Despite the fact we're in mid May today it was quite windy and cold. A strong north-easterly began to blow on Saturday night and brought some rain showers as well.
First of all this morning I had a quick look over the grassland of Campo Carri and found some evidence of migration: 4 Northern Wheatears and 6 Whinchats. Two Tawny Pipits were also around as usual.
Later at midday I had a meeting with a group of English birdwatchers visiting Slovenia for a few days. Together we went to see some birds in Škocjanski zatok and nearby areas.
The reserve was surprisingly alive with migrants. An ICTERINE WARBLER was perhaps one of the top birds of the day for me. It sang in a hedge along the path and showed briefly a few times. That's my first this year and always a good find! Three other Melodious Warblers were singing on the bushes nearby. One showed extremely well on the top of a small tree, while we were just few meters below it.
Another good find in the freshwater marsh were 2 WHISKERED TERNS - the firsts this season. In comparison with the last week, today there was a nice movement of waders too. Ruffs in flocks numbered about 25-30 birds, while Wood Sandpipers were seen in smaller numbers. Some Greenshanks were present in the freshwater marsh as well.
On the garzing marsh there were also at least 8 Whinchats sitting on the wired fence - another clear sign of migration.
Three Squacco Herons and a fly-by Little Bittern were also seen in the freshwater marsh. Other commoner birds included Black-winged Stilts, Little Ringed Plovers, nesting Common Terns in the brackish lagoon, a few Sand Martins, cinereocapilla Yellow Wagtails (Ashy-headed), 1 singing Sedge Warblers and lots of Reed and Great Reed Warblers.
Later in the afternoon we went to look for some cliff-birds on the karstic ridge of Socerb. The best find here was a SHORT-TOED EAGLE soaring over Trieste and showing quite well from above and below. Minutes later a Honey Buzzard appeared in the sky, quickly followed by a female Marsh Harrier on migration. Two or three Alpine Swifts were also recorded as well as a Red-backed Shrike and a few Hawfinches.
Domen. Many thanks for giving up time to show us round Skocjanski Zatok. We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon with you which gave us some of the highlights of our trip- most notably, the Short-toed Eagle and the obliging singing Melodious Warbler. With good luck and warm wishes. Richard Vasey.
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