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.

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

100 urban bird species this year and counting...

I was guiding a bird walk in Petržalka this morning. Our targets were common bird species of local waterbodies as Mute Swans, Coots or Black-headed Gull. We were exploring quiet corners of nature in this large borough of Bratislava, mostly comprised of blocks of flats. Last year in the beginning of November (9.11.2012) we observed Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) on Lake Veľký Draždiak. Today we had a reprise. Beside me and my colleague Katka there were also participants of our guided walk, that have spotted this unusual bird as well. Until today I have observed 99 various bird species in the urban areas of Bratislava this year. It couldn't be any better than reaching magical "100" with such a stunning bird as Black-throated Loon really is. I tried to make proper documentation so here are the results: 

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica)

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) with Mute Swans (Cygnus olor)

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) before diving

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica)

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) in the rain

I think you may have enough of this Loon, so here is a little bonus of the other species observed today. Kingfisher was another addition to my urban yearlist.

Treecreeper (Certhia sp.), probably common one (C. familiaris)

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) - nr. 101 in my urban Bratislava yearlist

Coot (Fulica atra)

adult Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in winter plumage

First winter guests on Danube

I made another birdwatching bike ride. Despite it is November already, the weather was pleasant. I rode along Danube and I made several stops to check the surface of Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir for newly arrived winter or migration guests. I got my only second sighting of Shelducks (Tadorna tadorna) in Slovakia. Ten of them were swimming in compact flock along with thousands of other ducks. First Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) appeared. There was a group of 13 Goosanders (Mergus merganser). Beside Tufted Ducks and Mallards the numbers of Teals (Anas crecca) and Wigeons (Anas penelope) are arising. I counted 83 Teals and c130 Wigeons today. I spotted only 2 Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus), but at least I know first of these unusual migrants are here. Pygmy Cormorants migrate not southwards but to the northwest from the Danube delta. In the peak of winter we could have here up to 1000 birds. In addition I observed Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) for a while and flyover of a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).  Great Egret (Egretta alba) with something like tumour on its leg need to be mentioned as well. I'm not sure if it will survive winter.

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

signs of presence of Beavers

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

pair of Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus) in the right

Great Egret (Egretta alba) with tumour on its leg

numbers of waterbirds are beginning to rise

flock of 10 Shelducks (Tadorna tadorna)

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Teals (Anas crecca)

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

List of recorded birds:

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) c250
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) 10
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 1
Wigeon (Anas penelope) 130+
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2000
Teal (Anas crecca) 83
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) 3
Pochard (Aythya ferina) 50
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) 700
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 8
Goosander (Mergus merganser) 13
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) c20
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) 20+
Great Egret (Egretta alba) 2
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus) 2
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 200+
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) 1
Coot (Fulica atra) c100
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) 1
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) 1, calling
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

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

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

Afternoon walk along Danube

Karloveské rameno - Danube's river arm

one of two male Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Black-headed (Larus ridibundus) and Common Gulls (Larus canus)

Danube near center

hybrid Crow (Corvus corone x cornix) with some food, Common Gull (Larus canus) tried to steal it

pair of Jackdaws (Coloeus monedula)

List of observed bird species:
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 26
Pochard (Aythya ferina) 1
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) 1
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 2
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 1
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 250
Common Gull (Larus canus) 30
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis) 1
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica) 4
Common Magpie (Pica pica) 1
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula) 6
Rook (Corvus frugilegus) 3
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) 6
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) 2
Great Tit (Parus major) 8
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) 2
Blackbird (Turdus merula) 3
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) 5
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) 1
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) 1
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) 4