No chance to dip the Dipper!

Today I made first birding walk in this year. During 2,5 hours outdoors in my hometown Rožňava I found only 18 species, but I had few great sightings. Despite fog and drizzle the flocks of 100+ Hawfinches, 70+ Siskin, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker and a pair of Dippers were worth of going outside.

Yearlist 2014

January 1, 2014
1. Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
2. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
3. Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
4. Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
5. Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
6. Great Tit (Parus major)
7. Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
8. Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
9. Blackbird (Turdus merula)
10. Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
11. Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
12. Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
13. Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
14. Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
15. Siskin (Spinus spinus)
16. Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
17. Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
18. Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
19. Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

January 2, 2014
20. Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
21. Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
22. White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos)
23. Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
24. Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
25. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
26. Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
27. Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus)
28. Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
29. Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)
30. Magpie (Pica pica)
31. Raven (Corvus corax)
32. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
33. Linnet (Linaria cannabina)

January 3, 2014
34. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
35. Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
36. Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
37. Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

January 4, 2014
38. Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
39. Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
40. Dunnock (Prunella modularis)

January 5, 2014
41. Great Egret (Egretta alba)
42. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
43. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
44. Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
45. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

January 6, 2014
46. Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
47. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
48. Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus)
49. Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
50. Pochard (Aythya ferina)
51. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
52. Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
53. Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca)
54. Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
55. Smew (Mergellus albellus)
56. Goosander (Mergus merganser)
57. Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
58. Coot (Fulica atra)
59. Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
60. Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
61. Common Gull (Larus canus)
62. Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)
63. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
64. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
65. Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)

January 9, 2014
66. Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
67. Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
68. Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

January 11, 2014
69. Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
70. Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
71. Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius)

January 12, 2014
72. White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
73. Wigeon (Anas penelope)

January 14, 2014
74. Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)

January 18, 2014
75. Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
76. Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

January 19, 2014
77. Gadwall (Anas strepera)
78. Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
79. Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
80. White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

January 26, 2014
81. Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)

February 3, 2014
82. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

February 4, 2014
83. Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
84. Bewick's Swan (Cygnus columbianus) - Lifer!!!
85. Teal (Anas crecca)

February 5, 2014
86. White-billed Diver (Gavia adamsii) - Lifer!!!

February 8, 2014
87. Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
88. Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)
89. Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
90. Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
91. Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

February 14, 2014
92. Pintail (Anas acuta)
93. Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

February 19, 2014
94. Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
95. Great Bustard (Otis tarda)

February 20, 2014
96. Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus)

February 22, 2014
97. Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
98. Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

February 24, 2014
99. Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)

February 25, 2014
100. Bean Goose (Anser fabalis)
101. Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis)

February 27, 2014
102. Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) - Lifer!!!
103. Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

March 1, 2014
104. Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

March 2, 2014
105. Common Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
106. Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
107. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
108. Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

March 8, 2014
109. Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
110. Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
111. Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
112. Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

March 9, 2014
113. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor)

March 12, 2014
114. Garganey (Anas querquedula)

March 22, 2014
115. European Serin (Serinus serinus)
116. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
117. Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
118. Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
119. Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus)
120. Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
121. Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)
122. Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
123. Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
124. Woodlark (Lullula arborea)
125. Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)

March 23, 2014
126. Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)

March 29, 2014
127. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
128. Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)

March 30, 2014
129. Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
130. Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

April 11, 2014
131. Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
132. Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
133. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
134. Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix)
135. Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
136. Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
137. Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
138. Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
139. Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)

April 12, 2014
140. Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
141. Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides)

April 13, 2014
142. Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)
143. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
144. Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
145. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

April 16, 2014
146. Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis)

April 17, 2014
147. Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) - Lifer!!!

April 18, 2014
148. Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) - Lifer!!!
149. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) - Lifer!!!
150. Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) - Lifer!!!

April 19, 2014
151. Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) - Lifer!!!
152. Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus) - Lifer!!!
153. Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) - Lifer!!!
154. European Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) - Lifer!!!

April 21, 2014
155. Common Swift (Apus apus)
156. House Martin (Delichon urbica)

April 23, 2014
157. Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)

April 25, 2014
158. Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

April 26, 2014
159. Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus)

April 28, 2014
160. Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
161. European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)

May 1, 2014
162. Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
163. Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)
164. White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)
165. Dunlin(Calidris alpina)
166. Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
167. Eurasian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
168. Corncrake (Crex crex)

May 6, 2014
169. Eurasian Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)

May 17, 2014
170. Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

May 17, 2014
171. Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina)
172. European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

May 25, 2014
173. Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)

June 1, 2014
174. Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
175. Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris)

June 3, 2014
176. Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)
177. Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus)
178. Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris) - Lifer!!!

