Dragan's Birding Travel Tips
@albicilla66.bsky.social
ecotourism consultant, destination maker, experience curator, birder, guide, wildlife-travel writer and the @WildlifeMag award winning blogger www.10000birds.com/author/dragan, ambassador for @SwarovskiOptik
#Birding the islands of #SaoTomeandPrincipe 180sp, 65sp/8days incl. all 27 #endemics — more endemics/km2 than anywhere on 🌍; key areas on #SaoTome: Monte Carmo & Lagoa Amelia; on #Principe: Bela Vista above Santo Antonio, 📷 #RocaSundy Hotel & S. forests, Ilhas Tinhosas for seabirds; Jun–Aug Dec–Jan🌴
November 24, 2025 at 6:39 AM
#Birding the islands of #SaoTomeandPrincipe 180sp, 65sp/8days incl. all 27 #endemics — more endemics/km2 than anywhere on 🌍; key areas on #SaoTome: Monte Carmo & Lagoa Amelia; on #Principe: Bela Vista above Santo Antonio, 📷 #RocaSundy Hotel & S. forests, Ilhas Tinhosas for seabirds; Jun–Aug Dec–Jan🌴
#Birding #Egypt 480 birds, 150 breeding in the country, 160sp/2weeks: Cairo — Painted Snipe, Senegal Coucal; Hurghada — White-eyed Gull, White-cheeked Tern; Luxor — Nile Valley Sunbird, Aswan — Green-backed Heron; Sinai specialties found nowhere else — Sinai Rosefinch, Palestine Sunbird; Dec to Jan🌴
November 22, 2025 at 12:42 PM
#Birding #Egypt 480 birds, 150 breeding in the country, 160sp/2weeks: Cairo — Painted Snipe, Senegal Coucal; Hurghada — White-eyed Gull, White-cheeked Tern; Luxor — Nile Valley Sunbird, Aswan — Green-backed Heron; Sinai specialties found nowhere else — Sinai Rosefinch, Palestine Sunbird; Dec to Jan🌴
#Birding #Morocco 510sp, 210 breeding in the country, 190sp/12days; regions: Atlas mountains #Ouarzazate (📷 #HôtelLeFintOuarzazate) and #BoumaleneDades; Sahara Erfoud temporary lake of #Merzouga & dunes of #ErgChebbi (📷 #MerzougaDesertGlamping); Agadir coast Souss & Massa estuaries; late Apr-May🌴🌴
November 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
#Birding #Morocco 510sp, 210 breeding in the country, 190sp/12days; regions: Atlas mountains #Ouarzazate (📷 #HôtelLeFintOuarzazate) and #BoumaleneDades; Sahara Erfoud temporary lake of #Merzouga & dunes of #ErgChebbi (📷 #MerzougaDesertGlamping); Agadir coast Souss & Massa estuaries; late Apr-May🌴🌴
#Birding #Panama: the #CanopyCamp in #Darien lowland rainforest, safari-style tents with wooden floors, beds, fans &private bathrooms: 250sp/5days: Harpy, & Crested Eagle, White-eared Conebill, Red-billed Scythebill, Royal Flycatcher, Pied Puffbird; five-hour-drive from Panama City; Sep to early Nov
November 18, 2025 at 9:54 AM
#Birding #Panama: the #CanopyCamp in #Darien lowland rainforest, safari-style tents with wooden floors, beds, fans &private bathrooms: 250sp/5days: Harpy, & Crested Eagle, White-eared Conebill, Red-billed Scythebill, Royal Flycatcher, Pied Puffbird; five-hour-drive from Panama City; Sep to early Nov
#Birding the remnant oak forests in the Sava River floodplain, near #Belgrade: Sparrowhawk, Red & Black Kites, WT Eagle, Syrian, Green & MS Woods, Marsh Tit, Goldcrest, Firecrest, ST Treecreeper, Stonechat, Brambling
🌳 #JakovackiKljuc (1) 🌳 #ObedskaBara (2, 3)
🌳 #birdsuniteourworld 🌳 #seetheunseen
🌳 #JakovackiKljuc (1) 🌳 #ObedskaBara (2, 3)
🌳 #birdsuniteourworld 🌳 #seetheunseen
November 17, 2025 at 8:44 AM
#Birding the remnant oak forests in the Sava River floodplain, near #Belgrade: Sparrowhawk, Red & Black Kites, WT Eagle, Syrian, Green & MS Woods, Marsh Tit, Goldcrest, Firecrest, ST Treecreeper, Stonechat, Brambling
🌳 #JakovackiKljuc (1) 🌳 #ObedskaBara (2, 3)
🌳 #birdsuniteourworld 🌳 #seetheunseen
🌳 #JakovackiKljuc (1) 🌳 #ObedskaBara (2, 3)
🌳 #birdsuniteourworld 🌳 #seetheunseen
