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Final Project Report

Project Number: 9E0788.03

Contract Number: 056/FY13

Project Location: Gornje Podunavlje, Vojvodina, Serbia

Date of the Agreement: 12 February 2013

Short Description of the Assignment: Monitoring of bird population in the frame of

the project “Wetland restoration in the Mura - Drava - Danube area”

Objectives:

Monitoring of the populations of White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in the

Special Nature Reserve “Gornje Podunavlje”

Preparation of the study on ornithological values of Štrbac/Kozara area

Activities

Field work and data collection: nest mapping and meager of Google Earth

coordinates, overview of nest occupancy, breeding success and a Survey on

Feeding Sites of the White-tailed Eagle in the Special Nature Reserve “Gornje

Podunavlje”

Field work and data collection: Study on ornithological values (species

composition and abundance) of meadows and wetlands of Štrbac/Kozara area

especially restored Semenjača and Šarkanj ponds

Breeding bird communities and spring / autumn migration surveys (March-

September) on ponds with open water, bushes (Semenjača and Šarkanj) and on

meadows between these ponds were conducted using the kilometer transects and

total counts method.

R e s u l t s

Results and records are displayed and presented in 5 tables, 2 figures and 24 photos.

1. Report on Monitoring of White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in the Special

Nature Reserve „Gornje Podunavlje“

All data collected during 11 days of field work in the period March-December 2013

(Table 1). A total number of 20 pairs of eagles with 33 located nests (active and old)

found in the Special Nature Reserve “Gornje Podunavlje”. Two pairs did not occupy their

nests, 18 nests were active of which 11 were successful (7 were unsuccessful for

unknown reasons). Nest success was 61% (by AP min = 60%) and the reproductive rate

0.78 of young / active nest is less than 1.00 which indicates suboptimal feeding

conditions during breeding period in the reserve. In addition it is important to point out

that the most frequent chosen type of trees on which their nests were placed were white

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poplar (30%) and black poplar (27%). This is another argument to preserve these tree

species especially in the central parts of the reserve where the potential nesting sites of

the white tailed eagle are located.

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Based on the Google Earth coordinates in Figure 1, all nests are mapped and the breeding

territory of 20 pairs is marked. Due to short amount of time, the status of one nest is not

clear so it is possible that there is one more breeding territory and one more couple. I

hope that this will be clear in the next study. Greater concentration and clustering of pairs

in the southern parts of the Apatin Rit is the result of a greater number of ponds and open

water as well as a larger floodplain of the Danube unlike Monoštor Rit.

Survey of feeding sites was carried out over three consecutive days in December 2013

and only on Apatin feeding site, since no food was carried out to the Monoštor feeding

site. During the three days the maximum number of individuals was 16 of which 2 were

adult birds and 14 sexually immature birds (8 juv, 4 imm. and 2 subadults). Feeding area

is located in a good place so carrying out large quantities of food, especially dead

domestic animals from livestock at harsh winter could result in visiting twice the number

of individuals.

2. Report on ornithological values of Štrbac / Kozara area

Data on the composition and abundance of birds collected during 11 days of field work

from March to September 2013 in the Štrbac (Table 2). In the second part of the same

table data about breeding, national and international statuses of species can be found. A

total of 93 species are registered of which 38 species are Waterbirds. Considering the

large mosaic landscape of Štrbac area, with a variety of habitats, forests, bushes,

meadows and wetlands, dominated by forest, the high participation of forest birds is

understandable. Since there is a smaller territory of meadow habitat the absence of typical

meadow bird communities is not unusual. Only the birds of ecoton meadow-forest-shrubs

were registered while meadow species were not present. Therefore, grassland bird

communities were not specifically monitored and the bird census was carried out along

linear transects that stretched through different habitats including the banks of the

Semenjača and Šarkanj pond (Figure 2).

Figure 2 indicates the places where the mist nets were placed to control hunting of small

birds that feed on wetland vegetation (willow, cane and reeds). Based on the hunting

season from early April to late September additional data on bird communities were

obtained, in the wetland vegetation, about breeding of species, spring/autumn migratory

of waterfowl as well as other birds that used the vegetation for food or rest. Table 3

clearly shows that out of 18 species only three species (Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and

Savi’s Warbler) are typical waterfowl and other species are forest species. During late

winter and early spring the vegetation of dense willow bushes offer a significant feeding

habitat and sleeping place for many forest species.

As for the Semenjača pond, considering its small size, it would not be so important

habitat for nesting of waterfowl birds, where water depth is dependent on atmospheric

precipitation, data collection of birds and determining the number of breeding pairs was

performed from the shore. Data on species composition, their temporal frequency in the

study period (March - September), which includes spring / autumn migration and nesting

seasons (Table 4). Out of 43 species 14 species are water birds while the others are forest

species (since the bar is surrounded by trees). When it comes to water birds 9 species nest

at the bar, which is a relatively large number keeping in mind that this is a smaller bar.

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This can be partly attributed to the restoration activities carried out which contributed to

the increase in size of the free water. This free water at Semenjača, and the peace (no

human disturbance) which is a characteristic to the whole Štrbac area, were a prerequisite

for molting of waterfowl birds (August - September) and an important habitat of ducks

especially. In conclusion, it should be kept in mind that Semenjača is one of rare ponds in

the Štrbac area. Its great importance also lies in its proximity to the Šarkanj pond.

