Saturday, March 23, 2013

First Barn Swallow of the year

This year I was the lucky one. Very probably I made first record of a Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) in Slovakia this year. Nice reward for the time spent outside in the field. This great observation was accompanied with other yearlist ticks: heard my first Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita); there was one Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) in flock of White Wagtails; nice flock of 6 Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus) was silenty floating on a dead river-arm of River Morava; 3 Redshanks (Tringa totanus) made short stop on the bank and 3 Garganeys (Anas querquedula) were in the flock of 40+ Teals (Anas crecca).

Barn Swallow catching insects low over the flooded meadow:

Flock of 6 Whooper Swans:

Two male Garganeys out of three observed:

Great Cormorant in courtship plumage is a beautiful bird:

List of recorded species during the walk:
Common Pheasant   (Phasianus colchicus)
Greylag Goose   (Anser anser)
White-fronted Goose   (Anser albifrons)
Mute Swan   (Cygnus olor)
Whooper Swan   (Cygnus cygnus)
Mallard   (Anas platyrhynchos)
Garganey   (Anas querquedula)
Teal   (Anas crecca)
Grey Heron   (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret   (Egretta alba)
Great Cormorant   (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Red Kite   (Milvus milvus)
Marsh Harrier   (Circus aeruginosus)
Hen Harrier   (Circus cyaneus)
Sparrowhawk   (Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard   (Buteo buteo)
Eastern Imperial Eagle   (Aquila heliaca)
Coot   (Fulica atra)
Lapwing   (Vanellus vanellus)
Common Redshank   (Tringa totanus)
Black-headed Gull   (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull   (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Wood Pigeon   (Columba palumbus)
Great Spotted Woodpecker   (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker   (Dryocopus martius)
Green Woodpecker   (Picus viridis)
Hooded Crow   (Corvus cornix)
Raven   (Corvus corax)
Great Tit   (Parus major)
Blue Tit   (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Barn Swallow   (Hirundo rustica)
Chiffchaff   (Phylloscopus collybita)
Common Starling   (Sturnus vulgaris)
Blackbird   (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare   (Turdus pilaris)
Song Thrush   (Turdus philomelos)
Robin   (Erithacus rubecula)
Black Redstart   (Phoenicurus ochruros)
European Stonechat   (Saxicola rubicola)
House Sparrow   (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow   (Passer montanus)
Yellow Wagtail   (Motacilla flava)
White Wagtail   (Motacilla alba)
Chaffinch   (Fringilla coelebs)
Greenfinch   (Carduelis chloris)
Goldfinch   (Carduelis carduelis)
Yellowhammer   (Emberiza citrinella)
Reed Bunting   (Emberiza schoeniclus)

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