Likely the best place in the 🌏 to observe the #Leopard (other than Sri Lanka) is the #BeraSafariLodge among granite hills & scrub forests between Udaipur & Jodhpur, #Rajasthan, #India. 200 bird sp. incl. Sarus Crane, Rock Eagle-Owl, Bar-Headed Goose, 🦩🦩; 3hrs by road from Udaipur ✈️; late May to June
November 16, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Likely the best place in the 🌏 to observe the #Leopard (other than Sri Lanka) is the #BeraSafariLodge among granite hills & scrub forests between Udaipur & Jodhpur, #Rajasthan, #India. 200 bird sp. incl. Sarus Crane, Rock Eagle-Owl, Bar-Headed Goose, 🦩🦩; 3hrs by road from Udaipur ✈️; late May to June
#Birding the saline desert of #LittleRann which floods every monsoon, #Dasada, #Gujarat, #India: 250sp 🦩🦩🦩, MacQueen’s Bustard, Indian Courser, Long-legged Buzzard, Greater Hoopoe-Lark, Sykes’s Nightjar, Pallid Scops Owl, Variable Wheatear; #RannRiders Lodge, 2.5hrs by road from Ahmedabad ✈️; Dec-Feb
November 15, 2025 at 2:13 PM
#Birding the saline desert of #LittleRann which floods every monsoon, #Dasada, #Gujarat, #India: 250sp 🦩🦩🦩, MacQueen’s Bustard, Indian Courser, Long-legged Buzzard, Greater Hoopoe-Lark, Sykes’s Nightjar, Pallid Scops Owl, Variable Wheatear; #RannRiders Lodge, 2.5hrs by road from Ahmedabad ✈️; Dec-Feb
#Birding dry deciduous forest of #GirNationalPark #India 350sp 3days/100sp: Mottled Wood Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Jungle Nightjar, Painted Sandgrouse, Indian Pitta, Red-naped Ibis, Red-headed Vulture, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Barred Buttonquail, Lion; #GirBirdingLodge, 4hrs by road from Rajkot ✈️; Dec-Mar
November 14, 2025 at 3:22 PM
#Birding dry deciduous forest of #GirNationalPark #India 350sp 3days/100sp: Mottled Wood Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Jungle Nightjar, Painted Sandgrouse, Indian Pitta, Red-naped Ibis, Red-headed Vulture, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Barred Buttonquail, Lion; #GirBirdingLodge, 4hrs by road from Rajkot ✈️; Dec-Mar
#Birding #BlackbuckNationalPark grasslands, #Velavadar, #Gujarat, #India 300sp: Lesser Florican, Stoliczka's Bushchat, Pallid & Montagu’s Harriers, Bimaculated & Greater Short-toed Larks, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Painted Francolin, Indian Wolf; #BlackbuckLodge, 2hrs by road from Bhavnagar ✈️; Nov-Mar
November 13, 2025 at 1:45 PM
#Birding #BlackbuckNationalPark grasslands, #Velavadar, #Gujarat, #India 300sp: Lesser Florican, Stoliczka's Bushchat, Pallid & Montagu’s Harriers, Bimaculated & Greater Short-toed Larks, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Painted Francolin, Indian Wolf; #BlackbuckLodge, 2hrs by road from Bhavnagar ✈️; Nov-Mar
#Birding tropical moist and dry deciduous forests of #Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, #India, 330sp: endemic Malabar Trogon, M. Grey Hornbill, M. Parakeet, White-bellied Woodpecker, Indian Pitta, the largest population of Asian Elephants; 📷 #KAAVSafariLodge @ #Kabini, 5hrs drive from #Bangalore ✈️; Oct-Mar
November 12, 2025 at 11:24 AM
#Birding tropical moist and dry deciduous forests of #Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, #India, 330sp: endemic Malabar Trogon, M. Grey Hornbill, M. Parakeet, White-bellied Woodpecker, Indian Pitta, the largest population of Asian Elephants; 📷 #KAAVSafariLodge @ #Kabini, 5hrs drive from #Bangalore ✈️; Oct-Mar
#Birding #SadiriLodge, 550sp, in the foothill rainforest @ 900m asl, inside the #Madidi NP (1250sp) in the #Amazonia #Bolivia, 2hrs drive from #Rurrenabaque: Military & Red-Bellied Macaws, Yungas & Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulets, Sharpbill; Sep-Nov when many sp breed
▶️ www.10000birds.com/birding-lodg...
