Short urbanbirding walk along Danube

I had some small duties in the city center. There was a bit of spare time so I got off from the tram 3 stops earlier and walked along the Danube river. One may think the grey waters of Danube can't show something special. But I've found a Kingfisher in the city center of Bratislava. Let's have a look on it and some other birds seen during that walk. 

riverbank near PKO

flock of Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula)

pair of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

common Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

winter guest Common Gull (Larus canus)

female Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

pontons along the bank

Kingfisher searching for fish from the anchoring cable of the ponton

First Snow Buntings after 3 years

It was in March of winter 2010/2011 when I spotted Snow Buntings for the last time. It was near Danube below Bratislava. Until yesterday I had no luck to find this species. I'm in Rožňava for the Christmas holidays as usual. If there is some spare time I immediately go outside for a walk to the places I know. But years has passed and I have almost no opportunity to explore them. Man could just imagine, what can be found on the "boring" fields without snow cover. My walk started with Blackbird, two Goldfinches, some Great Tit calling and one Raven, that was flying over my head. I didn't await anything. I haven't seen a single Common Buzzard, nor Yellowhammers. But there was a reward for going outside and doing the ordinary birding walk. Just a few metres aside the field road three whitish birds appeared. Despite I didn't see them for three years I knew that there is a new tick in my yearlist. Amazing number 210 belongs to the Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis).

November bike trip to Austria

Weather prediction showed no rain, no strong wind and temperature up to 10°C. Simply ideal conditions for having a bike ride in November. In group of four cyclists - Carolina, Lina, Martin and me we made approximately 60km long bike ride. We started in Bratislava, went under Devín castle, across Morava River to Schlosshof. Then we were crossing the fields and Danube to Hainburg and finished again in Bratislava.

morning in Bratislava - fog over Danube

next to the confluence of Danube and Morava Rivers

under the Devín castle

"Bike bridge of freedom", or better known as "Chuck Norris bridge"

one wheel in Slovakia, another already in Austria

crossing the line

in front of Schlosshof

I decided to celebrate it with a bikelift

our next direction

"empty" frame

rest time next to Engelhartstetten

we followed the upper bike trail

man can't be lost in Austria

medieval gate in Hainburg (photo by Carolina)

riding in to the fog (between Hainburg and Wolfsthal)

approaching border crossing between Berg and Bratislava

Weekend in Hortobágy National Park

When I visited Hortobágy National Park in October 2011 I immediately fell in love with puszta and their precious autumn guests. Tens of thousands of migrating Common Cranes use the steppe region of Hortobágy as a migration stop. They feed on mowed cornfields and night roost in the wetlands or local fishponds.

I didn't want to miss the great spectacle of migrating cranes this year as well. With friends, Erik and Zuzana, we spent a weekend in puszta, vast lowland area eastwards from Budapest. As it was their first visit there I wanted to show them my way of enjoying Hortobágy puszta in the autumn. It is a beautiful combination of local culture, traditions, amazing nature and last but not least, delicious local cuisine.

Instead of reading about it, check the photos from this weekend.

cloudy morning in the Hortobágy National Park

muddy roads after Friday's rain

Common Cranes (Grus grus) were feeding very close to our guesthouse

visit in local animal breeds zoo

typical sight in puszta - Hungarian longhorned grey cattle

it was also St. Dömötör feast - great oportunity to spot all the local animals and their herdsmen

herdsmen in colorful costumes

horse carriage and famous nine-arch bridge behind

on our way to fishponds - it's birdwatching time!

instead of walk we chose narrow-gauge train

Kondás fishpond from the watching tower

one of the birdwatching hides

it was early afternoon, so we spot only few Cranes, but there was plenty of geese, ducks and waders

Curlew (Numenius arquata)

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

change of birding site - waiting for Cranes flying to their night roost site

one of a few informations translated to English

large cloud over puszta

not an ordinary shed - Little Owl (Athene noctua) occupies its chimney

delicious catfish stew - "Harcsa halászlé"

traditional dessert - "Somlói galuska"

in addition we visited Lake Tisza Ecocentre in Poroszló

man can find here large freshwater aquarium

fish swim over your head

List of recorded bird species:
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)
Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Common Crane (Grus grus)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia )
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Northern Raven (Corvus corax)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

Not enough? Watch my videos from this weekend: