seen a couple of straggler Green Sandpipers () there, but today, there were 6 Wood Sandpipers (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Tringa glareola</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">), a Ruff (<i>Philomachus pugnax)</i> and the real piece-de-resistance: a Jack Snipe (</span><i>Lymnocryptes minimus</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">)!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I will report later on a trip to Hercegovina April 2 and 3 to survey three Poljes - karst depressions in the area of Livno and Tomslavgrad, an excursion that took us by Ramsko and Buško Jezeros (lakes) and that also produced 10 new firsts for me in Bosnia.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
</style>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-30975633178931901682011-03-30T07:35:00.000-07:002011-03-30T08:14:41.466-07:00Wednesday, March 30: A Look at the Past Week, Eurasian Spoonbill The morning dog walks have not yielded much in the past week. New arrivals in Kobelja Glava were Blackcap (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Sylvia atricapilla</i></span>) on Sunday, 27.03, and a Common Redstart (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Phoenicurus phoenicurus</i></span></span>) today (30.03). Along with the usual cast of corvids, I now see Wood Pigeon (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Columba palumbus</i></span></span>), Black Redstart (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Phoenicurus ochruros</i></span></span>), and Northern Wheatear (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Oenanthe oenanthe</i></span></span>) on a more or less regular basis during the walks. Fieldfares, which were omnipresent earlier in March, have now "disappeared."<br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 16.0px Arial}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 16.0px Arial}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 16.0px Arial}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 16.0px Arial}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 16.0px Arial}
</style>
<br />
A <b>Eurasian Spoonbill</b> (<i>Platalea leucorodia</i>) highlighted a trip to Dolovi/Gornje Telelovo Polje this morning. According to <i>Ptice Kantona Sarajevo</i> (2010) by Kotrošan et al., sightings have previously been limited to August, October and November, so this represents a first Spring record. The bird flew in from upstream on the Miljacka and landed briefly twice opposite the sewage treatment facility before flying off in the downstream direction of the Bosne River.<br />
<br />
Also today, the partially flooded field on the west side of the Bosne near Dolovi produced just 4 species of waders: 8-10 Lapwings (<i>Vanellus vanellus), </i>2 Green Sandpipers (<i>Tringa ochropus</i>), a <b>Ruff</b> (<i>Philomachus pugnax</i>), and 1 basic-plumaged <b>Dunlin (</b><i>Calidris alpina</i><b>)</b>, a new bird for my Bosnia list.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On Saturday, we had to exit the country and come back in with a new 90-day stamp, so we drove down to the Adriatic via Mostar. Alas, in Croatia not Bosnia, a <b>Short-toed Eagle</b> (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i>Circaetus gallicus</i></span>) hovered virtually motionless in a headwind over a low ridge, while a probable <b>Levant Sparrowhawk (</b><i>Accipiter brevipes</i><b>), </b>looking almost falcon like,<b> </b>made a couple of short diving passes over the same ridge before disappearing.</span><br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 16.0px Arial}
</style>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-60197547498656393862011-03-22T16:38:00.000-07:002011-03-22T17:09:21.559-07:00Tuesday, 22 March - A Sarajevo Canton First?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The weather moderated a little today with temperatures "soaring" up to 8C, and for a while the sun came through the overcast to create a Spring-like feel in the city.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Checking out two of my favorite Sarajevo Spring-birding sites today, both within about a half kilometer of each other and in the vicinity of the confluence of the Bosne and Miljacka Rivers, produced four Bosnian firsts for me: about 50 Graganey (<i>Anas</i> <i>querquedula</i>), 2 Black-crowned Night Herons (<i>Nycticorax</i> <i>nycticorax</i>), 4 Black-tailed Godwits (<i>Limosa</i> <i>limosa</i>), and 9 Ruffs (<i>Philomachus pugnax)</i>. Three Black Redstarts (<i>Phoenicurus ochruros</i>) was a new cantonal first for me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I'm astonished that Ruff is not listed in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Ptice Kantona Sarajevo</i>, by Kotrošan et al (2010), so this may represent a Cantonal first record. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Night-Herons are apparently unrecorded before April; their appearance in late March, therefore, is not that much of a surprise. Because of it's recent history, birding here and elsewhere in Bosnia is certain to significantly contribute to what is known about bird distribution and abundance. It's what makes being in the field here exciting. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Also of interest were 2 drake and a hen Shoveler (<i>Anas clypeata), </i>a female Eurasian Marsh-Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), at least 45 Common Cranes (<i>Grus grus), </i>a Lapwing (<i>Vanellus vanellus), </i>3 Common Redshanks (Tringa totanus)<i>, </i>25 Black-headed Gulls (<i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) and over 100 Fieldfares (<i>Turdus pilaris).</i></span><br />
