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).

Bird migration on Danube in early September

Hrušovská zdrž water dam on Danube below Bratislava is an important migration stop for plenty of birds. I had several interesting sightings last few days, mostly waders. 3 lifers + 2 Slovakia list additions.

Thursday, September 5: 2 Lapwings, 2 Ringed Plovers - yearlist addition, Curlew - my first ever in Slovakia, 8 Dunlins, 3 Wood Sandpipers, 3 Little Egrets, flock of c3000 Starlings

Friday, September 6: 15 Ringed Plovers, late Little Ringed Plover, 5 Curlews, rare Red Knot - lifer, 42 Dunlins, Greenshank - yearlist addition, 5 Little Egrets

Sunday, September 8: 13 Ringed Plovers, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Curlews, 52 Dunlins, 6 Sanderlings - lifer, 8 Little Stints - my first ever in Slovakia, 6 Curlew Sandpipers - another lifer, Ruff, 3 Shovelers, 30+ Teals, 6 Little Egrets singing Chiffchaff, Kingfisher

Sunday, September 15: 5 Curlews - probably the same as last weekend, 13 Dunlins, 3 Grey Plovers - my first ever in Slovakia, Common Snipe, 6 Little Egrets, 5 Great Egrets, singing Chiffchaff, Kingfisher, Wheatear - lifer, White-tailed Eagle, Osprey and Canada Goose - present since end of June, may be it is an escapee

Lake Tisza and Hortobágy in September

We needed to make some arrangements before our October trip to Hortobágy in Hungary. We visited Ecocentre at Lake Tisza, checked our accomodation, tasted local cuisine and of course we did some birdwatching.

 view on the vast surface of Lake Tisza from the tower of Ecocentre in Poroszló

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) landed on the small channel next to the tower, beside it there was a juvenile Night Heron

trail on the lake is accesible only with a boat

wooden trail in the reeds of Lake Tisza

one of 4 Ferruginous Ducks (Aythya nyroca) on the lake

surface of the lake is covered with the water plants

two of 4 Little Crakes (Porzana parva) that we observed from the first hide

Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus)

fields in puszta - on this site we spotted unbelievable 40+ Red-footed Falcons (Falco vespertinus)

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) along with Teal (Anas crecca)

List of observed bird species:
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Teal (Anas crecca)
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) 4
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) 2
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 3
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) 2; yearlist addition
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) 2
Great Egret (Egretta alba) 5
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus) 3
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 2; yearlist addition
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) 40+; lifelist and yearlist addition
Hobby (Falco subbuteo)
Little Crake (Porzana parva) 4; lifelist and yearlist addition
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) c50
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
unidentified Woodpecker(Dendrocopos sp.)
Magpie (Pica pica)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus) 10
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) 1; yearlist addition
Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Bike birding on floodplains of Morava

I guided another watching.sk bike birding trip. We have visited floodplain along Morava River. Full of meadows, wetlands and dead river-arms. Best sightings were 2 Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus), Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea), 10+ Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta), 2 adult and 2 juvenile White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). You can read more about the observed species here.

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)

bike birders

meadow near dead river-arm

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)