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First chase, last sight - A Collared Flycatcher in Croatia
Ficedula albicollis (French : Gobemouche à collier) - Near Plitvice NP, Croatia
From a western Europe inhabitant point of view, this bird is fascinating, mainly because in my place we only have the European Pied Flycatcher during migration, also because Collared has this distinctive aesthetic touch (namely the white collar) that makes it more attractive, a strengthened feeling if we consider the situation of its nesting area retricted to the central-eastern part of Europe, a region rarely visited by foreign birders.
I planed first to look for this bird during my first hours in Croatia, coming from Triest, Italy, and making a detour through Plitvice National Park, the best known place to find it in the country. But I learnt the entrance fee only arriving there, and I was not able to pay 40 euros (!) only for one bird, my lone target in forested area for this 3 days in Croatia.
So when going back to France through Slovenia three days later, I took the detour again, knowing a possible location just outside the Park to see it. On the road to this location, I entered the forest and made a stop at the first roadside parking available. And I do not know if it was a coincidence, but a Collared Flycatcher had his nest in a tree just few meters from this roadside !
I could then enjoy watching him going back and forth, catching prey that it provides to a nestling in the cavity. The habitat was as expected, large forest composed of old trees with a clear understory, giving to the species the space to hunt inside the forest. Maybe it is my number one bird sighting during this short trip in Croatia, and the very last, after having been the first target.
First chase, last sight - A Collared Flycatcher in Croatia
Ficedula albicollis (French : Gobemouche à collier) - Near Plitvice NP, Croatia
From a western Europe inhabitant point of view, this bird is fascinating, mainly because in my place we only have the European Pied Flycatcher during migration, also because Collared has this distinctive aesthetic touch (namely the white collar) that makes it more attractive, a strengthened feeling if we consider the situation of its nesting area retricted to the central-eastern part of Europe, a region rarely visited by foreign birders.
I planed first to look for this bird during my first hours in Croatia, coming from Triest, Italy, and making a detour through Plitvice National Park, the best known place to find it in the country. But I learnt the entrance fee only arriving there, and I was not able to pay 40 euros (!) only for one bird, my lone target in forested area for this 3 days in Croatia.
So when going back to France through Slovenia three days later, I took the detour again, knowing a possible location just outside the Park to see it. On the road to this location, I entered the forest and made a stop at the first roadside parking available. And I do not know if it was a coincidence, but a Collared Flycatcher had his nest in a tree just few meters from this roadside !
I could then enjoy watching him going back and forth, catching prey that it provides to a nestling in the cavity. The habitat was as expected, large forest composed of old trees with a clear understory, giving to the species the space to hunt inside the forest. Maybe it is my number one bird sighting during this short trip in Croatia, and the very last, after having been the first target.