Herons and Storks of Planina Polje

17 April 2021 NatureBirdsAnimals

A little egret flies across a softly blurred hillside above Planina Polje, trailing a looping white stream of droppings.

On our first photographic hunt at Planina Polje, we found several bird species—herons and storks then in their migration period.

Before we spotted the first heron, a roe deer posed for us with its tongue out and a tousled backside.

We caught a little egret (Egretta garzetta) relieving itself in mid-air.

We startled a purple heron (Ardea purpurea), which looks like a dinosaur.

A black stork (Ciconia nigra) soared high above us.

To finish, we noticed that the nest on a chimney in Planina was occupied again. The same family returns to this 20-year-old nest every year. The white storks (Ciconia ciconia) also enlarge the nest slightly each year.

A roe deer trots across a meadow on Planinsko polje with its tongue out and spring flowers at its feet.

A roe deer runs across a brown meadow at the edge of bare woodland on Planinsko polje.

A little egret flies across a soft grey background, trailing a bright white stream beneath its dark legs.

A purple heron flies across a muted grey background with its broad wings arched downwards.

A purple heron flies low above Planinsko polje, its long neck extended against a pale sky.

Black stork glides across a pale open sky above Planina Polje, its long red bill and legs clearly visible.

A white stork spreads its black-tipped wings as it takes flight from the edge of a large stick nest.

A white stork lands on a large twig nest, wings raised and red legs extended against the sky.

A white stork stands upright on an enormous twig nest crowning a tall chimney in Planina.

A little egret flies against a softly blurred dark forest, its white wings spread wide.