Liplje

16.15 hrs, -1°C, Wind E/NE 2mph, cloudy, Pressure 1037hPa

Back in the garden today after some absence -

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

15th December 2013 Liplje

All of the following using feeding station. Great Tits now taking sunflower seed from feeder and along with Nuthatch are feeding on pork fat. Marsh Tit came in only briefly to feed on rotten apple.

10 Great Tit
2 Blue Tit
Marsh Tit
Nuthatch
Robin

14th December 2013 Liplje

Fieldfare one hanging around in tree tops giving alarm call at us. First for the year

13th December 2013 Liplje

08.00

Redwing  just one in treetop at front of house. First for the year

12th December 2013 Liplje

Did Corvid roost again tonight. Still no Rooks.
Estimating Jackdaws at 200 and Hooded Crow at 300.
They were all still wheeling about when I left in the dark. Seem to be nervous, suspecting a predator may be in attendance. On two occasions they grouped tightly as if panicked and their calls confirming this.
Only predator I can think of is Northern Goshawk although haven't yet encountered it here.

11th December 2013 Liplje

Night Temp. -5

Discovered some of the corvids are roosting here in the village. Scanning through the flocks as they came in mostly from the west, appeared to be only two species the two tone hoodies making it easy to eliminate any rooks.
They were very reluctant to come down staying air-bourne up to an hour after sunset, birds then peeling off from the main flock into the woodland. Noticed how Jackdaw vocalisations changed as they came in but soon fell silent.
Mistle Thrush and Blackbirds seen pre roost. All Crests seen together.

150+ Jackdaw
350+ Hooded Crow

Also earlier :
5 Blackbird
1 Mistle Thrush
8 Great Tit
5 'Crests' suspect 2 Gold and 3 Fire

Sunday 8th December 2013 Liplje

Back In Black
Heard the Black Woody up by the cemetary, has been absent or just quiet and elusive.
Black Redstart at new raspberry plantation, female type but greyer than bird seen at home.
Blackcap also at raspberry plantation again on black grapes. 

Black Woodpecker
Black Redstart
Blackcap

Friday 6th December 2013

Blackcap male feeding on rotting black grapes at neighbours new raspberry farm some 500m from us

Liplje

20:20 hrs 3°C wind SE 5 mph, clear, pressure 1022hPa, some snow remaining in shaded valley bottoms

Initially saw 200+ Corvids over NW so possibly a total of 900 birds. Interesting that seperate flocks are going to roost in differing directions over our house. Is it coincidental that they cross here or did the initial flock get disturbed at its roosting site and then return to a different site ? Hooded Crow and Jackdaw identified today in the flocks.

10:00 - Meadow Pipit over W
16:00 - 700+ Corvids over SE

18.00 - Hare crossing track in village
             2 Roe Deer seen regularly

Liplje

-4 - 3°C wind SE 3-7mph clear sunny pressure 1033hPa some patches of remaining snow

Treecreeper may have been short-toed not having seen that species before would be difficult to say without closer views. According to'Collins' Serbia dosn't have wintering Blackcap, didn't have good views but saw rear half of body and black cap. Have seen enough Blackcaps to be 95% sure of id.

 

3 Meadow Pipit over S
4 Long Tailed Tit
Middle spotted Woodpecker
Probable Blackcap male
3 Buzzard

In the woods near to the house - 
Treecreeper sp
Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Marsh Tit
2 Great Tit
Nuthatch

At Dusk approx. 16 :00 -
300 Corvids over W

4°C  Today, wind W/SW 7mph, mostly cloudy,snow still on ground pressure 1025 hPa
My rain station showing 125ml approx 1in of melted snow

Not much about in the garden today probably as hunters shooting in nearby woods which occurs regularly on a Sunday. Due to stop in new year.

The following seen together in village. The Cirl Bunting giving repeated needle sharp' seep' note. The Tree Sparrows are a delight after their catastrophic decline in UK.


Lesser Spotted Woodpecker male
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Nuthatch
8 Great Tit 
2 Marsh Tit
Cirl Bunting
yellowhammer
6 Chaffinch
30 Tree Sparrow
1 House Sparrow
Wren
Blackbird
9 Hooded Crow over W

Garden species -
Firecrest
Mistle thrush out W
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Nuthatch
3 Great Tit
1 Blue Tit

Liplje

0-5°C wind S 4mph clear sunny pressure 1019 hpa 10cm snow on ground

In garden

07:00 - 
3 Song Thrush over SW

09.30 -
Black Redstart female 
Great Spotted woodpecker feeding on rotten pear 
3 Jay 
Nuthatch
Great Tit
Robin
Blackbird
2 Yellowhammer over

Liplje

4°C Wind S/SE 4 mph cloud cover 100% still 15cm of snow on ground preassure 1023hpa

All day watch around feeding station in front garden. The Purple Heron was a pleasant surprise and a welcome addition to my list. Noted longer wings, extended toes, angular neck and similar call to Grey Heron. Tawny Owl again next door at derelict property.
 Excellent views of the woodpeckers, hope to get some photos soon.