Šarkanj pond is the largest pond in the Štrbac area. It has a considerable length and width

and slightly deeper water. It has a greater area of open water consisting of two parts,

which is of particular importance for waterfowl birds. These characteristics are reflected

in the composition of bird communities shown in Table 5. The composition of species,

their weather frequency in the study period (March-September), the number of breeding

pairs as the maximum number of waterfowl and other birds at migration indicates that

Šarkanj pond is a significant pond-wetland. Out of the 49 species recorded, half (26) were

waterfowl birds, which population numerically dominate. In addition, the Šarkanj pond is

an important place of nutrition and rest for a variety of species from the surrounding

habitat of Štrbac area, which in breeding period, during everyday activity and at post

breeding dispersive movements regularly visit this aquatic habitat. Thanks to this the

importance of Šarkanj pond is even higher.

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3. Suggested improvements: Improving habitat conditions for wetland vegetation

and fauna and increasing biodiversity of the Šarkanj pond and Štrbac / Kozara area

1. Removing the growing shrub willow in the western part of the Šarkanj pond and

creating one more open water surface (now there are two, one in front of the watchtowers

and the second on the left side).

2. Deepening the central depression by dredging.

3. Providing a higher water level by introduction and retention of water from the river

Plazović.

Increasing of free surface of water creates larger aquatic habitats with higher capacities

and variety of conditions for feeding and resting of waterfowl birds. Increasing the water

surface and creating a third pane with free water enhances the effect of the wind in the

summer months so the undulation of water leads to the breaking up of continuous cover

of floating aquatic plants (floating vegetation), which improves the aeration of water that

is very important for many aquatic organisms. During the assembly and retention of

water birds especially ducks and wild geese the existence of more water sumps provide

greater safety when harresed. When the birds are disturbed they simply move to the

second or third pane without having to fly off the Šarkanj pond. In this sense, narrow

vegetation barrier between the panels is desirable. Panes should not be completely

cleaned of individual turf sedge because birds need resting places throughout the year.

Deepening the central depression is necessary in order to bring back the fish fauna. By

creating conditions for fish, Ichthyophagous bird species would arise, thereby the overall

biological diversity would increase. If islands would be formed from the excavated soil in

the middle of the panels, this would create an opportunity for the occurrence of some

other bird species.

Raising the water level, by the river Plazović would provide more favorable conditions

for aquatic biocenosis including birds.

Please note that the dynamics of the physical conditions in the ecosystem would remain

the same. As a result, at the beginning of the year a higher water level would be provided

and this would prevent a drastic change in the ecosystem of Šarkanj pond, which would

create a permanent pound "stable aquatic ecosystem".

Zrenjanin, 10.02.2014. Istvan Ham

e-mail: iham88@open.telekom.rs

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Photo captions

Photo 1. The end of winter at open water with ducks and geese at the Šarkanj

pond. Author: Istvan Ham

Photo 2. The most numerous ducks are Mallard and Teal. Author: Istvan Ham

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Photo 3. Turf sedge is a great place for nesting of Mallard's. Author: Istvan Ham

Photo 4. Nest with 7 Mallard eggs on 1st March. Author: Istvan Ham

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Photo 5. Fully constructed nest of a Long-tailed Tit on a bush of wild pear at the

pond bank. Author: Istvan Ham

Photo 6. View at the sodden meadow in early spring. Author: Istvan Ham

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Photo 7. Grown grass vegetation on the meadow in front of the Šarkanj pond.

Author: Istvan Ham

Photo 8. Sedge vegetation in the eastern part of Šarkanj pond (May/10). Author:

Istvan Ham

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Photo 9. In early May a Ferruginous Duck pairs at the pond. Author: Istvan Ham

Photo 10. The appearance of a coot nest with seven eggs (May/25). Author: Istvan

Ham

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Photo 11. View at the turf sedge where Ferruginous Duck started laying eggs

(May/25). Author: Istvan Ham

Photo 12. The initial phase of a Ferruginous Duck`s nest with one egg (May/25).

Author: Istvan Ham

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Photo 13. Ferruginous Duck`s nest after 11 days (June / 5) 4 eggs with remains of

broken eggs (unknown cause). Author: Istvan Ham

Photo 14. View at the eastern part of the Šarkanj pond (May/25), humid coast

indicates the decline of water level. Author: Istvan Ham

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Photo 15. Open water at the Šarkanj pond without floating and emerged

vegetation. Author: Istvan Ham

Photo 16. Šarkanj pond ducks like to peacefully rest on turf sedges protruding

from the water . Author: Istvan Ham

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Photo 17. Gray herons like to use turf sedges for resting and hunting. Author:

Istvan Ham

Photo 18. The eastern part of the Semenjača pond is also covered with thick seed

sedges. Author: Istvan Ham

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Photo 19. Extraction of birds caught in mist nets. Author: Istvan Ham

Photo 20. Chiffchaff in the net (September/26). Author: Istvan Ham