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Description
This little known but still beautiful place is located south-east of the city center. It presents a great mixture of habitats, including field, meadow, forest, marsh and city habitats. The fields and pastures are connected to the rest of Belgrade through Veliki Mokri Lug and Kumodraž, so it can be easily accesed. It boasts a great deal of birds year-round, with there being both common birds like Karabağlı ötleğen, Kerkenez, Ağaç serçesi and Orman alaca ağaçkakanı and birds that are less common and hard to find near urban areas such as Kuyrukkakan, Çayır taşkuşu, Küçük yeşil ağaçkakan, Dağ incirkuşu, Halkalı Sinekkapan, Arıkuşu (be aware that many of the mentioned birds are not always there, you have to visit at the right time and have some luck).
The best time to visit is winter when many finch species are regular, including Şakrak, Kocabaş, Dağ ispinozu, Karabaşlı iskete, Ketenkuşu and Saka, as well as many thrush species like Tarla ardıcı, Kızıl ardıç, Karatavuk, and Ökse ardıcı. Regular in winter are also Çalıkuşu, Sürmeli Çalıkuşu, Dağ Bülbülü, Çamurcun, Çam baştankarası, Çitkuşu, Çayır incirkuşu and many others. In winter, all of the water birds come to the ponds. Yeşilbaş can be seen from late autumn to may(can be spotted in flyovers year-round). Çamurcun is here from late autumn but leaves before spring begins. Su kılavuzu and Sutavuðu are guaranteed from october to april, but moorhens can stay longer(maybe even present year-round). Yeşil düdükçün and Dere düdükçünü can be spotted in winter, and are not always there.
During spring migration, many different birds can be seen, including leaving trushes and finches, and incoming birds, like Kara leylek, Leylek, Çayır taşkuşu, Sarý kuyruksallayan, İbibik, Çıvgın, Orman Toygarı, Bülbül, Kır kırlangıcı, Ebabil, Kızılkuyruk during the early and middle parts of migration, and Arıkuşu, Kızılsırtlı örümcekkuşu, Boyunçeviren, Tarla kirazkuşu, Sarıasma, Küçük Ak Gerdanlı Ötleğen, Akgerdanlı ötleğen Bıldırcın and İshakkuşu in later parts of migration.
Although spring and summer are a bit worse in variety than autumn and winter, they still offer great birding. Especially in this period should you be looking out for less common flyover birds in this area and terrain, including Ak Karınlı Ebabil, Delice doğan and Kum kırlangıcı. Kara çaylak, Gece Balikçili, Guguk, Küçük ak balýkçýl, Boz ötleğen can and all have been spotted in this period.
Autumn migration marks the end of summer and the arrival and passage of many birds, like Ağaç incirkuşu, Orman çıvgını, Kızılsırtlı örümcekkuşu , Bülbül and Benekli sinekkapan in great numbers, but you can also find Kara sinekkapan and Söğütbülbülü, Arı Şahini is a common flyover here, and even Benekli bülbül (a very rare bird in Serbia) has been spotted here for 2 years in a row.
All of these birds are here because of the diversity of this place, mentioned earlier. It is important to know what habitat to visit for the right type of bird. So for example, if you want to see Kulaklı orman baykuşu and Kukumav you should search the streets and roofs and backyards of houses. If you want to see Yeşil Ağaçkakan and Sarıasma, you should search the trees and tree lanes scattered all around the place, especially in Veliki Mokri Lug. Houses and backyards in Stari Vinogradi street regulary house Çalıkuşu, Şakrak, Kukumav, İshakkuşu, Çam baştankarası, Sarıasma, Kızılkuyruk and many others.
For some of the birds mentioned, you have to be lucky and search at the right time. Many birds have been sighted here that you will almost definetly not find because of their rarity for the region or habitat. Exampes include Çayır delicesi, Çakýr Gök doðan, Boz Ebabil, Benekli bülbül, Bozkır delicesi, Balık kartalı, Karabaşlı kirazkuşu, Sarı mukallit Saz Kamışçını, Büyük kamışçın, Çalı kamışçını, Kızıl Çaylak, Balık kartalı and others.
A stunning Belgrade city panorama stretching half the horizon can be seen at the slopes parallel to the Stari Vinogradi ('Old Vineyards') street. From there, the wast greeny hillside towards the Kumodraž suburbs can be observed, with numerous Saksağan, Ekin kargası, Leş kargası and occasional Atmaca or Kerkenez. Small herds of goats and sheep are still grazing these greeny slopes, protecting the meadows from overgrowing with scrubs.
This location is also great for planespotting. Standing on the earlier mentioned viewpoint at the very entrance and the top of the hill, you can see most of the city, including a silhouette of the Nikola Tesla airport. Every plane landing or taking off from the east side of the airport will be very low in the sky, where you can get a great look at it because of the open terrain and panorama view.
In conclusion, take some time to visit this birding place before the constant urbanization conquers it fully. You will certainly not regret it.
Details
Access
Take an E-75 highway from Belgrade city center towards Niš, then take the 'Lasta' exit and follow the directions to the 'P' mark on the map in the Stari Vinogradi street. Alternatively, head towards the Kumodraž suburbs and park on the second 'P' mark at the south part of the map. Bus lines 20, 308 and 38 lead to Veliki Mokri Lug, and bus lanes 33, 25P, 39, lead to Kumodraž. Bus lane 312 cirlces Veliki Mokri Lug. Bus stops 'Stari Vinogradi' and 'Buljubašine vode' are located near the entrance to the fields from the side of Veliki Mokri Lug.
Terrain and Habitat
Forest , Scattered trees and bushes , Grassland , Plateau , City/village , Agriculture , Reedbeds , PondConditions
Flat , Hilly , Open landscapeCircular trail
YesIs a telescope useful?
Can be usefulGood birding season
All year roundBest time to visit
Winter , Spring migration , Autumn migrationRoute
Paved road , Unpaved road , Narrow trailDifficulty walking trail
Average walkAccessible by
Foot , BicycleBirdwatching hide / platform
NoExtra info
Conditions can be pretty muddy after the rain, thus prepare the boots if you plan to leave the paved roads.
If you plan on venturing deeper looking for birds, you should be wary about dogs. Even though they likely have an owner and rarely show up, they can group up and potentialy become aggresive and start barking. Means of defense (like pepper spray) are recommended.
The terrain is very uneven and sometimes hard to traverse and there are many grass roots(surprisingly tough) that can get your leg stuck, so you should be careful.
Always wear pants or trousers that cover your legs completely if you want to venture in deeper grass looking for birds, there are a lot of thorns and seeds that can cut you or get stuck on you.
Links
- 'Njive i Živice između Velikog Mokrog Luga i Kumodraža' eBird hotspot
- 'Naselje Stepa Stepanović' eBird hotspot
- 'Naselje Kumodraž' eBird hotspot
- 'Naselje Veliki Mokri Lug' eBird hotspot