Small Austrian circuit

Few free hours between two bike delivery stints in Bratislava. Why not to have a ride to nearby Austrian fields. When you are in Bratislava you needn't go into the Small Carpathians, along the Danube or visit Morava floodplain. Even the flat landscape to the south from Bratislava offers fine opportunities for a bike ride and even a birder can have an interesting sightings. My route went through Kittsee across Pama to Gattendorf. Then I turned to the southeast direction along Leitha River to Zurndorf and then another 90° turn towards Deutsch Jahrndorf. From Deutsch Jahrndorf I rode back to Pama and have reached Bratislava across Kittsee and Petržalka. It's approximately only 50 km all together with the start and end in the Bratislava city center. Bike trails in Austria are well marked so it's easy to find your way.

My main intention was to find out if there are any flooded fields or meadows after the winter. These wet habitats are attracting wader bird species during the spring migration. And sometimes even flocks of gulls or ducks. I had a nice spring feeling while I was riding between Kittsee and Pama. Skylarks and Crested Larks were singing in the skies, European Hares were running all around. I was hoping to observe my first Marsh Harrier of the season, but only few Kestrels and Common Buzzards appeared. Next to the Zurndorf I turned my eyes up to the sky and spotted 3 White-tailed Eagles soaring really really high. On the road to Deutsch Jahrndorf I finally found some flooded fields. Few hundreds of Lapwings accompanied by Starlings were enjoying these pools of water. I observed my first Eurasian Teal of the year that was swimming in the flooded field with Mallard couple. I moved towards Deutsch Jahrndorf and another flooded fields and meadows appeared. Three hunting Great Egrets, another flocks of Lapwings, resting gulls but unfortunately Lapwings remained the only wader species to be observed that day. I was running out of the time because of my afternoon bike delivery job, but I managed to spot Red Kite flying over the fields close to Pama.

it is easy to follow the signs

soaring Common Buzzards

Crested Lark next to the highway

fields between Kittsee and Pama

European Hare running for cover

Leitha River near Zurndorf

flooded fields

flooded fields

Northern Lapwing

Lapwing in flight

couple of Mallards followed by a male Eurasian Teal

fields and meadows between Zurndorf and Deutsch Jahrndorf

another flooded area

another flock of Lapwings

Red Kite near Pama

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

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.