Bad weather birding

Low grey clouds were hanging over Bratislava. Occasional showers, last gasps of leaving winter. In spite of that I decided to take a walk on Sunday afternoon. And it was worth of it. I observed first Blackcap of the year. I found Coal Tits on two different places. And enjoyed bathing Blackbird and House Sparrows. Every day is a fine day for birding. Sparrows, Blackbirds or Hooded Crows deserve our attention too!

male Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Coal Tit (Periparus ater)

Coal Tit (Periparus ater)

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

bathing Blackbird and House Sparrows

House Sparrow is having a drink while Blackbird is enjoying bath

Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix)

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.

 

 

White-tailed Eagle census on Danube

Last Saturday of January is a date, when annual census of wintering White-tailed Eagles on Slovak section of Danube is taking place. I was one of few tens of volunteers who decided to spent 5 hours on the assigned observation point somewhere between Devín and Štúrovo. After previous years' censuses that I spent further down the stream of Danube below Bratislava, this year I was assigned to the point in the outskirts of Petržalka. It is less than 1,5 km from the nearest blocks of flats and less than 1km away from the sewage plant. 

It was snowing in the morning. Clouds were grey and low. Not the best conditions for birdwatching. Despite the fact, one of the first observed birds was a Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). In following 1,5 hour I observed its several flyovers.

High voltage powerlines, distant chimneys of the Slovnaft oil refinery, mounds of gravel. One would say that nothing special could be seen here.

The skies were slowly clearing. On the surface of Danube were flocks of Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula), Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) and few Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) were diving for fish. 

Several Geese (Anser sp.) flocks were flying in the heights. Danube is an amazing highway for migrating birds.

It is a highway for cargo ships as well.

Tufties and Goldeneyes were flushed several time by the passing ships.

Four Great Egrets (Ardea alba) flew over. Another highlights were 3 Goosanders (Mergus merganser) and distant calling Raven (Corvus corax).

Beside Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) I spotted also some soaring Common Gulls (Larus canus). 

While waiting for White-tailed Eagles I observed few other birds of prey species - Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus).

 

After almost 4 hours of waiting there was finally a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). It was flying towards my observation point.

 

Beautiful adult White-tailed Eagle with glowing white wedge-shaped tail started to soar over my head. In a while another White-tailed Eagle appeared. It was a brown-tailed juvenile. They were soaring together for a few minutes and were slowly flying away from me. After 10 minutes it was all over.

 

 

Finally time for writing down some precious data. Juvenile White-tailed Eagle showed itself again in 5 minutes and in a couple of minutes was gone from my sight. (Red arrow shows my observation point)

Bratislava offers plenty of possibilities for birdwatching. One can choose walk in the city parks or around urban lakes. But there is an amazing fact that Danube is a super highway for migrating birds and species such as White-tailed Eagle, Kingfisher, Goosander or Great Egret could be spotted so close to the center of the Slovak capital.

Day with ringed gull can't be dull

It was an ordinary Monday afternoon in Bratislava center. Only plans were to join my friends in wintering Peregrine Falcons count. I was slowly moving towards Most SNP bridge where was my observation point. In the winter several flocks of Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) use to occupy pontoons on Danube. Sometimes accompanied by few Common Gulls (Larus canus). In this case it was just monotonous roosting flock of Black-headed Gulls in winter plumage. 

Despite this fact I started to check their legs for rings. Surprisingly I found one in a short period of time. It was an adult with metallic ring on its left leg and white darvic ring with black code on the right leg. It took me a while, but I read the code succesfully - Z41A. 

I was already leaving when I spotted another gull with ring. It was really close. I took few record shots and tried to solve the metallic ring as well. The result was interesting. The rings were from Poland as I was able to read "Gdańsk", which is the name of city on the Baltic coast.

 In this case it was a juvenile Black-headed Gull with white darvic ring T26L on the right leg.

I spent the rest time of the afternoon searching for Peregrines. I found one, but it wasn't on my point so it was "officially" counted by my colleague. Altogether we counted two Peregrine Falcons in Bratislava. 

Back to the gulls. When I came home I immediately checked the EURING website for the schemes to send reports about my observations. In few days I received replies. 

Z41A was ringed year ago (January 20, 2014) as an adult (3+ years) on River Vltava in the center of Prague, Czech Republic. Interesting fact was that just few days ago (January 8, 2015) this gull was still in Prague. It covered at least 300 km in following days.

T26L was ringed just this autumn (October 1, 2014) as a juvenile in Gdańsk, Poland. Direct distance between Gdańsk and Bratislava is 700 km. It is amazing that these young birds are capable of such long journeys.

These nice observations just gave me an acknowledgment, that it's worth of it to have a closer look even on the common birds. Ringed birds are full of surprises, big stories and fantastic natural journeys.

Yearlist 2015

January 1, 2015
1. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
2. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
3. Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
4. Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
5. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
6. Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
7. Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
8. Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
9. Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
10. Mew Gull (Larus canus)
11. Feral Pigeon (Columba livia )
12. Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
13. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
14. European Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
15. Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
16. Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
17. Western Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
18. Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
19. Carrion Cow (Corvus corone)
20. Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
21. Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
22. Great Tit (Parus major)
23. Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
24. Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
25. Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
26. Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
27. European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
28. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
29. Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
30. Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
31. Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
32. European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
33. European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

January 2, 2015
34. Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
35. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor)
36. Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
37. Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

January 3, 2015
38. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
39. Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
40. Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
41. Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
42. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
43. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
44. Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
45. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
46. Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)
47. Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)

January 6, 2015
48. Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
49. Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)

January 8, 2015
50. Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

January 13, 2015
51. Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus)
52. Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
53. Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
54. Red Kite (Milvus milvus)

January 16, 2015
55. Gadwall (Anas strepera)
56. Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
57. Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
58. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
59. Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus)
60. Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
61. White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
62. Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)
63. Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
64. Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
65. Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius)
66. Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
67. Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus)
68. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
69. Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
70. Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina)
71. Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

January 17, 2015
72. Bean Goose (Anser fabalis)
73. Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

January 18, 2015
74. Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
75. Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)

January 31, 2015
76. Northern Raven (Corvus corax)

February 2, 2015
77. Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
78. Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus)

February 3, 2015
79. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
80. Eurasian Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)

February 5, 2015
81. Smew (Mergellus albellus)
82. Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
83. Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
84. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

February 14, 2015
85. Great Bustard (Otis tarda)
86. Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

February 21, 2015
87. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris)
88. Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)

February 28, 2015
89. Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
90. Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus)

March 1, 2015
91. Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)

March 3, 2015
92. Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

March 7, 2015
93. Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)

March 8, 2015
94. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
95. Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

March 15, 2015
96. Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)

March 17, 2015
97. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collibyta)

March 21, 2015
98. Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
99. Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
100. Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
101. Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)
102. Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
103. Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)

March 26, 2015
104. European Serin (Serinus serinus)

March 29, 2015
105. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
106. Garganey (Anas querquedula)
107. Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

April 5, 2015
108. Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
109. Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
110. Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
111. Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)
112. Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)
113. Eurasian Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)
114. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
115. Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
116. Common Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)

April 11, 2015
117. Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus)
118. Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
119. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
120. Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
121. Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
122. Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
123. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
124. Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
125. Woodlark (Lullula arborea)
126. Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
127. Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides)
128. Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
129. Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)

April 13, 2015
130. Common Swift (Apus apus)

April 19, 2015
131. Common Crane (Grus grus)
132. Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
133. Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
134. Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
135. Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
136. Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)

April 25, 2015
137. Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
138. Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)
139. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
140. Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus)
141. Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
142. Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
143. Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
144. Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
145. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
146. Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
147. Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
148. Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
149. Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
150. Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
151. Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii) - Lifer!!!
152. European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
153. Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)

April 26, 2015
154. Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus)
155. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
156. Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida)
157. Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)

April 28, 2015
158. Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix)
159. European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
160. Corn Crake (Crex crex)

Short urbanbirding walk along Danube

I had some small duties in the city center. There was a bit of spare time so I got off from the tram 3 stops earlier and walked along the Danube river. One may think the grey waters of Danube can't show something special. But I've found a Kingfisher in the city center of Bratislava. Let's have a look on it and some other birds seen during that walk. 

riverbank near PKO

flock of Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula)

pair of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

common Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

winter guest Common Gull (Larus canus)

female Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

pontons along the bank

Kingfisher searching for fish from the anchoring cable of the ponton