On Saturday 18 May, Biom’s flock visited the ponds Siščani and Blatnica not far from the city of Bjelovar. We departed from Zagreb by an arranged bus early in the morning, and when we arrived there, we were welcomed by the team from the Public Institution of Bjelovar-Bilogora County. We have nothing but gratitude for their hospitality. When we arrived, some of our members were already waiting for us after having flown in from other parts of Croatia to join us in discovering the rich world of birds that inhabits these ponds.
The natural wetlands are one of the most endangered types of habitats for birds due to a tradition of draining these areas, which is why ponds have nowadays taken their role. Reedbeds offer protection and provide a place for the nesting of shorebirds, but they also serve as resting places for birds during their migration. For this reason, a visit to the ponds is immensely important for every self-respecting bird enthusiast, and a chance for a visit to such a place always leaves one satisfied.
During our visit, we noted many types of herons, such as the grey heron, squacco heron, great and little egret, and purple heron. There were black-crowned night herons flying over our heads, and we were overjoyed to see a white-tailed eagle above us as it flew over the ponds in search of food. By the end of our walk around the ponds, we were able to see swans in the midst of a love affair, and we also learned something more about how climate change affects the delay of the migration season in many bird species. All in all, it was another beautiful get-together of Biom’s flock of which we grow fonder every year!
Translated by: Lucia Grzunov