  
Purple Heron over E at 15:55
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker male
Middle Spotted Woodpecker male
Black Redsart female
Goldcrest
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Robin
Wren
2 Blackbird
3 Jay
Nuthatch
Tawny Owl

ALMOST THERE 28TH NOV 2013 (20cm of snow from yesterday)

 14.00 - 16.00 
Took a circular walk around part of the village north to the top of the hill and back via the main village lane.
Black Woody again only heard. Firecrests seen together pre-roost. Female Hawfinch seen for the second time at top of tallest tree near our house giving high pitched call only.

 




Buzzard
6 Wood Lark over S
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
Raven
3 Blackbird male 1st y male & female
Robin
3 Firecrest
4 Great Tit
2 Blue Tit
Tree Sparrow
100 + Chaffinch single flock
Yellowhammer
Cirl Bunting
Hawfinch female

BACK DATED 27TH NOV 2013

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker male  Probably heard one some weeks back so glad to have now seen one. Excellent views low down in the orchard. Red crown looked worn with flecks of white showing through.

Black Woodpecker heard only
Black Redstart male

BACK DATED 13TH & 14TH NOV. 2013

Curlew probable, heard flying over at dusk

Long Eared Owl heard, a deep resonant 'oh' being repeated at frequent intervals while in flight.only seen at distance in evening so no vis. id. however looked right size and call is diagnostic.

Mistle Thrush appeared front garden giving alarm call, looking nervous soon moved off

BACK DATED 9TH NOV. 2013

Male Black Redstart was joined by a female today, briefly again in back orchard.
Siskin was about third bird Ive seen since arriving
Hawfinch giving high pitched  'seeee' call
Crests and Tits in same flock.
Black Woody seen at distance in flight and calling, a shy bird I think.

06.25 - 16.00
Black Woodpecker
2Black Redstart
4 Hawfinch over S
Siskin over calling
Firecrest
Goldcrest
Marsh Tit
Great Tit

BACK DATED 4TH & 5TH NOV. 2013

Black Redstart 1st y male  

Appeared mid afternoon and again at dusk in orchard giving alarm call, was nervous and soon moved out of sight.Main body colour is blue grey with black mottling on breast, rusty red undertail coverts and tail.

BACK DATED 2ND NOV 2013

The Firecrests were 50m along track from home feeding low in trees and scrub.Beautiful gem of a bird, havn't seen this species for many years and a new tick for Liplje and Serbia.
The Middle spot is very regular now mostly favouring front walnut tree much of which is dead, amale bird and quite confiding.
Great spot also confiding feeding on apple in orchard and easy to observe without bins.
No site or sound of Black woody.

2 Firecrest 
Middle Spotted Woodpecker male
Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Marsh Tit
4 Great Tit
Blue Tit
2 Nuthatch
Wren
Blackbird

BACK DATED 27TH OCT. 2013

08.00 - 10.30 clear hot and sunny again

Black Woodpecker heard only, bodes well for it being a resident

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Green Woodpecker

Stonechat

2 Meadow Pipit over calling

Wood Lark over S/SW calling 

Greenfinch over calling

Linnet over

Chaffinch most over

Magpie

4 Jay

2 Great Tit 

2 Blue Tit

2 Long Tailed Tit

2 Marsh Tit

2 Raven

2 Hooded Crow over
Tawny Owl again on chimney next door

Buzzard

2 Nuthatch

6 Tree Sparrow

Cirl Bunting male singing

5 Yellowhammer

Warbler poss. sylvia sp

 

BACK DATED OCT 24TH 2013

Black Woodpecker ! flew in calling and landed at top of tallest tree on edge of veg plot seemed nervous and somewhat shy giving thin almost plaintive call while landed. Soon flew on again giving loud flight call.
A lifer for me and much anticipated, fantastic !

BACK DATED Saturday 12th Oct. 2013

   Red Backed Shrike female/juv (feeding just over the ridge to south of home)
2 White Wagtail over
5 Yellowhammer over
6 Skylark over E
4 Chaffinch over
5 Greenfinch over
   Green Woodpecker
   Nuthatch
   Great Tit
2 Heron over

Blogging at last !

This site is still very much in its infancy so please bare with me until I get my ass in gear.....

Well here I am living in Serbia. My wife and I moved in on the 10th of October. My Primary reason for starting this blog is to publish the birdlife I see in Liplje & Serbia for the benefit of anyone who’s interested and hopefully to benefit  conservation of wildlife in Serbia. 
Initially and no doubt the bulk of my records will be from our village of Liplje near Lijg in sumadija in central Serbia.
I am making some birding contacts and in time I will get to visit some of the more productive sites a few of which I have done in previous years while on holiday.
Please feel free to comment or get in touch. Birders are few and far between here in Serbia compared to UK so I need as much help as I can get. My Serbian isnt up to much at the moment so please bear with me, Hvala.

This fella above sits on the chimney of a derelict house just 50 metres or so from our house.
Taken with a canon powershot A1400 held on top of my Kowa scope.