▶️ www.10000birds.com/birding-lodg...
November 9, 2025 at 1:26 PM
#Birding #SadiriLodge, 550sp, in the foothill rainforest @ 900m asl, inside the #Madidi NP (1250sp) in the #Amazonia #Bolivia, 2hrs drive from #Rurrenabaque: Military & Red-Bellied Macaws, Yungas & Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulets, Sharpbill; Sep-Nov when many sp breed
▶️ www.10000birds.com/birding-lodg...
▶️ www.10000birds.com/birding-lodg...
Beech and conifer forests &the alpine zone #birding in the Romanian #Carpathians: Hazel Grouse, Ural & Boreal Owls, White-backed &Three-toed Woods, Willow &Crested Tits, Crossbill, Nutcracker, Rock Thrush, Alpine Accentor, Wallcreeper; May-Jun
#ValeaCuPesti Hotel 🌳 #Transfagarasan 🐻 #bearwatching 🌲
#ValeaCuPesti Hotel 🌳 #Transfagarasan 🐻 #bearwatching 🌲
November 5, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Beech and conifer forests &the alpine zone #birding in the Romanian #Carpathians: Hazel Grouse, Ural & Boreal Owls, White-backed &Three-toed Woods, Willow &Crested Tits, Crossbill, Nutcracker, Rock Thrush, Alpine Accentor, Wallcreeper; May-Jun
#ValeaCuPesti Hotel 🌳 #Transfagarasan 🐻 #bearwatching 🌲
#ValeaCuPesti Hotel 🌳 #Transfagarasan 🐻 #bearwatching 🌲
#Transfagarasan — Jeremy Clarkson’s "best road in the world," traverses the Romanian #Carpathians, where many #BrownBears come to the road, especially by the #Vidraru Lake. However habituated, they are still very wild & outright dangerous!
📷 #ValeaCuPesti Hotel 🌳🐻🌳 #bearwatching 🌲🐻🌳 #birding 🌲🐻🌲
📷 #ValeaCuPesti Hotel 🌳🐻🌳 #bearwatching 🌲🐻🌳 #birding 🌲🐻🌲
November 4, 2025 at 8:16 AM
#Transfagarasan — Jeremy Clarkson’s "best road in the world," traverses the Romanian #Carpathians, where many #BrownBears come to the road, especially by the #Vidraru Lake. However habituated, they are still very wild & outright dangerous!
📷 #ValeaCuPesti Hotel 🌳🐻🌳 #bearwatching 🌲🐻🌳 #birding 🌲🐻🌲
📷 #ValeaCuPesti Hotel 🌳🐻🌳 #bearwatching 🌲🐻🌳 #birding 🌲🐻🌲
There are still around 20,400 #BrownBears left in Europe, but isolation means danger. Only 10 fragmented populations remain, some with fewer than 100 bears. Hunting, roads & habitat loss are breaking their territories apart
#bearwatching 🌳🌲🐻🌳 #birding 🌳🐻🌲🐻🌳 #Transfagarasan 🐻🌳 #Romania
#bearwatching 🌳🌲🐻🌳 #birding 🌳🐻🌲🐻🌳 #Transfagarasan 🐻🌳 #Romania
November 3, 2025 at 7:57 AM
There are still around 20,400 #BrownBears left in Europe, but isolation means danger. Only 10 fragmented populations remain, some with fewer than 100 bears. Hunting, roads & habitat loss are breaking their territories apart
#bearwatching 🌳🌲🐻🌳 #birding 🌳🐻🌲🐻🌳 #Transfagarasan 🐻🌳 #Romania
#bearwatching 🌳🌲🐻🌳 #birding 🌳🐻🌲🐻🌳 #Transfagarasan 🐻🌳 #Romania
The most detailed collection of site descriptions of major #birding areas near #Belgrade (x) – some of my 10,000 Birds blog posts from the last 10 years
▶️ www.10000birds.com/emerging-bir...
