Dúbravka winter surroundings

Just another walk in the forest. It is under snowy blanket for last few days. Perfect time to spot some woodpeckers. I was lucky today and recorded 4 different species: Green(1 bird), Great Spotted(4), Middle Spotted(1) & Lesser Spotted Woodpecker(2). In addition plenty of Nuthatches, 5 Jays, 2 Greenfinches and I had a glimpse of Great Grey Shrike. Three Roedeers ran along the path. When I came back to Dúbravka I decided to make a little detour. In a half an hour of urban birding I recorded 5 Bullfinches, 4  Chaffinches, both Sparrow species, usual winter Rooks and as a great surprise there was flock of 32 Waxwings. They were less than 250 meters from my flat. I've added them into my "Dúbravka birdlist".
[this post was made entirely in my phone, just want to check how it works and looks]

Waxwing galore continues

Three days ago I have spotted my first ever flock of Waxwings. We estimated total of 100 birds. Day later it was around 250 birds and today after careful counting of dots on a photo their number have arisen to 700 birds. As we visited site yesterday we found Black-throated Diver on Danube. I took the spotting scope and wanted to make some video of it but it was gone. There was only one Great Cormorant left.

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

I turned back to the parking place near Arena theatre, the site of Waxwings presence in last days. It was again beautiful time as I observed them more than hour. I tried to make some photos and videos again. I have only smartphone so I'm combining it with the optics of the spotting scope. Here are the results - photos were cropped with little bit enhance of brightness and contrast.

Detailed videos are made the same "digiscoping" way.

List of observed birds this afternoon:
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius)
Jackdaw (Coloelus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

Waxwings - day 2

I begin to understand why is observation of Waxwings so addictive. Today's weather was much better - no snow, only few raindrops. I spent almost an hour with Waxwings. I found them on the opposite bank of River Danube as yesterday. They were feeding, roosting, some of them were drinking water from small puddle. All of this accompanied by their characteristic voice. I made few photos and videos using my phone and spotting scope. Enjoy!

Ok! Ok! Ok! There were beside 100+ Waxwings other birds too: 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, 8 Blackbird, 3 Mistle Thrush, 3 Hooded Crow, Carrion Crow, 30 Jackdaw, 5 Black-headed Gull, Great Cormorant, Kestrel.

My First Ever Waxwings

This winter is the year of another Waxwing invasion into the southern parts of Europe. The previous one was in winter when I was only starting with birdwatching. Despite bad weather conditions we observed 118 birds in the treetops in Bratislava city center next to the River Danube. Hope they will stay for longer period of time to enjoy this uncommon guest in Central Europe.

observing Waxwings in the treetops

Waxwings in Bratislava (© Ján Dobšovič)

Beside 118 Waxwings there were other birds too: Hawfinch, 2 Greenfinches, 10+ House Sparrows, Robin, 7 or 8 Blackbirds, 2 Hooded Crows, Black-headed Gull over Danube.

Black-throated Loon in the city.

I got an announcement yesterday, that Black-throated Loon was seen on lake Veľký Draždiak in Petržalka, Bratislava. I missed it last week on Danube so I wanted to make my yearlist tick today. I persuaded my colleague to join me and we checked this site this morning. Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) was there all the time. It was intensively diving first hour, but later there were some nice opportunities to see this unusual bird.

Woodpeckers in the forest over Dúbravka

I was supposed to work at home and write a trip report from our weekend birdwatching tour in Hortobágy National Park (Hungary), but I was unable to create anything. I packed bottle of water and bird guide, took spotting scope and went out to the forest that lies over Dúbravka, Bratislava. Autumn already began, but most of the trees are still green and man needs a little bit luck to spot something up in the trees. I found 3 species of woodpeckers - Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis), Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius). I made these videos:

List of observed bird species:
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)

Saturday birdwatching on Danube

After several visits in the northern outskirts of Bratislava near River Morava I decided to change my direction and went to check Danube. Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir is an important migration and wintering spot in Central Europe. I took spotting scope and my binoculars and went out to check if there are already first autumn guests or not. I found 3 different dabbling duck species beside Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) - 7 Gadwall (Anas strepera), 6 Wigeon (Anas penelope), 15 Teal (Anas crecca). I've spotted one female Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina), 5 female Goosander (Mergus merganser) and first few hundreds of Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula) and Common Pochards (Aythya ferina) that used to winter in this area. There were plenty of White Wagtails (Motacilla alba) and one Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea). It might be there more of them, but I spotted only one. I haven't seen any waders nor Pygmy Cormorants. May be there will be some of them in later weeks. 

I think this is enough writing. It's better to check photos, videos and list of observed birds on Hrušovská zdrž water dam and Čunovo surroundings. Photos and videos of birds are digiscoped using my HTC Desire S smartphone.

Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)

Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)

juvenile Yellow-legged or Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)

River Danube below Danubiana

female Goosanders (Mergus merganser)

River Danube below dam

posing Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

sleeping Teals (Anas crecca)

upper parts of water reservoir

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Great Egret (Egretta alba)

List of observed bird species:
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Teal (Anas crecca)
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Goosander (Mergus merganser)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Egretta alba)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Magpie (Pica pica)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)