Backo Gradiste & Becej Fishponds - First Field Trip

12th March 2006. The weather that day was overcast and everything looked gray, but I was very excited about going up on my first field trip with Milan and his friend Dimitrije, so it didn't bother me much, I just hoped it wouldn't rain.

We all met up in Novi Sad and headed to Backo Gradiste by bus. This is where I saw for the first time wintering roost of Long-eared Owls. There were lots of trees in the center of the village all crowded with Owls. Milan explained that during winter time LEO's gather in wintering roosts to spend the winter together, and they split during spring time when breeding season starts. He also explained that Owls are very useful to people because they feed on small rodents, reducing their numbers and therefore helping people, but on the other hand old people sometimes see Owls as some sort of mystical creatures and try to chase them away, even kill them. :( While my birdwatching friends were counting the Owls (I think they counted over 50!), and writing all the data in their notebooks, I started to photograph. I was surprised how the Owls were not disturbed much by our presence. They just sit up there on the trees looking at us with their big orange eyes. Some people say that Owls have that wise expression on their "faces", and they really do... but to me they looked more like cute fluffy teddy bears :)))
After B.Gradiste we headed over the big pasture toward Becej Fishponds. Pastures are always great places to see lots of different species. Huge flocks of Starlings in the distance looked like black moving clouds. Funny thing was, since Milan and Dimitrije were counting and writing everything down, when a big flock of starlings flew above us, the two of them looked at each other and in unison said: "220 Starlings!" and I was like... o_O no kidding guys?! :)))

Here and there we saw Lapwings, Grey Herons, Cormorants, Mallards, Gulls and also a flock of seven Spoonbils flew over our heads. In reed beside the ponds, all kind of small birds could be seen: Blue Tits, Tree Sparrows, Reed Buntings...



As we walked across the muddy terrain Milan said something like "Stay on alert now, a Hare might show up, so you wouldn't wanna miss a chance to photograph it." I looked around surveying the parameter... very short grass, only a small bush here and there, and wondered how can a hare even hide around here? To my surprise, few minutes later a hare really jumped out of nowhere and started to run away like crazy. I quickly pointed my camera toward running hare and tried to find him through the viewfinder but he was just too fast, and I was still not experienced enough to track a moving "object" with my camera, so I didn't manage to capture any pic... to tell you the truth I barely managed to even see the Hare before it disappeared in the distance.

Pore little thing, he was really scared. With all the people coming here with guns to hunt Hares, no wonder that he was running for his life by the speed of light.

Short after another hare jumped out of very small bush and also started running away! In all the excitement for getting another chance to photograph it I quickly pointed my camera again but along the way, I stumbled in some hole on the ground, tripped and fell on my back! Instead of photographing it, I found myself stuck in mud, on my back, like a turtle truing to flip over and get up. Oh man! It was downright embarrassing moment! I expected that my two new friends are gonna laugh at this sight but no... Milan just extended his hand and helped me to get back on my feet.

A light rain started falling... I was already muddy, and now I was getting wet as well, but I didn't seam to mind. As we sat on a stone bank to share few snacks, I had that weird feeling toward my two new friends... like I've known them forever, not like we've just met for the first time on that day. They were like the kind of sincere friends you usually have in elementary school when you are just a kid... the one you go to childish adventures, share your sandwich on a school brake... kinda like Hobbit's fellowship :)))

Like Humphrey Bogart would say: "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship".