Winter Birding in Slovenia - Help Wanted Please (1 Viewer)

[BobTag]

Hi all,

I've found out today that I need to attend a meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia in early December.

The meeting is on a Friday, so I have the potential to stay on for the weekend and do some birding!

All I've been able to find so far is one trip report covering the winter period written by the Norfolk Punkbirders (http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=606) and I've not really got my head around the local geography. So, I'd really appreciate any further gen!

In particular, can anyone help me with the following questions:

1) Are there any reliable winter sites near Ljubljana for Syrian and White-backed Woodpecker?

2) Is there any chance of Rock Partridge in winter anywhere near Ljubljana?

3) and finally, any good recommended winter birding locations nearby?

All help will be most gratefully received.

Thanks alot!

BobTag

 

[Jurij Hanžel]

Ah, I see you're aiming for the holy grail of Slovene woodpeckers, which is perfectly understandable. Unfortunately, both these woodpeckers are rather difficult to come by. I haven't seen a Syrian Woodpecker in Slovenia yet and I've only come across a White-backed Woodie on a single occasion in a remote forest about three hours drive from Ljubljana (the distance isn't too great, but travelling on unsurfaced roads is excruciatingly slow). Depending on this year's winter temperatures and the amount of snowfall, forest roads may be rendered impassable in December. About 20 years ago, there was a mixed pair of a Greater Spotted and Syrian Woodpecker in Tivoli park in the middle of Ljubljana. There were no subsequent observations of the Syrian female or her hybrid offspring.

The park itself is a reasonable birding location, especially if one is short on time. Of the species that can be found in the park, Grey-headed Woodpecker and "Northern" Long-tailed Tit are probably the two which would interest a British birder the most.

The bulk of Rock Partridges breeds in NW Slovenia the closest locations are just under 2 hours worth of driving away. Again, venturing there in winter could turn out to be quite an odyssey.

I think there are no locations in the immediate vicinity of Ljubljana which could offer you birds of great interest. Here are three locations that are reachable by public transport.

Lake Zbilje (waterfowl, Crested Tit, Black Woodpecker, Goshawk)
Ljubljana Marsh (a vast area - main birds of interest in winter are GW Egrets, GG Shrikes and Hen Harriers)
Krvavec (a ski resort, the easiest site for Alpine Chough - if you need it of course)

If you plan to rent a car, let me know and I'll give you some locations further afield.

 

[BobTag]

Thanks for that Jurij - reckon I'll fly home on the Saturday evening rather than the Sunday then...

Cheers, BobTag

 

[BobTag]

Return to Slovenia - October '08

Hello Jurij and all,

The meeting I attended in Slovenia clearly went well, as I have been invited to return this October! Again the meeting is on Thursday & Friday, so the opportunity for some birding is on again.

This year, however, the meeting is in Kranjska Gora, in NW Slovenia. As I'm earlier this year and in a better region for birding, I'm hopeful to see more than I managed last time.

Please can any help me with any specific gen on the following species in this area; Rock Partridge, Alpine White-backed Woodpecker and possibly Wallcreeper (you can never see too many of those!).

I'll be driving there from either Ljubljana or Klagenfurt Airports, so any suggestions of places to birding on the way would be much appreciated!

Many thanks in advance,

BT

 

[BobTag]

If anyone comes across this thread, my trip report from this October trip to Kranjska can be found here; http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1312810#post1312810

BT

 

[Optilete]

Slovenia link in Observatio.org

Mabe this link slovenia.observado.org can be usefull for you.