"This was my second Summer working in the city of Hvar and this year I spent much more time exploring Hvar island birds, so I thought I'd share my experiences with you as they might be useful for the readers who are interested in birds. A few days ago I saw a post from the birdwatching couple who visited the island in September, and also another one from Mr. Steve Jones about his report from April/May. Unfortunately, I didn't see his post earlier, but it seems we both visited Dračevica on the same day (May 6th) and even saw some of the same birds (Temminck's Stint, Glossy Ibis etc.). However, Mr. Jones' posts from previous years helped a lot as that was how I discovered Dračevica.
This post is based on about 15 visits to Dračevica and Starogradsko polje (including airport field) but I also visited some other places on the island in different times of the year (Dol, Stari Grad, Jelsa, Fortica, Sveta Nedjelja, Sveti Nikola, Malo Grablje, Motokit, Floriana park etc.). I will include the most interesting details and photos along with the complete list of the birds I managed to see (and confirm) on the island. The total was 65 species but there were some I could hear but didn't see so I didn't include those (such as Scops Owl and Cuckoo).
Dračevica was definitely more interesting to visit in the Spring when the water level was high. During my first visit to the pond (May 4th) I saw a Glossy Ibis and a Squacco Heron and managed to take a photo with both present. There were also 4 Wood Sandpipers and 3 Turtle Doves.
Two days later there was a group of 15 Wood Sandpipers wth one Temminck's Stint among them. On the same day I saw a lot of Bee-eaters resting on power lines near the pond.
A week later I saw 2 Ruffs at the pond and one European Roller nearby which was my first time seeing this beautiful bird.
On the May 19th there were a Grey Heron and a Little Egret, along with some Alpine Swifts. At the beginning of June I discovered 2 Green Sandpipers at the pond.
Some of the other interesting sightings: Spanish Sparrows in Vorba Park in Stari Grad, Blue Rock Thrush below Fortica in Hvar, Short-toed Snake Eagle in Starogradsko polje during Summer, a flock of Eurasian Spoonbills flying over Jelsa on September 30th, Common Kingfisher at one of the coves in the Floriana Park area...
The complete list of birds seen on the island between May and October 2024:
-
Sterna hirundo – Common Tern – Crvenokljuna čigra
-
Larus michahellis – Yellow-legged Gull – Galeb klaukavac
-
Corvus cornix – Hodded Crow – Siva vrana
-
Columba livia – Rock Pigeon – Divlji golub
-
Streptopelia decaocto – Collared Dove – Gugutka
-
Turdus merula – Blackbird – Kos
-
Passer domesticus – House Sparrow – Vrabac
-
Passer hispaniolensis – Spanish Sparrow – Španjolski vrabac
-
Oriolus oriolus – Golden Oriole - Vuga
-
Fringilla coelebs – Common Chaffinch – Zeba
-
Hirundo rustica – Barn Swallow – Lastavica
-
Delichon urbicum – House Martin – Piljak
-
Luscinia megarhynchos – Common Nightingale – Slavuj
-
Serinus serinus – Serin – Žutarica
-
Sylvia cantillans – Subalpine Warbler – Bjelobrka grmuša
-
Ardeola ralloides – Squacco Heron – Žuta čaplja
-
Plegadis falcinellus – Glossy Ibis – Blistavi ibis
-
Tringa glareola – Wood Sandpiper – Prutka migavica
-
Streptopelia turtur – Turtle Dove – Grlica
-
Emberiza cirlus – Cirl Bunting – Crnogrla strnadica
-
Phasianus colchicus – Ring-necked Pheasant – fazan
-
Parus major – Great Tit – Velika sjenica
-
Lanius senator – Woodchat Shrike – Riđoglavi svračak
-
Lanius collurio – Red-backed Shrike – Rusi svračak
-
Calidris temmincki – Temminck's Stint – Sijedi žalar
-
Apus melba – Alpine Swift – Bijela čiopa
-
Apus apus – Swift – Crna čiopa
-
Apus pallidus – Pallid swift – Smeđa čiopa
-
Merops apiaster – European Bee-eater – Pčelarica
-
Saxicola rubetra – Whinchat – Smeđoglavi batić
-
Saxicola rubicola – Stonechat – Crnoglavi batić
-
Motacilla flava – Yellow Wagtail – Žuta pastirica
-
Motacilla alba – White Wagtail – Bijela pastirica
-
Linaria cannabina – Common Linnet – Juričica
-
Monticola solitarius – Blue Rock Thrush – Modrokos
-
Chloris chloris – Greenfinch – Zelendur
-
Calidris pugnax – Ruff – Pršljivac
-
Coracias garrulus – European Roller – Zlatovrana
-
Upupa epops – Eurasian Hoopoe – Pupavac
-
Muscicapa striata – Spotted Flycatcher – Siva muharica
-
Buteo buteo – Common Buzzard – Škanjac
-
Accipiter nisus – Eurasian Sparrowhawk – Kobac
-
Falco tinnunculus – Common Kestrel – Vjetruša
-
Sylvia atricapilla – Blackcap – Crnokapa grmuša
-
Sylvia melanoephala – Sardinian Warbler – Crnoglava grmuša
-
Erithacus rubecula – European Robin – Crvendać
-
Ardea cinerea – Grey Heron – Siva čaplja
-
Egretta Garzetta – Little Egret – Mala bijela čaplja
-
Tringa ochropus – Green Sandpiper – Crnokrila prutka
-
Gulosis aristotelis – European Shag – Morski vranac
-
Corvus corax – Raven – Gavran
-
Circaetus gallicus – Short-toed Snake Eagle – Zmijar
-
Platalea leucorodia – Eurasian Spoonbill – Žličarka
-
Phylloscopus trochilus – Willow Warbler – Brezov zviždak
-
Phylloscopus collybita – Common Chiffchaff – Zviždak
-
Sylvia communis – Common Whitethroat – Grmuša pjenica
-
Sturnus vulgaris – Common Starling – Čvorak
-
Oenanthe oenanthe – Northern Wheatear – Sivkasta bjeloguza
-
Regulus ignicapilla – Common Firecrest – Vatroglavi kraljić
-
Alcedo atthis – Common Kingfisher – Vodomar
-
Phoenicurus ochruros – Black Redstart – Mrka crvenrepka
-
Lullula arborea – Woodlark – Ševa krunica
-
Anthus pratensis – Meadow Pipit – Livadna trepteljka
-
Prunella modularis – Dunnock – Sivi popić
-
Troglodytes troglodytes – Eurasian Wren – Palčić
© Tomislav Sjekloća, May – October 2024.