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-64363021193519410442011-03-21T02:02:00.000-07:002011-03-21T02:02:06.253-07:00Monday, March 21I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">t snowed overnight (less than a cm) and there was very light flurries in the air this morning as I walked the dogs over the usual route in Kobelja Glava. Not unexpectedly, I spotted my first Hoopoe (<i>Upupa epops</i>), sitting in the snow, and a male Northern Wheatear (<i>Oenanthe oenanthe</i>). The walk also produced the first Tree Pipits (<i>Anthus trivialis</i>); two flew up into a fruit tree in one of the many open backyards in our neighborhood. </span><br />
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-88573365720560701282011-03-20T04:46:00.000-07:002011-03-20T10:28:17.004-07:00Saturday, March 19 - A Migratory Push, Part 2<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> What follows is speculation. The clouds sitting low like a blanket over the hilltops left open corridors formed by the two major valleys, one that stretches south toward Foča and the Montenegro border, and the Miljacka River "canyon" that bears east and southeast. Our ridge is a low natural divide between Sarajevo and the Bosne River valley that serves as a passageway going north to Croatia and Hungary. From a vantage point on the ridge near our house in a two-hour period between 1130 and 1330, I watched several migratory flocks move northward. Common Cranes (<i>Grus grus</i>), Chaffinches (<i>Fringilla coelebs</i>), and 9 Eurasian Marsh-Harriers (<i>Circus aeruginosus)</i> formed the bulk of the movement<i>. </i>Had the skies been clearer, perhaps the migration would have been moving over higher up, allowing the birds to disperse on a broader front.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> </i>Here is the complete list:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gray Heron - Ardea cinerea 5</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eurasian Marsh-Harrier - Circus aeruginosus 9</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Common Crane - Grus grus 260</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sky Lark - Alauda arvensis 20 </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stonechat (European) - Saxicola torquatus rubicola/hibernans 2 (non-migratory)</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris 30</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Common Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs 165</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<br />
</span><br />
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-60919056426615996822011-03-20T03:50:00.000-07:002011-03-20T04:21:53.610-07:00Saturday, March 19 - A Migratory Push, Part 1<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The low pressure brought with it rain overnight in Sarajevo and snow on the hills above about 1200 meters. Low heavy clouds obscured the hilltops around the city, and the temperature dropped 4-5C from Friday. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> A morning trip (0830-1000) to the fields bordering the Bosne River near Dolovi (Ilidza) yielded five new species for my Bosnia list including Common Crane (<i>Grus grus</i>), Common Redshank (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Tringa totanus</i>), Barn Swallow (<i>Hirundo rustica</i>), Yellow Wagtail (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Motacilla flava</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) and Linnet (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Carduelis cannabina</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">). </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The mixed flock working the manure at the road edge included 60 White wagtails (<i>Motacilla alba</i>) and the Yellow Wagtails that included at least 5 male <i>M. f. feldegg </i> and 10 <i>M. f. flava.</i></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos 7</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gray Heron - Ardea cinerea 3</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Common Crane - Grus grus 8</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Northern Lapwing - Vanellus vanellus 15</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus 2</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Common Redshank - Tringa totanus 1</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Common Wood-Pigeon - Columba palumbus 1</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Green Woodpecker - Picus viridis 1</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eurasian Magpie - Pica pica 4</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix 8</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Common Raven - Corvus corax 2</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sky Lark - Alauda arvensis 5</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica 3 Migratory push today. 