Škocjanski zatok NR: autumn migration is kicking in and it's getting quite lively in the wetland. The main problem now is the limited visibility on the overgrown freshwater marsh, which usually hides the best birds (impossible to see if not flushed by the cattles). Fortunately the wardens have begun with the mowing, so in a few weeks we should have a very nice view across the area. Yesterday morning a juvenile
Black Tern (above) was of note and one of the
Glossy Ibises was still around (feeding in the brackish lagoon). Wood Sandpiper numbers are building up (15 ind.) as are those of other waders like Common and Green Sandpipers, Snipes (4 yesterday), Curlews and so on. A juvenile
Med Gull was in the lagoon - a scarce bird at the reserve. Little Egrets have also reached good numbers with up to 121 counted yesterday. Also 2-4 Night Herons
and 13 Pygmy Cormorants and still 38 Common Terns in the lagoon. Other birds of note included Turtle Dove, Yellow Wagtail and a family of Nightingales.
A few days ago one of the wardens also recorded the first Little Crake of the autumn.
Local patch: yesterday in the evening I had the pleasure to listen to the song of a
Nightjar, while relaxing on the armchair at my sister's home. The bird performed the long an insisting song for most of the evening and included in its repertoire lots of "kuuik" calls, wing-clapping and every kind of eerie calls. A Nightingale was also whistling nearby and after a while a Scops Owl began to sing. All in all a pleasant local patch chorus from the comfort of the armchair!