Should I turn them into a guidebook?
🌳 #ObedskaBara 1, #Beljarica 2, #DeliblatoSands 3
🌳 #birdsuniteourworld
▶️ www.10000birds.com/emerging-bir...
Should I turn them into a guidebook?
🌳 #ObedskaBara 1, #Beljarica 2, #DeliblatoSands 3
🌳 #birdsuniteourworld
October 29, 2025 at 10:24 AM
The most detailed collection of site descriptions of major #birding areas near #Belgrade (x) – some of my 10,000 Birds blog posts from the last 10 years
▶️ www.10000birds.com/emerging-bir...
Should I turn them into a guidebook?
🌳 #ObedskaBara 1, #Beljarica 2, #DeliblatoSands 3
🌳 #birdsuniteourworld
▶️ www.10000birds.com/emerging-bir...
Should I turn them into a guidebook?
🌳 #ObedskaBara 1, #Beljarica 2, #DeliblatoSands 3
🌳 #birdsuniteourworld
Who are 10,000 Birds Writers and why do they contribute to the site without pay? We thought they deserved a proper introduction, so we started this series to find out: Dragan Simic — Playback is the murder of the impossible
▶️ www.10000birds.com/interviews-w...
#Belgrade #birding #birdsuniteourworld
▶️ www.10000birds.com/interviews-w...
#Belgrade #birding #birdsuniteourworld
October 28, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Who are 10,000 Birds Writers and why do they contribute to the site without pay? We thought they deserved a proper introduction, so we started this series to find out: Dragan Simic — Playback is the murder of the impossible
▶️ www.10000birds.com/interviews-w...
#Belgrade #birding #birdsuniteourworld
▶️ www.10000birds.com/interviews-w...
#Belgrade #birding #birdsuniteourworld
Steppic habitats, scrub & mixed forest in the largest inland dune system of Europe, about an hour’ drive east of #Belgrade, or late October #birding the #DeliblatoSands Reserve: Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Wren, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Black Redstart, Hawfinch, Linnet, Siskin🌳🌲
October 26, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Steppic habitats, scrub & mixed forest in the largest inland dune system of Europe, about an hour’ drive east of #Belgrade, or late October #birding the #DeliblatoSands Reserve: Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Wren, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Black Redstart, Hawfinch, Linnet, Siskin🌳🌲
#Belgrade holds an important #PygmyCormorant winter roost, numbering around 4,000 birds, representing 2 % of the global, and over 5 % of their European population. In the last few hours of daylight, they are commuting along the Danube to their undisclosed roost.
📷Z. Nikodijevic #birding
📷Z. Nikodijevic #birding
October 21, 2025 at 7:35 AM
#Belgrade holds an important #PygmyCormorant winter roost, numbering around 4,000 birds, representing 2 % of the global, and over 5 % of their European population. In the last few hours of daylight, they are commuting along the Danube to their undisclosed roost.
