Montenegro in Spring

Montenegro lies in the Balkans on the coast of the Adriatic Sea to the north of Albania. Although small in size, this little-visited country is rich in wildlife and spectacular landscapes and boasts a fascinating history. From long sandy beaches backed by dunes and saltpans to rugged mountains reaching over 2,000 metres in height, Montenegro has much to offer the visitor, especially those with an interest in natural history. This holiday focuses on the birds, and other wildlife, of the coasts and mountains at a time of year when numerous waders, warblers, raptors, shrikes and other species will be tracking north, and its breeding birds will be back on territory.

Our holiday begins, perhaps surprisingly, with a flight to the Albanian capital of Tirana. From here, we drive north into Montenegro to the historic town of Virpazar, on the north-west shore of Lake Skadar, where we will be based for the first four nights of our tour. Lake Skadar is home to the most westerly breeding population of Dalmatian Pelicans, as well as thousands of Pygmy Cormorants and other waterbirds. It is surrounded by rolling karst hills and is edged by a rocky shoreline. Although water levels change over the course of the year, on average the lake is 44 kilometres long by eight kilometres wide. During our stay in Virpazar, we will explore the lake on foot, by vehicle and by boat in search of the numerous terns, herons and other waterbirds that live here. The strident call of the Great Reed Warbler will be a familiar background sound to our exploration, whilst other species to look out for include Short-toed Eagle, Cirl Bunting, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Spanish Sparrow, Hawfinch and others. We will also enjoy the orchids and other flowers that grow on the roadside verges.

We will spend time exploring the coastal saltpans, sand dunes and wetlands too, home to such birds as Stone-curlew, Collared Pratincole, Calandra Lark, European Bee-eater, Tawny Pipit, Woodchat Shrike, Savi’s Warbler and Black-necked Grebe. Waders may include Black-winged Stilt, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Marsh Sandpiper, whilst Marsh Harrier and the occasional Levant Sparrowhawk may pass overhead. Nearby Lovcen National Park is also worth a visit, within which sits Mount Lovcen, the so-called 'Black Mountain' after which the country is named. Here we will search for woodpeckers such as White-backed Woodpecker, plus Red-rumped Swallow, Black-eared Wheatear and Rock Bunting, before winding our way down towards Tivat, journeying past the magnificent Bay of Kotor en route. Back on the coast, we can search the scrub and dunes for a variety of migrant passerines such as Wryneck, Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, Spotted and Collared Flycatchers and possibly Woodchat, Lesser Grey or Red-backed Shrikes.

Next, we will head inland to the forests and jagged mountains of Montenegro’s Durmitor National Park, famed for its high rocky peaks, deep canyons and glacial lakes. For the next three nights we will be staying in the small town of Zabljak, located on the edge of the reserve and situated at an altitude of 1,600 metres. This is one of the oldest national parks in Montenegro — and a Unesco World Heritage Site — and it contains an impressive 48 peaks rising over 2,000 metres. The mountains are part of the Dinaric Alps and are cut by deep gorges and dotted with 17 glacial lakes, known locally as gorske oci ('mountain eyes'). En route to Durmitor National Park, we will aim to stop at Biogradska Gora National Park, which protects some of the last remnants of rainforest left in Europe.

From our base in Zabljak, we will explore the mountains in search of a wide variety of upland birds and other wildlife. Overhead soar Goshawk, Golden Eagle and Short-toed Eagle, whilst the woodlands are home to Grey-headed Woodpecker and Firecrest, plus Crested, Willow and Sombre Tits. We will also look for Ring Ouzel, Crag Martin, Rock Bunting, Water Pipit and Blue Rock Thrush in the more open areas. The mountains here are home to a few mammals too, including Balkan Chamois and the black morph of the Red Squirrel.

Finally, we conclude our holiday with a night in the historic town of Krujë, in northern Albania, and a visit to the Kune Vain Wetlands. Here we can look for Ferruginous Duck, Bittern, Squacco Heron, all three marsh terns, Zitting Cisticola and Moustached Warbler before we head back to Tirana Airport the following morning for our flight home.