Short afternoon walk

I had a short walk in Sad Janka Kráľa public park and I checked the Peregrine. Have a look:

From left to right: Aupark tower, Incheba tower (red arrow), Most SNP bridge

Incheba building - Peregrine Falcon wintering site

Falcon was there

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Sad Janka Kráľa public park

unknown feather

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in winter plumage

Perching Common Kestrel

I found this Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) on my way to our new office. It was perching on wires on the side of the building of Slovak University of Technology at Radlinského street in Bratislava city center.

Convolvulus Hawk-moth caterpillar

As I was riding my bike to check one of my favourite birding sites on Danube below Bratislava I found this caterpillar. With the help of Twitter community (#teammoth) I identified it as a Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli).

Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli)

Not sure if Reed Bunting or something else

I was just browsing some older videos and I watched this again.

I identified it in the field as a Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus). But now I'm not so sure if I was right. Any other species is pretty improbable but one never knows. It was filmed on July 10, 2012. Just few kilometres NW from Bratislava. The bird was in the reeds next to the Morava River, 0,5km northwards from Marchegg railway bridge. It had some spider in its mouth. Here are some snapshots from the video:

What do you think? Is it Reed Bunting? Or something else? I'll be thankful for your opinions on identification of this Bunting. Please write a comment, mail me (tomas.novak@ymail.com) or tweet me (@titodaking).

Peregrine Falcon back in town

I read about the sighting of Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) in Bratislava yesterday. I took a walk this afternoon and I decided to check its regular wintering site. I spotted it on the top of the main building of Incheba Expo. I observed the raptor for several minutes. Building of Incheba Expo lies in Petržalka but it is very close to the city center. It would be great to spot a pair as this 85,6m high building is very suitable for breeding of this species.

Incheba Expo building

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Ringed birds recovery information

I found already two colour-ringed birds this September. Both on Danube. Black-headed Gull and Mute Swan. Here is some data I've obtained in e-mails.

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Black-headed Gull (Chroicophalus ridibundus)

• date of observation: Thursday, September 5, 2013
• place of observation: Danube, Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir, Kalinkovská zátoka
• types of rings: left leg - metal ring unread, right leg - white T959
• ringing info: ringed on May 5, 2011 in Poraj, Slaskie in Poland as an adult bird, unknown sex

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

 Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

• date of observation: Sunday, September 15, 2013
• place of observation: Danube, Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir, near Danubiana Gallery Bratislava
• types of rings: left leg - metal ring BUDAPEST HW185, right leg - yellow 75TJ
• ringing info: ringed on August 12, 2010 in Révfülöp, Lake Balaton, Hungary as an adult bird, female
• other observations:  January and February 2011 on Lake Šoderica, NE of Koprivnica, Croatia; December 2011 on Danube, near Danubiana Gallery Bratislava, very close to my place of observation

Sunday on Danube

Sunday's morning walk was oriented again on Danube. I visited Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir near Čunovo. I had several interesting sightings including lifer Wheatear or my first ever Slovak sightings of Grey Plover or Canada Goose. Despite higher water level Danube brought another wader species. Two Ospreys and young White-tailed Eagle flew over. Another reason why I need better camera than my smartphone and spotting scope used as a lens.

Probably Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans). It can be Yellow-legged Gull as well. They are so similar.

Not very shy Canada Goose (Branta canadensis). Bird was reported in the area since late June after the large flood on Danube.

Juvenile Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina). There were 5 youngsters.

There was colour-ringed Mute Swan (Cygnus olor). It was ringed in Hungary.

I tried to take the picture of my lifer Wheatear, but it didn't appear again. Only this juvenile Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros).

Record shot of Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago).

Three Grey Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola) and couple of Curlews (Numenius arquata)

Fire-bellied toad (Bombina sp.).

While photographing Fire-bellied Toad this bug landed on my tripod. Black and Red Bug (Lygaeus equestris).