📷Z. Nikodijevic #birding
📷Z. Nikodijevic #birding
Mid-October #birding the #Danube Backwaters' seasonally inundated riparian forests of willow and poplar, yet not in this season: bone-dry at the moment! White-tailed Eagle, Great Grey Shrike, Chiffchaff, Wren, Robin, Black Redstart, Dunnock, Hawfinch — #ForlandLeveObaleDunava Reserve🌳 #Belgrade
October 20, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Mid-October #birding the #Danube Backwaters' seasonally inundated riparian forests of willow and poplar, yet not in this season: bone-dry at the moment! White-tailed Eagle, Great Grey Shrike, Chiffchaff, Wren, Robin, Black Redstart, Dunnock, Hawfinch — #ForlandLeveObaleDunava Reserve🌳 #Belgrade
Mid-October #birding traditional rural farming landscape by the #Paljuvi Reservoir, with old trees, shrubs, hedges, heterogeneous arable land and orchards, 1hr SW from #Belgrade: Little Owl, Green, & MS Wood, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Black Redstart, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Serin, Reed Bunting
October 17, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Mid-October #birding traditional rural farming landscape by the #Paljuvi Reservoir, with old trees, shrubs, hedges, heterogeneous arable land and orchards, 1hr SW from #Belgrade: Little Owl, Green, & MS Wood, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Black Redstart, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Serin, Reed Bunting
Looking for a new winter #birding destination? #Belgrade is the one! Smew, Hen Harrier, Red, & Black Kite, White-tailed 🦅, LE Owl, Middle Spotted, & Black Wood; Peregrine, GG Shrike, Crested Lark, Meadow, & Water Pipit, Corn Bunting🌳 Enjoyable full-day & half-day private bird drives
▶️ surl.li/lhmboq
▶️ surl.li/lhmboq
October 16, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Looking for a new winter #birding destination? #Belgrade is the one! Smew, Hen Harrier, Red, & Black Kite, White-tailed 🦅, LE Owl, Middle Spotted, & Black Wood; Peregrine, GG Shrike, Crested Lark, Meadow, & Water Pipit, Corn Bunting🌳 Enjoyable full-day & half-day private bird drives
▶️ surl.li/lhmboq
▶️ surl.li/lhmboq
Mid-October #birding the seasonally inundated forests of English oak, ash, and elm @ #ObedskaBara NR in the #SavaRiver floodplain, 50 min west of #Belgrade: Middle Spotted & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Marsh Tit, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren
October 15, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Mid-October #birding the seasonally inundated forests of English oak, ash, and elm @ #ObedskaBara NR in the #SavaRiver floodplain, 50 min west of #Belgrade: Middle Spotted & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Marsh Tit, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren
Mid-October #birding the #Beljarica Foreland #ForlandLeveObaleDunava Reserve, #Belgrade: Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, WT Eagle, Green Wood, 📷GG Shrike, Willow Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Stonechat, Corn Bunting
#OctoberBigDay 2025
🔗 ebird.org/octoberbigday
#birdsuniteourworld
#OctoberBigDay 2025
🔗 ebird.org/octoberbigday
#birdsuniteourworld
October 14, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Mid-October #birding the #Beljarica Foreland #ForlandLeveObaleDunava Reserve, #Belgrade: Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, WT Eagle, Green Wood, 📷GG Shrike, Willow Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Stonechat, Corn Bunting
#OctoberBigDay 2025
🔗 ebird.org/octoberbigday
#birdsuniteourworld
#OctoberBigDay 2025
🔗 ebird.org/octoberbigday
#birdsuniteourworld
#Birding #Ecuador sailing down the #RioNapo from the town of Coca (✈️) into #Yasuni NP: 610sp, Hoatzin, Zigzag Heron, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Lanceolated Monklet, Paradise Tanager, Amazonian Motmot; cabins with air-con & private bathroom, excursion boats; Jun-Jul floods 🦜
October 12, 2025 at 5:20 AM
#Birding #Ecuador sailing down the #RioNapo from the town of Coca (✈️) into #Yasuni NP: 610sp, Hoatzin, Zigzag Heron, Coppery-chested Jacamar, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Lanceolated Monklet, Paradise Tanager, Amazonian Motmot; cabins with air-con & private bathroom, excursion boats; Jun-Jul floods 🦜
#Birding #Peru, sailing up the Rios #Ucayali & #Maranon from #Iquitos (✈️) into #PacayaSamiria, floodplain reserve about the size of Slovenia—600sp, 200birds/week: Nocturnal & Wattled Curassows, Pompadour Cotinga, Festive Parrot; cabins with air-con & private bathroom, excursion boats; Mar-Apr floods
October 11, 2025 at 12:52 PM
#Birding #Peru, sailing up the Rios #Ucayali & #Maranon from #Iquitos (✈️) into #PacayaSamiria, floodplain reserve about the size of Slovenia—600sp, 200birds/week: Nocturnal & Wattled Curassows, Pompadour Cotinga, Festive Parrot; cabins with air-con & private bathroom, excursion boats; Mar-Apr floods