3 seen at a distance, but no question what they were.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita 1</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Song Thrush - Turdus philomelos 1</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus 1</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris 40</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Western Yellow Wagtail (Blue-headed) - Motacilla flava flava/beema 10 A mixed flock of wagtails, pipits and linnets. There were unquestionably at least 5 feldegg and 10 or so neutral gray-headed, presumably ssp. flava. There were a couple of intermediate darker gray individuals.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Western Yellow Wagtail (Black-headed) - Motacilla flava feldegg 5 Solid black crowned feldegg - no superciliary.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">White Wagtail (alba) - Motacilla alba alba 60</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis 3</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Water Pipit - Anthus spinoletta 5</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Common Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs 2</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis 3</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eurasian Linnet - Carduelis cannabina 3</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eurasian Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus 25</span></div>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-2714734342169282302011-03-16T04:37:00.000-07:002011-03-16T04:43:28.915-07:00Wednesday, March 15, 2011 - 5 New Species for my BiH list<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Morning trip beginning at the large field west of the Bosne River near Dolovi settlement. The field is partially ploughed away from the road, but there is considerable standing water. I hope for waders. Today, there were 11 Gray Herons (<i>Ardea cinerea</i>), 3 Northern Lapwings (<i>Vanellus vanellus</i>) and a flock of about 12 Green Sandpipers (<i>Tringa ochropus</i>). A mixed flock of Water Pipits (<i>Anthus spinoletta</i>), White Wagtails (<i>Motacilla alba</i>) and a couple of Meadow Pipits (<i>Anthus pratensis</i>) were also there. A distant flying Great Cormorant (<i>Phalacrocorax carbo</i>) is only my second record for Sarajevo in three months. Two singing Song Thrushes (<i>Turdus philomelas) </i>were my first for BiH.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Farther along the Bosne toward Vrelo Bosne, I spotted 3 Wood Pigeons (<i>Columba palumbus</i>), my first for the year and for BiH. Earlier, in the vicinity of Otes, a part if Ilidza, I saw my BiH first Eurasian Collared-Dove (<i>Streptopelia decaocto</i>).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> At the park, there was a lot of bird activity including two species new to my BiH list: Gray-faced Woodpecker (<i>Picus canus)</i>, and Eurasian Treecreeper (<i>Certhia familiaris</i>). Here is my list for the park today:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mallard - <i>Anas platyrhynchos</i> 2</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Common Wood-Pigeon - <i>Columba palumbus</i> 3</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eurasian Collared-Dove - <i>Streptopelia decaocto</i> 1</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Great Spotted Woodpecker - <i>Dendrocopos major</i> 5</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Green Woodpecker - <i>Picus viridis</i> 1</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<div class="p1">
Gray-faced Woodpecker - <i>Picus canus</i> 1</div>
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Magpie - <i>Pica pica</i> 10</div>
<div class="p1">
Hooded Crow - <i>Corvus cornix</i> 5</div>
<div class="p1">
Common Raven - <i>Corvus corax </i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
Marsh Tit - <i>Poecile palustris</i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
Great Tit - <i>Parus major </i> 4</div>
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Nuthatch - <i>Sitta europaea</i> 6</div>
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Treecreeper - <i>Certhia familiaris</i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Wren - <i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i> 1</div>
<div class="p1">
European Robin - <i>Erithacus rubecula</i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Blackbird - <i>Turdus merula </i> 4</div>
<div class="p1">
Fieldfare - <i>Turdus pilaris</i> 20</div>
<div class="p1">
