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

Close encounter with Sparrowhawk

I was just starting my day of bicycle delivery service in the streets of Bratislava center. I entered wrong courtyard by mistake (I was supposed to go to the neighbouring house). Surprisingly I found Sparrowhawk on the ground as it was tearing feathers from caught Feral Pigeon. I took few photos, short video and I went to make my delivery. It was short but amazing encounter with the beauty and cruelty of nature in the urban environment.

 

 

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.

Bikebirding in Morava floodplain

Ordinary afternoon bikebirding trip was targeted on Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria), that I still miss in my yearlist. I didn't find it but instead I was lucky to spot some other great birds. To be honest I didn't await to spot Grasshopper Warbler or Little Bittern. But it must have been some kind of reward for time spent outdoors. Beside it I will mention just few highlights: adult Eastern Imperial Eagle, 6 Red Kite, 5+ Black Stork, Great Egret, 3 Turtle Dove, Savi's Warbler or Spotted Flycatcher. Full list of observed birds can be found after the photos.

floodplain meadows

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

meadows where Black Storks were roosting

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)

singing male Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia)

List of recorded bird species:
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia )
Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
European Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)
Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Northern Raven (Corvus corax)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris)
Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina)
Common Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia)
Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides)
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Common Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)
Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

Bike trip to the White Stork colony in Marchegg

Flat areas of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) are perfect for various bike tours. Bike & pedestrian bridge over Morava River made it easy to access this region from Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. Less than 30 km away lies Marchegg. It is known as "Stork town" as you can find the largest White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) tree colony in Central Europe just behind the embankment in the floodplain forest of Morava River. It usually consists of 50-75 active nests in the canopies of the floodplain forest. Beside the colony of White Storks I observed colonies of two other bird species - European Bee-Eaters (Merops apiaster) breed at Sandberg in Devínska Nová Ves and Sand Martins (Riparia riparia) breed on the banks of gravel pit westwards from Marchegg-bahnhof. This time of the year is also perfect for birds of prey. I've spotted Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), pair of White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) and Black Kite (Milvus migrans) from the observation tower in the colony. Male Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) flew over my head near Schlosshof, Red Kite (Milvus milvus) was soaring over the Morava River and I've spotted several hunting Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) and Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo). I was lucky enough to spot Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus) or Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur). Beside the birds I've seen young Roe Deer, several European Hares and a European Pond Turtle. Full list of observed bird species can be found in the end of this post.

Few photos from my bike trip from Bratislava to Marchegg:

confluence of Danube (left) and Morava (right)

colony of European Bee-eaters is hidden in the lower slopes of Sandberg

bike and pedestrian bridge over Morava River

meadows and river-arms on the Austrian side of the river

late spring can be colourful

approaching Marchegg - the Stork town

path to the observation tower

panoramic view of the colony from the observation tower

around 20 White Stork nests can be seen from the tower

...somebody lost his head

distribution of White Storks - breeding-red, winter-yellow

below the tower, some of the nesting trees are really close

floodplain forest near the colony

nearby lake, European Pond Turtles can be spotted here

colony of Sand Martins is on the opposite bank of the gravel pit

List of observed bird species:
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia )
Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
European Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris)
Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Common Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)