BIRD RINGING AT ULCINJ SALINA – NATURE AS THE FIRST AND GREATEST PAINTER OF ALL…
- Nina Sekulovic Art
- Sep 20
- 4 min read
No matter how vivid our imagination may be, or how refined our skills in creating intense and striking colors, there are beings in nature, especially in the world of birds, that surpass our horizons and make us question how much we truly know and see of the world around us. Those who follow my work already know that birds are among my favorite subjects, and precisely for that reason, I decided to join the recent bird-ringing and birdwatching tour organized at Ulcinj Salina, by the Center for the Protection and Study of Birds (CZIP).
What especially motivated me was the need to embark on my own exploration. Even though, like all artists, I love creating my artistic boards and collages and searching for sources on Pinterest, it is never the same feeling, satisfaction, or authenticity as when you take a photo yourself and later use it either as inspiration or as a direct source for painting.
Bird ringing, including the birdwatching tour, is an activity that perfectly connects science and art, nature and humans, curiosity and creativity. Beyond its research dimension, it also holds a spiritual one, the possibility of expressing what you absorbed and what remained within you, something that can be carried onto canvas during the organized painting workshop included in the program, both for children and for adults.
The central and most striking event is, of course, the ringing of the birds. This scientific method involves trained researchers placing light aluminum or plastic rings with unique codes, thanks to which the birds’ behavior, health, life cycles and the incredible routes they take each year can be tracked. Each bird carries within itself a story of thousands of kilometers and the power of instinct that guides it from one corner of the world to another. Before release, the bird’s species, sex, age, weight, and size are determined. After the ringing procedure, the unharmed birds are immediately released at the same safe place where they were caught. Watching researchers gently hold a bird in their hand, feeling the delicate rhythm of its heartbeat, and then seeing it soar into the sky, often released from a child’s hand is a sight that inspires and nourishes you as in that moment you feel the world around and within you is once again in harmony.
For visitors, this is a chance to experience birds up close and not just as silhouettes in the sky, but as graceful herons, flamingos, bee-eaters, magical kingfishers, Dalmatian pelicans, shorebirds, or rare species that find refuge at the Salina. The experience is both visual and spiritual: horizons covered with water and reeds, the sun shimmering across the surface of the lakes, flocks rising into the sky in perfect rhythm, everything around you remind you that we are but a fragment of a vast and perfectly arranged world.
A special place in that palette of colors belongs to the kingfisher, a bird that looks as if it came from a more perfect world, as the nature, in painting its feathers, elegantly combined complementary shades of turquoise blue and golden orange. In such moments, one realizes that no brush can fully capture that beauty, yet we can, and must, try.
At the Salina, everything becomes art: the rhythm of wings, the reflection of birds on the water, the contrast of salt, sky, and reeds. Colors are not just pigments, but emotions; birdsong is not merely melody, but an invitation to taste life in a different way, a reminder that we too are animals, inseparably connected to nature. By destroying even the smallest piece of it, we kill what is most essential within ourselves. That is why the Salina stands as the best reminder that we must proudly share this common essence—never betraying it, never trampling it, never forgetting our own core and the call that comes from within.
“This bird just came from Tunisia,” said the volunteer standing next to me. I immediately imagined the little bird with a suitcase, as if arriving from a holiday—it felt as though we were speaking of a small person with an adventurous spirit and immense courage. It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? You don’t need planes or excuses to leave—only the thought of leaving is enough. You don’t need vacation days; you have your own compass and determination to go far, but also the certainty of returning to your cradle.
“Did you know that more than 350 bird species live in Montenegro, 240 of which are found at Ulcinj Salina alone? Our country lies on one of the most important European migratory routes, the Adriatic Flyway. Every year, millions of birds travel this very route to Africa and back, and Montenegro is one of their key resting points,” the volunteer researcher explained further, as we absorbed his words with pride and admiration.
This is one of those activities for all ages, a classroom under the open sky, for everyone from 7 to 107 years, in the style of Politikin Zabavnik’s playful classifications. In fact, the lower boundary is even younger here, because it is precisely the youngest ones, who encounter this world early and develop love for it, who will tomorrow understand the importance of protecting nature and valuing sanctuaries like this one. Birdwatching at the Salina teaches children patience, attentiveness, and the ability to admire details—to recognize songs coming from the reeds and to realize that every bird has its place in the mosaic of life. These experiences shape generations, becoming memories that grow with us.
In the end, a day spent at bird ringing and birdwatching is not just another activity to tick off the calendar, but an experience remembered for a lifetime. When the sun sets and paints the sky in glowing shades of red, the Salina transforms into the most magnificent canvas nature has ever painted—and we have the privilege of being part of that painting.
Useful links for more curious:
More photos from the special day ⬇️
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