Winter waterbird census - February

[Saturday, February 18, 2012]

Can you imagine that cloudy day you walk the damp grass, muddy roads with scarce snow and ice can be perfect day of birdwatching? After the two weeks of strong frosts came few days with snow and rain and terrain changed its face to that you don't like. I started my usual counting section in Hamuliakovo. I took few looks on the surface of Hrušovská zdrž water dam. After mentioned frosts it is fully covered with ice with few exceptional places of unfrozen water. I found group of Smews (Mergellus albellus), few Goosanders (Mergus merganser), bunch of Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula) and Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula). And as bonus a pair of Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus) and pair of Great Scaups (Aythya marila). Pretty fine for just 20 minutes.

Smew - Mergellus albellus

Pygmy Cormorant - Microcarbo pygmeus

Wigeons, Gadwall and Coots

Then I moved to the seepage channel that I came to count. I spotted few Gadwalls (Anas strepera) and this surprise lasted on all 12,5 km long counting section as I finished by number 42 - my largest ever count of Gadwalls in one day. I've added plenty of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), Tufted Ducks and Pochards (Aythya ferina). 19 Wigeons (Anas penelope) made me smile along with my first sighting of Pygmy Cormorant on this counting section. Surprisingly (may be the result of the frosts) the largest counts were not made by Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis) - only 86, but by Coots (Fulica atra) - 583. In the final part of seepage channel I found  Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) with yellow neckband ("19CK"). I wrote an e-mail to guy that is in contact with all-european ringers and he informed me that Swan was ringed in Poland but we need to wait for further information.

seepage channell

frozen dam

frozen dam

Numbers of observed birds on the counting section: Mute Swan 121, Mallard 219, Gadwall 42, Wigeon 19, Tufted Duck 228, Pochard 105, Little Grebe 86, Grey Heron 2, Great Cormorant 1, Pygmy Cormorant 2, Moorhen 3, Coot 583.

Mute Swan with neckband

In addition I have got very good sighting of Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius). Even though I needed to hurry to catch my bus back home  it was a beautiful day of birdwatching with my largest number of observed bird species in one day this year with total 42 species.

List of observed bird species:

Common Pheasant  (Phasianus colchicus) 3
Mute Swan  (Cygnus olor) 140
Gadwall  (Anas strepera) 42
Wigeon  (Anas penelope) 19
Mallard  (Anas platyrhynchos) 250
Pochard  (Aythya ferina) 120
Tufted Duck  (Aythya fuligula) 250
Greater Scaup  (Aythya marila) 2
Common Goldeneye  (Bucephala clangula) 100
Smew  (Mergellus albellus) 8
Goosander  (Mergus merganser) 6
Little Grebe  (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 86
Great Crested Grebe  (Podiceps cristatus) 1
Grey Heron  (Ardea cinerea) 2
Pygmy Cormorant  (Microcarbo pygmeus) 4
Great Cormorant  (Phalacrocorax carbo) 3
Common Buzzard  (Buteo buteo) 4
Common Kestrel  (Falco tinnunculus) 1
Moorhen  (Gallinula chloropus) 3
Coot  (Fulica atra) 600
Black-headed Gull  (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull  (Larus cachinnans/michahellis) 20
Feral Pigeon  (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove  (Streptopelia decaocto) 15
Great Spotted Woodpecker  (Dendrocopos major) 3, H - drumming
Black Woodpecker  (Dryocopus martius) 1
Jay  (Garrulus glandarius) 1
Common Magpie  (Pica pica) 4
Rook  (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow  (Corvus cornix) 3
Great Tit  (Parus major)
Blue Tit  (Cyanistes caeruleus) 1
Long-tailed Tit  (Aegithalos caudatus) 3
Wren  (Troglodytes troglodytes) 1
Blackbird  (Turdus merula) 6
Fieldfare  (Turdus pilaris) 30
Robin  (Erithacus rubecula) 1, H
House Sparrow  (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow  (Passer montanus)
Goldfinch  (Carduelis carduelis) 5
Yellowhammer  (Emberiza citrinella) 3
unidentified Goose  (Anser sp.)
number of individuals is mentioned only if we were able to count them or make an estimation; "H" means that we heard it