Once upon a time, our villages were filled with stork nests, and swallows had a dozen nests in every hallway, or 4-5 nests in front of barn doors. The swallows artistically built their nests there because that’s where their primary food source, flies, were abundant. Without swallows, these flies would have been a great nuisance to the livestock.
Storks made their nests on the chimneys of village houses, which were usually topped with a decorative spike and had side openings for smoke. These chimneys rarely emitted smoke, and never during the time when storks were in our region.
The chimneys only smoked on cold days in the autumn and winter when the village stoves were lit, but storks chose chimneys on houses that were more for show than everyday living. The smaller houses, with a kitchen and a room for dining and sleeping, were used for daily life. The large house was for guests and was more a symbol of the host’s wealth. Stork nests could also be found on many old thatched roofs in the yards of wealthier households because this part of the thatch was usually left untouched, perhaps precisely because of the nests, or it served as a covering for the livestock shed during the summer days.
It’s not just about feeding the young; both the male and female stork ensure that the extreme heat and intense sun do not harm their young. During the hottest part of the day, they take turns shading the nest with their outstretched wings, protecting the young from the harsh sun.
I must point out that, from what has been said about their nests, they are always exposed to the sun, as they build them on chimneys and thatch where there is no shade. This is probably inherent to their nature because storks rarely nest in trees here, likely due to their large wingspan, which makes trees inconvenient for takeoff and landing. The chimney or tall thatch serves as a sort of runway for takeoff and a clear space for landing.
We enjoyed watching them as children, and the elders probably did too, but I - unfortunately - did not live to see old age in a place where storks live. The male or female stork would clatter their beaks like a rattle to scare away starlings in the vineyards. They did this with their necks raised and beaks pointed upwards, then twisted their necks to the side and all around, perhaps expressing joy at having raised offspring, fed them, and seen them grow.
We loved storks and swallows, and no one ever chased them away. On the contrary, the host made sure not to damage the nest in any way, even after the storks had left for warmer regions, hoping they would return to the old nest in March. The host felt proud that storks nested on his thatch or chimney and that they would return every March to raise their young under his, albeit minimal, protection. This showed the host’s humanity, not just his, but that of his entire family, because birds, especially storks, will not nest where they are disturbed, whether directly or indirectly, by noise or quarrels in the host’s household. It’s as if they can sense the atmosphere of the household that offers them hospitality. Storks know where they are welcome, and it’s enough for a host who wants storks to build a nest on his chimney to place an old wagon wheel on which the storks will build their nest, understanding it as an invitation to settle there.
Maybe this all sounds like a bedtime story or a rich and unrealistic fantasy, but believe me, it left such an impression on me that I simply tried to faithfully recount my memories and reminiscences of what was, among other things, so beautiful in my youth and tied me to the beauty of my homeland.
Finally, it is allowed for a chronicler, who recounts events without scientific prejudice, to record them as he saw them in his childhood and youth.
Our fields are no longer filled with swamps and marshes, but not all the land has been turned into farmland. There remain some dry ravines and neglected land, which doesn’t even serve as good pastures, like those Novi Bečej and Vranjevo once had. But with this, the wealth of life that birds used and enjoyed has disappeared, and with it, the carefree and beautiful songs that brightened the lives of ordinary people and children. Gone are their joyful songs, their graceful and artistic circling in the air using natural currents, which beautified our surroundings and broke the monotony of everyday life.
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