Song Thrush - <i>Turdus philomelos</i> 5</div>
<div class="p1">
European Starling - <i>Sturnus vulgaris</i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
White Wagtail - <i>Motacilla alba</i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
Common Chaffinch - <i>Fringilla coelebs</i> 5</div>
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Late in the afternoon, I spent about an hour at the small park near Stojcevic where I recorded the following species:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
</style>
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mallard - <i>Anas platyrhynchos</i> 3</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Little Grebe - <i>Tachybaptus ruficollis</i> 3 ( Two present here at least since early January)</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Great Spotted Woodpecker - <i>Dendrocopos major </i> 5</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eurasian Jay - <i>Garrulus glandarius</i> 2</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eurasian Magpie - <i>Pica pica </i> 10</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Jackdaw - <i>Corvus monedula</i> 5</div>
<div class="p1">
Hooded Crow - <i>Corvus cornix</i> 5</div>
<div class="p1">
Marsh Tit - <i>Poecile palustris</i> 3</div>
<div class="p1">
Great Tit - <i>Parus major</i> 5</div>
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Blue Tit - <i>Cyanistes caeruleus</i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
Long-tailed Tit - <i>Aegithalos caudatus</i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Nuthatch - <i>Sitta europaea</i> 4</div>
<div class="p1">
Goldcrest - <i>Regulus regulus</i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Blackbird - <i>Turdus merula</i> 3</div>
<div class="p1">
Song Thrush - <i>Turdus philomelos </i> 4</div>
<div class="p1">
Common Chaffinch - <i>Fringilla coelebs</i> 10</div>
<div class="p1">
European Greenfinch - <i>Chloris chloris</i> 2</div>
<div class="p1">
Eurasian Bullfinch - <i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula </i> 10</div>
<div class="p1">
Hawfinch - <i>Coccothraustes coccothraustes</i> 1</div>
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Helvetica}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Helvetica}
</style>
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Helvetica}
</style>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-27960019902933750732011-03-11T21:14:00.000-08:002011-03-11T21:14:58.261-08:00Friday, March 11 - Late AfternoonChecked out the confluence of the Miljacka and Bosne Rivers - not much going on there other than a few Gray Herons and some Mallards. So I headed over the back route toward Dolovi on the Sarajevo map. Just west of the Bosne are some large open fields that have some standing water. Saw 2 Northern Lapwings (<i>Vanellus vanellus</i>), Green Sandpipers (<i>Tringa ochropus</i>) as well as at least 10 more Gray Herons (<i>Ardea cinarea</i>), White Wagtails (<i>Motacilla alba</i>), Fieldfares (<i>Turdus pilaris</i>) and two Redwings (<i>Turdus iliacus</i>).<br />
<br />
Most intriguing, but alas unconfirmed, I almost certainly twice heard Common Crane (<i>Grus grus</i>) in the distance, but I could not verify the source of the sound.<br />Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-53522440963935005222011-03-06T09:11:00.000-08:002011-03-06T09:11:59.099-08:00Spring is in the Air The weather this morning was cloudy with a NW breeze that made the +2C temperature seem colder. The morning dog walk produced a flyby White Wagtail the first of the season up in our neighborhood. In retrospect, that was an omen. As the temperatures moderated when the sun burned through before noon, the flat and narrow flood plain on the Željeznica opposite the Obi Center in Ilidža produced a mixed flock of about 75 White Wagtails (<i>Motacilla alba</i>), 100+ Starlings (<i>Sternus vulgaris</i>), 15 or so Sky Larks (<i>Alauda arvensis</i>), 10 Meadow Pipits (<i>Anthus pratensis</i>) and at least 3 Water Pipits (<i>Anthus spinoletta</i>). On the water, there was a beautiful drake Shoveler (<i>Anas clypeata</i>), a first for me in Bosnia. In addition, 90 Black-headed Gulls (<i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) and the usual assortment of Mallards (<i>Anas platyrhynchos</i>) were also present. The Gulls and the Meadow Pipits were a Canton first this season.<br />
<br />
Sitting in a snow-covered field near Vrelo Bosne, a flock of 11 Lapwings (<i>Vanellus vanellus</i>) were also a Bosnia first for me.<br />
<br />
