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:

Iron Curtain Bike Birding

Bratislava offers you plenty of opportunities for birdwatching. Beside Danube that is full of waterbirds, Carpathian forest or floodplain meadows along Morava River man can find flat agricultural landscape on the border between Slovakia and Austria. Riding a bike is a best way how to explore this area in southwestern outskirts of Bratislava. In August man can spot soaring Buzzards, Marsh Harriers or Kestrels over the fields, hunting Red-backed Shrikes, or Goldfinches and Tree Sparrows along the road that is aligning the border. There is another interesting highlight of this area. While riding along the border man can discover pre-WWII fortification system of small fortresses and bunkers, that was meant to protect former Czechoslovakia against Austria that was already controlled by Hitler. Rest is history. Czechoslovakia was divided into Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and war Slovak state with puppet government. Those objects were never used. After WWII it became part of "iron curtain" between east and west. Come and explore this part of Bratislava in my photos:

bunker "B-S 4 Lány" lies just few meters from Danube bike trail

bunker "B-S 4 Lány"

information panel in Slovak, German and English as well

historical border gate (these days not exactly on the border line)

Danube bike trail is realley next to the fortification

former military border road, today it's a bike trail (left side - Slovak cornfield, right side - Austrian cornfield)

border stone

military cemetery and WWI memorial

graves of soldiers, that were fighting in WWI

cross in the middle of the cemetery

some graves are with names, some without

behind the gate man can find bunker "B-S 8 Hřbitov"

barbed wire of former "iron curtain" (ATTENTION! Border area. Entry allowed only with the entrance permit.)

 

 

Eurovelo 13 Iron Curtain Trail - roads that were in the past used only by army are now free accessible bike trails

sign on the Austrian side of border

cornfield in the left is in Austria, buildings in the right are in Petržalka, largest borough of Bratislava

road from Kittsee (AT) to Jarovce (SK)

when you cross the highway, you will reach SPA (special protected area) Sysľovské polia - wintering grounds of Great Bustard (Otis tarda)

central part of SPA, entrance is allowed only with special permission, if you have a spotting scope you needn't go further

southern part of SPA Sysľovské polia

and this is what I found - female of rare and in Slovakia critically endangered Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus)

If you liked it and want to explore this area in the future feel free to drop me an email or some tweet.

More information on the military fortification in Bratislava can be found here.

Important note! Entrance into the SPA Sysľovské polia is prohibited due to the nature protection. All my photos and observations were made outside or on legally accessible roads.