June 5, 2014
179. Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

June 7, 2014
180. Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)
181. Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)
182. Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

June 16, 2014
183. Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)

June 21, 2014
184. Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)

June 27, 2014
185. Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
186. Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) - Lifer!!!
187. Lesser Spotted Eagle (Clanga pomarina)

July 3, 2014
188. Common Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia)
189. Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)

July 6, 2014
190. River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis)

July 12, 2014
191. Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
192. Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)

August 9, 2014
193. Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)

August 17, 2014
194. Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo)

August 23, 2014
195. Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

September 4, 2014
196. Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus)

September 6, 2014
197. Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
198. Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
199. Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus)

September 15, 2014
200. Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)

September 24, 2014
201. Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

October 25, 2014
202. Common Crane (Grus grus)
203. Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
204. Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
205. Little Owl (Athene noctua)
206. Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)

November 16, 2014
207. Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)

December 14, 2014
208. Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
209. Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca)

December 23, 2014
210. Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

December 28, 2014
211. Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes)
212. Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)

How to spot a Wallcreeper in Bratislava

Take a ride by busline 28 or 29 from the bus stop under the Most SNP bridge (a.k.a. UFO bridge). Get off in Devín. Have a short walk to the confluence of Danube and Morava Rivers. Have a seat on a bench under the majestic Devín castle rock. Just patiently observe the surface of the steep rock and its crevices and a Wallcreeper will appear. Or two birds as it was last winter. Hopefuly it will spend its winter season here until the end of March. If lucky Alpine Accentor, Grey-headed Woodpecker or Peregrine Falcon could appear as well.

bench under the castle rock

Devín castle rock - usual wintering site of  Wallcreeper

record shot of Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

another record shot of Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

Hooded Crow having an urban feast

At first piece of pizza:

and then McCafe drink:

Land of Beavers!

I use to find signs of Beavers occurrence regularly during my walks in the nature in the surroundings of Bratislava. Have a look what I found yesterday:

tree with freshly nibbled wood, next to the Danube's seepage channel

marks of beaver's teeth

another site, signs of beavers again: small creek along the road, red arrow shows to the dam

creek with the beaver dam

beaver dam from above

100 urban bird species this year and counting...

I was guiding a bird walk in Petržalka this morning. Our targets were common bird species of local waterbodies as Mute Swans, Coots or Black-headed Gull. We were exploring quiet corners of nature in this large borough of Bratislava, mostly comprised of blocks of flats. Last year in the beginning of November (9.11.2012) we observed Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) on Lake Veľký Draždiak. Today we had a reprise. Beside me and my colleague Katka there were also participants of our guided walk, that have spotted this unusual bird as well. Until today I have observed 99 various bird species in the urban areas of Bratislava this year. It couldn't be any better than reaching magical "100" with such a stunning bird as Black-throated Loon really is. I tried to make proper documentation so here are the results: 

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica)

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) with Mute Swans (Cygnus olor)

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) before diving

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica)

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) in the rain

I think you may have enough of this Loon, so here is a little bonus of the other species observed today. Kingfisher was another addition to my urban yearlist.

Treecreeper (Certhia sp.), probably common one (C. familiaris)

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) - nr. 101 in my urban Bratislava yearlist

Coot (Fulica atra)

adult Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in winter plumage

First winter guests on Danube

I made another birdwatching bike ride. Despite it is November already, the weather was pleasant. I rode along Danube and I made several stops to check the surface of Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir for newly arrived winter or migration guests. I got my only second sighting of Shelducks (Tadorna tadorna) in Slovakia. Ten of them were swimming in compact flock along with thousands of other ducks. First Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) appeared. There was a group of 13 Goosanders (Mergus merganser). Beside Tufted Ducks and Mallards the numbers of Teals (Anas crecca) and Wigeons (Anas penelope) are arising. I counted 83 Teals and c130 Wigeons today. I spotted only 2 Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus), but at least I know first of these unusual migrants are here. Pygmy Cormorants migrate not southwards but to the northwest from the Danube delta. In the peak of winter we could have here up to 1000 birds. In addition I observed Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) for a while and flyover of a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).  Great Egret (Egretta alba) with something like tumour on its leg need to be mentioned as well. I'm not sure if it will survive winter.

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

signs of presence of Beavers

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

pair of Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus) in the right

Great Egret (Egretta alba) with tumour on its leg

numbers of waterbirds are beginning to rise

flock of 10 Shelducks (Tadorna tadorna)

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Teals (Anas crecca)

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

List of recorded birds:

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) c250
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) 10
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 1
Wigeon (Anas penelope) 130+
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2000
Teal (Anas crecca) 83
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) 3
Pochard (Aythya ferina) 50
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) 700
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 8
Goosander (Mergus merganser) 13
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) c20
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) 20+
Great Egret (Egretta alba) 2
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus) 2
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 200+
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) 1
Coot (Fulica atra) c100
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) 1
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) 1, calling
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)