Area description
Hraše puddles are two shallow and flooded hollows on a meadow, which used to serve as dung pits for the nearby livestock farm. They were (three at that time) first drawn on a map in 1978. Their importance for birds was first researched by ornithologists in 1991. In 1992 the first case of a tufted duck nesting in western Slovenia was recorded here. The first record of the black-necked grebe nesting in Slovenia was made here as well.

Access
An intercity bus (line Vodice) drives from Ljubljana to Hraše several times per day. We get off the bus at riding centre Janhar, which is just a few hundred metres away from the puddles. We reach them by heading north on an asphalt road that ends at the agricultural combine. If the bus departure times don’t suit us, we can also drive to the neighbouring village Zapoge (situated east of Hraše). From here we can reach Hraše ponds directly by walking for one kilometre on a dirt road that leads across the fields. In this case St. Jacob church tower, which stands on the fields to our right about halfway on the trail, can be used for orientation.

Trail description
A dirt track leads between the two puddles. The track can get quite muddy after heavy rainfall – use of appropriate footwear is therefore highly recommended. Otherwise the shoreline is easily passable, despite the absence of paths. The best place for observations is the south bank of the southern puddle (the bigger puddle, closer to the settlement). The whole trip takes us three to four hours.

Birds
The puddles are most interesting for observing waterfowl and passerines that nest in the reeds and bulrush. A walk on one of several trails in the surrounding gives us the possibility to discover typical birds of the cultural landscape and forests. In time of nesting the little and great crested grebe, mute swan and tufted duck can be seen here. With some luck, we can also behold the moorhen or the water rail. Barn swallows and house martins, occasionally joined by sand martins, fly over the water surface. Several species of duck, such as the garganey, Eurasian teal, red-crested pochard, northern pintail and ferruginous duck are present at the puddles in time of migration. We can come across the spotted and little crake in the reeds, whereas the wood sandpiper is the most common wader lingering on the puddle banks. Other rare species of waders can occasionally be spotted along his side.

Other plants and animals
Other notable animals in the puddles are of course amphibians and dragonflies. The sounds of the edible frog in their time of mating will charm us in the late afternoon. The European tree frog is hiding in the riparian vegetation, which is also of great importance for common frog and toad spawning in spring. Fallen willow trunks are a popular spot for sunbathing among grass snakes. A large part of the southern ponds coastal area is overgrown with bulrush and the south part of the pond (facing towards the village) was cleared of willows a few years ago. The north pond is predominantly covered with reed and partly with bulrush. The water surface is almost always covered by duckweed.

Interesting links
Hraše puddles