Not a bad start to the migration season with two personal firsts for Bosnia and two seasonal firsts in Sarajevo.<br />Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-43109760739128492902011-03-05T21:19:00.000-08:002011-03-05T21:19:10.039-08:00Saturday, March 5 - Wood LarkWalking the dogs in our neighborhood, I was surprised to see an early Wood Lark sitting in the top of an apple tree in the middle of a field singing, albeit quietly, as if it was Spring! In another field there were 9 Skylarks. Twice I have had a Skylark this past week underneath my feeders. The male and female Cirl Bunting were back. I also saw a European Robin and a Hawfinch (both scarce but present through the winter).Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-3740479366954293652011-02-26T01:10:00.000-08:002011-02-26T01:50:30.267-08:00In the Wake of the Storm<u>Saturday, February 26:</u> Winter is back. After a very Spring-like late January and first half of February, it started snowing here three-four days ago, lightly at first, then more heavily the past two days. The landscape is a wintery white with a blanket of about 20-25 cm of new snow. This morning's dog walk in Kobelja Glava produced the omnipresent Hooded Crows, Magpies, English Sparrows and Eurasian Tree Sparrows, plus there were Fieldfares (<i>Turdus pilaris)</i> (20), Blackbirds (<i>T. merula</i>) (5), and 2 Mistle Thrushes (<i>T. viscivorus)</i>, 2 Ravens (<i>Corvus corax)</i> and a resident male Green Woodpecker (<i>Picus viridis) </i>that has been calling off and on this past month - maybe the same individual that made a brief feeder visit back in January.<br />
<br />
After an absence of a couple of weeks, the Chaffinches (<i>Fringilla coelebs)</i> have returned to the feeders during the storm. At least two Bramblings (<i>Fringilla montifringilla)</i> were present again yesterday. The current feeder list also includes Somber Tit (<i>Poecile lagubris), </i>Marsh Tit (P. palustris), Eurasian Blue Tit (<i>Cyanistes caeruleus) </i>and Great Tit (<i>Parus major), </i>Greenfinches (<i>Chloris chloris), </i>not to mention the Hooded Crows, Eurasian Tree and English Sparrows, feral pigeons, and Magpies. There was also a flock of 8 Starlings (<i>Sternus vulgaris</i>) - scarce so far all winter - in the apple tree across the street from our house.<br />
<br />
<br />Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-12402386598097973302011-02-24T13:56:00.000-08:002011-02-24T16:36:08.996-08:00Brambling<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nice to have a male Brambling (<i>Fringilla montifringilla) </i>visit the feeder today for the first time. I have previously seen a few this winter out in the area past the airport known as Vrelo Bosne (Source of the Bosne River). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I first put the feeders up in early January, the Chaffinches predominated; after a few days one Greenfinch was present. One day recently, I counted 31 Greenfinches perched in the trees and bushes near the feeders and no Chaffinches. The slightly larger Greenfinch seems to have out-competed the Chaffinch.</span><br />
<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 11.0px Verdana}
</style>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-68246931780686387562011-02-24T13:32:00.000-08:002011-02-24T14:24:58.156-08:00A Target List I spoke today about promoting birding tourism at a conference organized by Dražen Kotrošan, ornithologist at the National Museum in Sarajevo. I emphasized that the Internet was the ideal medium for disseminating information about the birdlife in BiH, information that currently is lacking. While the tourism industry in BiH is among the fastest growing in the world, bird related travel here is virtually non-existant. Regardless of where they travel, birders are interested in important bird reserves and locations, and they are eager to know where to find certain target species.<br />
In an effort to correct this information deficit, I proposed a Website that would provide details of this nature. I am currently working with two Wiki sites, Wiki Spaces and Google, in an effort to find the best host platform.<br />
In order to gather information about potential target species - birds that tourists from Northern and Western Europe might desire if they were to plan a trip to BiH - I have drawn up a tentative list based on the BiH master list and species distribution. The list is available now for download by clicking on the following link:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B_uwQBQkd0YoM2YwMDkxYTctMjYwYS00YzU4LThiNjUtZTU4ZmQ0NWFjMGY0&hl=en&authkey=CPnwyPwN">Target Birdlist</a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
As always, I invite comments on the list.Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-3773254066087561552011-02-13T23:59:00.000-08:002011-02-14T00:00:43.881-08:00Another Harbinger?!<u>Monday, February 14:</u> Was out with the dogs this morning in our neighborhood (Kobelja Glava) when a flock of 24 <b>Skylarks (</b><i>Alauda arvensis) </i><b>(</b>#70 on my Bosnia list<b>) </b>flew over giving their flight calls and then landed in a nearby wet, muddy field. A long-time resident of northern climes, I am well aware how these signs mean nothing when it comes to the wintery blasts of March and early April. It will be interesting to see what happens here. <b>Fieldfare, Blackbird and Mistle Thrush </b> are regular in the neighborhood every day.<br />
<i></i>Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-63120914857320052682011-02-13T13:28:00.001-08:002011-02-13T21:14:08.805-08:00Sun-kissed February! 01-12 February<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px}
