"S" for Spring

Spring started to show its signs and I was still missing couple of wintering birds in my yearlist. As a coincidence my today's target species begin with "S" - Scaup and Smew. I didn't want to wait till late November to spot them so I decided to take 18km long birdwalk along Danube from Dobrohošť to Čunovo. This part of Danube is wintering site for both species. 

Small flock of c15 Waxwings appeared just minute after I left home. On my way to bus station I found Snowdrops ("S" as coincidence). I took bus to Dobrohošť. As I was approaching Danube shipping channel I spotted flock of c130 birds. They were Starlings ("S" again) and Fieldfares. Just a while later my first spring Skylark (what about "S"?) was flying up from Danube's channel embankment and tried to sing with shy voice. I was scanning flocks of Tufted Ducks and Common Goldeneyes for my targets. After 1,5 hour I found  male Scaup and few whiles later 3 females too. The bird that was identified as male Scaup was hybrid of Pochard and Tufted Duck. 3 female Scaup remained in the list. First target species was ticked. Meanwhile I spotted Pygmy Cormorants, Goosanders, Gadwalls, Buzzards and Sparrowhawk. I was thankful for gloves and cap as wind was blowing in my face all the way. 12 kilometres against the wind were in my legs as day's goal was fulfilled. I found Smew pair (species with "S" once more). Yearlist jumped to number 90. I continued along Danubiana gallery. Two dozens of Pochards appeared and another large flock of Goldeneyes. As I was checking this part of water surface I registered panic among waterfowl and cormorants. I was looking for White-tailed Eagles but I didn't see any. Few minutes later I spotted a pair of them soaring high in the sky over gallery. 

Here is a bunch of phonescoped record shots from today:

filling channel of old river-arm system

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Great Egret (Egretta alba)

Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus)

male Scaup (Aythya marila) left, female Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) right

male Scaup (Aythya marila) hybrid Pochard x Tufted Duck right, male Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) left

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

vast water surface of Danube's channel

male Goosander (Mergus merganser) up, Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) down

Gadwalls (Anas strepera)

literally record shot of Smews (Mergellus albellus)

Pochards (Aythya ferina)

Danubiana gallery

Tea time! (Mao Jian)

Pygmy Cormorants

site where Pygmy Cormorants were sitting

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

List of observed species during the day in Bratislava and along Danube:
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Smew (Mergellus albellus)
Goosander (Mergus merganser)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Egretta alba)
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Common Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)