Serbia Day 3: Baranda Lake

Moving locations today, so packed up and on to the bus adding extra layers after yesterday's chill factor.  With a final tour of the hotel grounds we identified Paul's unknown bird which he'd seen yesterday - a serin, singing from a tree.

Black-tailed Godwit

Today was a very wet, cold, miserable day.  The rain was even more persistent than yesterday and got to even the hardiest.  There's only so much cold and wet you can take.

We picked up a local guide on our way to Baranda Lake - another fishing pond - this time drained and with very different birds.  Several waders - many of which we were familiar with and some not so familiar.  Hundreds of night heron roosting in the trees along the edge.

Black-crowned Night Heron

After the lake, we had a brief stop at a local villagers house who had a terrace over-looking another lake and great views of terns, waterfowl, egrets, a kingfisher which kept flying across the water below the terrace.

There were also several large muskrat swimming around in the water.  An introduced species and as with most of them - a pest.

Our hostess offered us all a warming shot of the local brew to thaw us out - didn't help the squelching boots and it was a shame we couldn't have stayed there longer - despite the rain.  It would be a lovely spot on a sunny day.


Having now got thoroughly cold and wet, an impromptu meal of bread and soup was rapidly arranged at a local hotel.  Just what we needed for the journey to Vrsac our next stop for the tour.


Highlights:
Spoonbill, Temminck's Stint, Whiskered Tern, Black Tern, White-winged Black Tern, Ferruginous Duck, Kingfisher.

Photo credits - Phil Aylen www.philaylen.com