Rakiški Zatok Nature Reserve

6 May 2021 BirdsWaterAnimals

A stork nests on a chimney in Rakitnik. It will probably return there for years, like the one in Planina whose nest has occupied a chimney for 20 years.

For its nest it chose a chimney on a farm manor, or outbuilding, built as early as 1693. The manor consists of a residential building and a farm building. The building is numbered 8, but nobody has lived there for several years. It is poorly maintained, although at least the roof was retiled in 2000, which will preserve the building for a while longer.

Many different species of herons, storks, gulls and other birds gather on the flooded Rakiški Stržen polje, so I jokingly named this area the "Rakiški Zatok Nature Reserve".

A pale historic manor with a red roof stands beyond a small reflective pond and spring meadow at Rakitnik.

A white stork lifts off just above a grassy field, wings fully extended and legs trailing behind.

A white stork lifts from a green meadow with its broad black-and-white wings fully extended.

A pale manor with a red roof stands beyond a spring meadow and reflective pond at Rakitnik.

Two white herons stand in the flooded grassland at Rakiški Stržen, one spreading its broad wings above the shallow water.

Four white herons fly in a loose line across an even grey sky, their dark wingtips clearly visible.

Two black-headed gulls fly across a soft grey sky, one higher with wings fully spread.

A white stork stands on a large twig nest built atop a brick chimney in Rakitnik.

A white stork stands in its large twig nest atop a chimney beneath a pale sky.