span.Apple-tab-span {white-space:pre}
</style>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"> Can’t complain about the weather the past several days! It has felt more like early Spring than winter - not good for the skiers, and I am one. However, it’s difficult to dislike the near constant sunshine that has a warmth to it, even when the temperatures are below freezing as they are in the early morning. We have experienced a daily freeze-thaw cycle, clear nights below freezing and days rising to as high as 10C. The smog has been a daily fixture as well, but one can easily get above it by either walking or driving up the hills that surround Sarajevo.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><u>Thursday, February 3:</u> Trip to Mostarsko Blato, a large flooded basin in the hills northwest of Mostar. It was a brilliant, cloudless day with gale force winds that funneled down the canyon of the Neretva River en route from Sarajevo to Mostar. The scenery is spectacular, especially between Konjic and Mostar. The village of Jablanica, is surrounded by dramatic, precipitous crags that tower over the narrow valley. Very impressive! Driving time from Sarajevo to Mostar ca. 2.5 hours.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"> Mostar is in another climate zone, enough so that one sees occasional palm trees. The hills are essentially treeless - more Mediterranean in appearance. It makes for incredible vistas. I came through a snow storm out of Sarajevo down to Konjic, but in Mostar the temperatures were +8-10C. </span>While the wind wasn’t quite as strong as it was in the Neretva Canyon, it was sufficiently strong to stir up the surface of the reservoir into white caps.<br />
<br />
This was more of a one day reconnaissance trip and I made little effort due to time constraints to count individuals. However, <b>Coots (</b><i>Fulica atra</i><b><i>)</i></b> and <b>Pochards (</b><i>Aythya ferina)</i><b> </b>numbered in the hundreds. Oddly, I saw only one <b>Mallard</b>, the only dabbling duck of the day! Here is the list of species seen. Species marked with an Asterix are new to my Bosnia list.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Mallard 1</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">* Common Pochard</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">* Tufted Duck 20</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">* Common Goldeneye 40</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">* Smew 1f</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Little Grebe 50+</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Great Crested Grebe 1</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">* Eared Grebe 15-20</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Eurasian Buzzard</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Black-headed Gull</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">* Lesser Black-backed Gull 1</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Great Spotted Woodpecker</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Eurasian Magpie</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Hooded Crow</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Marsh Tit</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Great Tit</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Eurasian Blue Tit</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Common Chiffchaff</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">European Robin</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">* Black Redstart</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Eurasian Blackbird</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Mistle Thrush</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">White Wagtail</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">* Meadow Pipit</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">* Rock Bunting</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Common Chaffinch</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">European Goldfinch</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Hawfinch</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">House Sparrow</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Eurasian Tree Sparrow</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><u>Saturday, February 5:</u> My 67th species here in Bosnia (since our arrival on December 25, 2010) was a Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes), a bonus during a hike above 1300 meters in a popular local area above the old part of the city called Barice (Bar-its-sa). People go here, at least in winter, to escape the smog and to walk on one of the many trails and narrow roads that criss-cross the mostly open country. I have been expecting to see Nutcracker before, and was mildly surprised not to see it during brief trips to the two ski areas nearby. However, on a gorgeous clear day in the hills, looking out over the city shrouded in a white carpet of smog, the TV tower atop one of the hills nearby to our home, stuck up like a nunatak, I heard then saw a single individual perched on the top of a spruce.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s2"><u>Saturday, February 12:</u></span><span class="s1"> I saw two “firsts” today! During my morning walk with the dogs in our neighborhood, I spotted a <b>European Starling</b> (<i>Sternus vulgaris). </i>In Kyiv, Starlings are very common throughout the year except for November to March when they are mostly absent. They are an early harbinger of Spring there; perhaps here too.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span><br />
