Non-breeding data collecting

For the area under consideration, numerous data on passage migrants and winter residents as well as data from prior and after breeding were gathered in the wider 1973-2009 period.

The data concerning the 1983-2004 period were gathered more or less systematically, while the data from the 2004-2009 period are the result of regular weekly monitoring carried out in the survey area. Toponomastically, the earlier data could have been processed only if firmly established in which part of Sečovlje salt-pans a certain species was observed.

Birds were regularly mapped in the entire area of Sečovlje salt-pans in the non-breeding area as well. Prior to 2004, data were most often collected in the areas interesting for potential overwintering or migrating birds. In the non-breeding season, too, it turned out that only some parts of Sečovlje salt-pans were found interesting and attractive by birds.  

While monitoring the occurrence of birds that are partial to open spaces (water surfaces, levees, dry basins, meadows …), various optical implements (field glasses, telescopes …) and digital cameras were used. When songbirds (such as warblers) that are more difficult to detect were at stake, the migrating and post-breeding picture was obtained from the bird netting data. For this purpose, a ringing station was set up in the area of Stojbe. In the 2004-2009 period, bird netting was regularly carried out at Stojbe in the Fontanigge area during the autumn months, while in spring and in other areas bird netting was implemented only occasionally. In the area of Stojbe, other Slovenian ornithologists have exercised bird netting quite often in the past as well. However, we have not been able to obtain any data of this kind from the Slovenian Museum of Natural History, which leads and coordinates this particular activity.