Dalmatian Coast June 2013 (1 Viewer)

Jose Ramon · Mar 14, 2013

Hi eveyone,

my name is Jose and I live in Madrid (Spain).

I plan to visit Croatia at the end of June with my family for holidays but I will try to do some birding.

My plan is to fly to Venice (Italy) and then drive south along the coast to take a flight back from Dubrovnik. Probably I will also drive south to Montenegro.

I am trying to get informacion of the best places to watch the eastern birds that are not present in Spain (they are not too many) and that I have not seen in previous visits to Eastern Europe.

My idea is, as in other similar family holydays, to wake up early in the morning and birdwatch for a while meanwhile my wife and son wake up and have breakfast.

Some of the birds I would like to see are:

- Pygmy cormorant
- Rock partridge
- Black-headed Bunting
- Dalmatian Pelican (probably in Montenegro)
- Levant Sparrowhawk
- Eastern Imperial Eagle (I do not know if it is possible in the coast)

and some others, some of them recent splits from species that we have in western Europe.

In addition another logistic question:

I am looking in internet for hotels in the area but it seems that there are not to many and they are expensive.

Usually I get a lot results of private houses that rent rooms. Do anybody knows if there is a system to know the "quality" of the room?

I have been reading in internet that there is a lot of people in the coast of Croatia in summer, mainly in the area of historic cities like Split or Dubrovnik.

I would be glad to know quiet places to bird and stay. For sure we will pay a visit to theses cities but I prefer to sleep in rural hotels/rooms near the birds to have the opportunity to have some birding in the early morning and late afternoon.

Thank in advance and regards,

Jose Ramon Martin
jose_3es 'AT' yahoo.es

Tord · Mar 15, 2013

Jose Ramon said:
Hi eveyone,

my name is Jose and I live in Madrid (Spain).

I plan to visit Croatia at the end of June with my family for holidays but I will try to do some birding.

My plan is to fly to Venice (Italy) and then drive south along the coast to take a flight back from Dubrovnik. Probably I will also drive south to Montenegro.

I am trying to get informacion of the best places to watch the eastern birds that are not present in Spain (they are not too many) and that I have not seen in previous visits to Eastern Europe.

My idea is, as in other similar family holydays, to wake up early in the morning and birdwatch for a while meanwhile my wife and son wake up and have breakfast.

Some of the birds I would like to see are:

- Pygmy cormorant
- Rock partridge
- Black-headed Bunting
- Dalmatian Pelican (probably in Montenegro)
- Levant Sparrowhawk
- Eastern Imperial Eagle (I do not know if it is possible in the coast)

and some others, some of them recent splits from species that we have in western Europe.

In addition another logistic question:

I am looking in internet for hotels in the area but it seems that there are not to many and they are expensive.

Usually I get a lot results of private houses that rent rooms. Do anybody knows if there is a system to know the "quality" of the room?

I have been reading in internet that there is a lot of people in the coast of Croatia in summer, mainly in the area of historic cities like Split or Dubrovnik.

I would be glad to know quiet places to bird and stay. For sure we will pay a visit to theses cities but I prefer to sleep in rural hotels/rooms near the birds to have the opportunity to have some birding in the early morning and late afternoon.

Thank in advance and regards,

Jose Ramon Martin
jose_3es 'AT' yahoo.es

Hello Jose,

I cannot help with your birding questions, however I found this site with quite a lot of useful information, well written and presenting the areas in a structured way. http://www.croatiabirding.com/

Regarding the accomodation: I travelled in Croatia a few times, that was 20+ years ago, before the war. It was easy to find nice and price competitive pensions or private rooms. The standard was OK already back in the 80's and I believe it has improved a lot since then. So I would say this is a safe option.

Regarding the travel: I remember that driving in the 80's took some time, the road standard was not in parity with the traffic. Road standard has hopefully improved, though but you better check so you are prepared how long time it will take. I visited Montenegro as well in more recent years and remember road standard was OK but traffic slow. Both Dalmatian coast and Montenegro are mountaineous as you probably know.

And yes, there are quite many summer visitors.

/Tord

dalat · Mar 15, 2013

Hello José,

I spent 2 weeks in Croatia last automn and also looked for birds. I was not overly succesfull, probably not the best time (all migrants seemed to have left already) but still found some birds...

Rock Partridge should be not too difficult. e.g. on the Islands like KrK or Pag. Pygmy Cormorant I found in all of the coastal wetlands I looked. Best in the Lake Vransko Jezero, where they have some hides and a observation tower. There were lots of Pygmy Comrarants in the reeds around the watch tower. There is a good map here: http://www.vransko-jezero.hr/cms/images/download/karta_hrv.pdf (park in one of the 2 parkings in the area marked in pink)
I also saw Pygmy Cormarants in the Jezero Velo Blato on the Island of Pag and in the Neretwa Delta around the river mouth.

If you start from Venice, a good spot to stop and spend a night is the Reserve Isola della Cona near Trieste (probably you also find Pygmy Cormorants there) http://www.parks.it/riserva.foce.isonzo/Emap.php?opt=cen&id=201

As for accomodation in Croatia, can't give you specific recommendations (we slept in our Van) but there is really plenty of all sorts of accomodation available and easy to find. Roads are excellent now, there is a new Highway almost all the way down to Dubrovnik and also the coastal road is in good conditions (though curvy and not fast to travel). Venice to Dubrovnik is 1000 km, depending on how much time I'd not go all the way down to Montenegro. For 3 weeks ok, but if you have 2 weeks or less, I'd go perhaps until Split and back...

brightersidestolife · Apr 8, 2013

Vransko Jezero should be a certainty for Pygmy Cormorant and Black Winged Stilt - as for accommodation, there's the closer Biograd na Moru as oppose to Split and Zadar for this lake - the sea is there and there's probably good value accommodation around in the town.

Dave Pearson · Apr 16, 2013

Hi Jose,
I am visiting Croatia and Montenegro in the second week of May. If you have time then drive to Lake Skadar where Dalmation Pelican and Pygmy Cormorant are certainties. You can also head south from there to Bar where Rock Partridge and Levant Sparrowhawk occur (allegedly). I can recommend the Pelikan Hotel at Virpazar which is basic but good value and right on the lake. I will let you know how I get on!
Dave.

Dave Pearson · May 21, 2013

I spent a week in Montengro last week and saw the top three birds in your list but they were not easy. With the breeding season in full swing some birds were hard to find. Pygmy Cormorant was numerous around Lake Skadar and easily seen from Virpazar. Rock Partridge was heard and seen from the viewpoint at Velki Do close to Dubronvik airport. A single Black-headed Bunting was seen from the viewpoint on the mountain road between Virpazar and Buljarica. I did not try for the Pelican on Lake Skadar but you will need a boat trip to see them well if they are there. Please contact me privately if you need any more information.

brightersidestolife · Jul 23, 2013

I arrived in Croatia in March and spent 3 weeks around the Zagreb area, birding on and off and mostly in appalling cold and wet weather, still, migration was evident and managed some good species and lifers: Hoopoe, Wryneck, Pied Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher,(lifer) Nightingale, Garganey pair, Tree Pipit, Water Pipit, Icterine Warbler, Black Redstart, Hawfinch - if anybody ever wants birding information for the capital then I proclaim myself to know it well enough to provide it.

Dalmatian Coast June 2013 (1 Viewer)

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Jose Ramon

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Tord

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dalat

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brightersidestolife

Landlocked list-grower, sometimes twitcher, obsess

Dave Pearson

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Dave Pearson

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brightersidestolife

Landlocked list-grower, sometimes twitcher, obsess

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