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Later in the day, we walked up above 1100 meters in an area on the maps known as Gornji Kromolj. My experience so far has been that the bird life in these high meadows with scattered pine and spruce copses, has been quite sparse - <b>Magpies</b> and <b>Hooded Crows</b> - but during these walks, I usually encounter something of interest as I did today I finally saw <b>Willow Tit </b>(<i>Poecile montanus</i>) mixed in with an estimated 15-20 <b>Crested, Blue and Coal Tits</b>. We were also entertained by three <b>Common Ravens </b>doing barrel rolls, and by a <b>Common Buzzard.</b></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-89955126930204347882011-01-29T00:04:00.000-08:002011-01-29T00:04:28.366-08:00Accipiters29.01.11 ca 0800. Kobilja Glava.<br />
Now that I have feeders set up, I was anticipating the first visit by an Accipiter, either Eurasian Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) which I saw in the area on 23.01, or Goshawk (<i>Accipiter gentilis</i>). A Gos came hurtling through stirring up all but a considerably smaller and gutsy Hooded Crow that chased it across the road downhill, where it made another dive before circling up and heading south over the valley. Always fun to watch that.Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-83775333964112158862011-01-28T23:45:00.000-08:002011-02-13T02:54:00.474-08:00Good Birding Around Sarajevo in Winter 1: Gornje Telelovo Polje<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LFY58ZmzKRmtl1jwFoe-1454KDoRr4GlA1fWF0UDZRBEOGtChwqpG4q9Xfv0i4pOa3lWmlSGFFVQiGwuKzzogs_y6dBh_tFUlLffBuUIl9pnDsDiQfLIWNJR1Xm4vAVokf3lEbvVINs/s1600/Gornje+Telelovo+Polje.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LFY58ZmzKRmtl1jwFoe-1454KDoRr4GlA1fWF0UDZRBEOGtChwqpG4q9Xfv0i4pOa3lWmlSGFFVQiGwuKzzogs_y6dBh_tFUlLffBuUIl9pnDsDiQfLIWNJR1Xm4vAVokf3lEbvVINs/s320/Gornje+Telelovo+Polje.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Location: Gornje Telelovo Polje (outlined in blue on the map). Observation date: 28.01.11 Number of species: 21<br />
<br />
In the month I've been here, I've focused on three sites in the metropolitan area:<br />
<br />
1. Kobilja Glava, my home territory and immediate area, on the ridge that separates Sarajevo from Vogošća (VO-gush-cha). Elevation range here is 600 meters and up to over 900 meters.<br />
<br />
2. Vrelo Bosne (literally source of the Bosne) where the waters of the Bosne River that ultimately flow into the Black Sea via the Sava and the Danube, gush out of a subterranean spring from the mountain. That area is a popular park at the very southwestern edge of the valley with a mix of open woodland, small artificial ponds and fields and crystal-clear water!<br />
<br />
3. The immediate vicinity of the confluence of the Miljacka and Bosne Rivers. These latter two locations are on the valley bottom at 480-500 meters.<br />
<br />
Today's Notes: This is perhaps the flattest part of the Sarajevo Valley where the Miljacka and the Bosne Rivers converge, no doubt a floodplain for the rivers. On either side there are open fields with only scattered trees, two of the largest fields are cultivated (corn?) in summer. A sewage treatment plant is there as well as a small factory of some kind. The whole area covers more than 320 hectares.<br />
<br />
As there is no substantial standing body of water anywhere in Sarajevo, the rivers attract a few wintering waterbirds. As you might guess, Mallards are everywhere. There were an estimated 200 in the immediate area today as well as 3 Teal. I also counted 81 Gray Herons standing out in the snow in a 100 hectare field between the Miljacka and Bojnička Street.<br />
<br />
Also on while biring here on 23.01, I saw the same group of species, but also a Green Sandpiper and a European Robin. Both of these were uncommon over-wintering species in Kyiv too where the average temperature is a little lower (avg min. in Kyiv -10 vs -4 in Sarajevo - BBC Weather data).<br />
<br />
Mallard - <i>Anas platyrhynchos</i> 200<br />
Green-winged Teal (Eurasian) - <i>Anas crecca crecca/nimia</i> 3<br />
Great Cormorant - <i>Phalacrocorax carbo</i> 6<br />
Gray Heron - <i>Ardea cinerea</i> <b>81</b><br />
Common Buzzard - <i>Buteo buteo</i> 5<br />
Eurasian Magpie - <i>Pica pica</i> 30
Eurasian Jackdaw - <i>Corvus monedula</i> 10<br />
Hooded Crow - <i>Corvus cornix</i> 30<br />
Common Raven - <i>Corvus corax</i> 4<br />
