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)

Urban Blackbird

This Blackbird pair is truly urban breeder. I found its nest 3 years in a row in the same section of Poštová street in the centre of Bratislava. In 2011 in letter "C", in 2012 40m away on the other side of street on the top of small electronic box and in 2013 in letter "E". The meaning of the sign is "Paper store".
...
Note: I reviewed some older observations of my friend and colleague Ján Dobšovič and I found out, that in 2010 Blackbird was breeding in letter "E" too. Link to that sighting.

Thrush street

I took a short walk in my borough. Just 300m from my flat I spotted small flock of c35 Waxwings. I turned into the Strážnická street. Mistle Thrush was calling from the treetop. Then I stopped at the crossing with Moskovská street. I just took short look at small tree with several Blackbirds. In a minute there was Redwing and later one more. Two Fieldfares appeared and surprisingly one Song Thrush too. It is almost unbelievable that you can spot 5 from 6 Slovak Turdus sp.Thrushes in one street in the center of Bratislava. Ring Ouzel will come in the end of March and certainly couldn't be spotted here as it breeds in mountainous regions outside big towns. In addition I found male Black Redstart on the roof of nearby embassy, Kestrel and 2 Sparrowhawks flew over my head. 

Later in the afternoon I observed Peregrine Falcon as it flew over Main square (Hlavné námestie) and c15000 Rooks mixed with Jackdaws that were gathering over Danube before flight to their night roost site.

What an amazing day! Let's check the photos from "Thrush street":

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)

location of Thrush tree

Redwing  up, Redwing down

Redwing (Turdus iliacus)

Redwing and Waxwing I

Redwing and Waxwing II

Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)

From port to park

I made another walk in urban areas of Bratislava. Started home, walked through old Ružinov where I found 130 Waxwings roosting in the tree. Then I checked the basins of port on Danube. I spotted just one Coot, male Pochard, male Mallard and Great Cormorant flew along. I crossed the river and walked on the embankment upstream to the Sad Janka Kráľa public park. There was European Hare pair running across thin strip of floodplain forest that lies between the Danube and embankment. At first I just heard some knocking on the wood, then I found fresh holes in the tree and male Black Woodpecker appeared in the moment. Great Spotted Woodpecker sat on the top of dry tree. The park showed its usual  inhabitants and seasonal guests: Great Tit, Nuthatch, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon and few others. Squirrel was hiding just two meters from the park sidewalk.

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)

Danube river port

Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)

Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)

Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Great Tit (Parus major)

Nuthatch (Sitta europea)

Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

Squirrel

List of observed bird species:
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)

Urban Birding in Bratislava

[Tuesday, March 6, 2012]

I had to go to downtown Bratislava. I put spotting scope into my backpack and hoped there will be enough afternoon light to visit some interesting place. I was close to green island in the centre of the town. It is composed of public garden next to the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University. Its name is "Medická záhrada".

Medická záhrada

Medická záhrada

The other part of that green island is old cemetery called "Ondrejský cintorín". Man can find there old trees, mixture of conifers and deciduous trees. It is real oasis for birds in the centre of Bratislava. 

Ondrejský cintorín

Ondrejský cintorín

Instead of words it is better to see what man can find in the lawns and trees of cemetery:

Greenfinch - Carduelis chloris

Greenfinch - Carduelis chloris

Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus

Great Tit - Parus major

Green Woodpecker - Picus viridis

Green Woodpecker - Picus viridis

Syrian Woodpecker - Dendrocopos syriacus

Song Thrush - Turdus philomelos

Blackbird - Turdus merula

Blackbird - Turdus merula with signs of leucism

List of observed bird species in area of cemetery:

Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)