Marsh Tit - <i>Poecile palustris</i> 2<br />
Great Tit - <i>Parus major</i> 10<br />
Eurasian Blue Tit - <i>Cyanistes caeruleus</i> 1<br />
Eurasian Blackbird - <i>Turdus merula</i> 1<br />
<b>Dunnock - <i>Prunella modularis</i> 1</b><br />
<b>White Wagtail (alba) - <i>Motacilla alba alba</i> 1</b><br />
<b>Water Pipit - <i>Anthus spinoletta</i> 1</b><br />
Common Chaffinch - <i>Fringilla coelebs</i> 35<br />
Brambling - <i>Fringilla montifringilla</i> 2<br />
European Goldfinch - <i>Carduelis carduelis </i> 7<br />
House Sparrow - <i>Passer domesticus</i> 5<br />
Eurasian Tree Sparrow - <i>Passer montanus</i> 5Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313955243911985815.post-19623007270285876372011-01-27T02:19:00.000-08:002011-01-27T02:43:36.817-08:00First Month Part 2: Tuesday, January 25 - A Sarajevo Canton First Record<title></title>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times}
p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; min-height: 14.0px}
span.s1 {letter-spacing: 0.0px}
span.Apple-tab-span {white-space:pre}
</style>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Sarajevo sits at 530 meters above sea level nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. In the winter, people burn wood and coal to defray fuel costs as gas for heating is very expensive. This is a recipe for smog in the winter. Even at over 600 meters where we live, well above the valley, and with the windows closed, the smoky air permeates our home at times. Furthermore, In the month we’ve been here, there has been little or no wind, day after day with barely a breeze. So the fog settles in. It’s particularly dense in the morning, but there have been days when it simply did not burn off. It’s much worse in the valley and the main part of the city, and especially so at its southwestern end where the airport and a couple of my favorite birding sites are located. Flights are cancelled and birding is impossible with visibility so limited. I am told that this is a winter phenomenon.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Nothing like a snow storm over last weekend to clear out the smoky air. When the skies cleared on Tuesday, it was brilliantly sunny; the air was fresh and the sun felt warmer than the actual temperature (-3C). With the carpet of snow from the storm last weekend, the light was dazzling. It felt almost Spring-like. Perfect day for a walk!</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Traveling with my birding companions on these solo excursions, our dogs Tuchka and Luna, I hiked up to 900 meters from Kobilja Glava to Gornje Kromolj along back roads through habitat I would call rural residential. Except for road edge and occasional overgrown thickets, the countryside is mostly open fields affording excellent views. Some of the homes have fruit trees. Predominent birds here include Hooded Crow (<i>Corvus cornix</i>), Eurasian Magpie (<i>Pica pica</i>), Blackbird (<i>Turdus merula</i>), Great Tit (<i>Parus major</i>), Eurasian Tree (<i>Passer montanus</i>) and House Sparrow (<i>P. domesticus</i>), and the occasional Mistle Thrush (<i>Turdus viscivorus</i>). There are at least two resident Common Buzzards (<i>Buteo buteo</i>) in the area, and as I am very partial to Ravens (<i>Corvus corax)</i>, two perched atop a power line stanchion was a bonus. After more than a month, I finally added my first BiH European Goldfinch (<i>Carduelis carduelis), </i>a species I had not expected to be so difficult to find. I’m sure usually it is not.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>A little farther along above 800 meters, the road does pass through a patch of pine forest mixed with spruce that is no more than 7 hectares in extent. It was here I added two more not unexpected species to my BiH list: Crested Tit (<i>Lophophanes cristatus</i>) and Goldcrest (<i>Regulus regulus</i>) mixed in with Great, Marsh (<i>Poecile palustris</i>) and Coal (<i>Periparus ater</i>) Tits. </span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>But the best bird of the day, and perhaps in the month we have lived here - that is if one judges this based on its rarity where one is birding - was not more than a half kilometer from our house back in Kobilja Glava where I observed a group of three <b>Cirl Buntings (<i>Emberiza cirlus</i>)</b>, an adult and two females working the roadside where the snow had melted enough to expose the grass and stripping exposed sedges of their seeds in the adjacent field. Drazen Kotrošan, ornithologist at the National Museum, wrote by email saying that this was a Sarajevo Canton first, and he confirmed as I suspected that it is found in the southern part of the country closer to the Adriatic (Herzegovina).</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Summary for today: hours afield 3, 20 species, one new Cantonal record! Total BiH species to date: 54. A nice climax to the first month in Bosnia and Herzegovina.</span></div>
Wayne Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12005930590516926732noreply@blogger.com0