Early February in Morava Floodplain

After the lifeticks earlier in the week I decided to make a birding walk in Morava floodplain NW from Bratislava. Area offers good habitats for birds of prey. I hoped to spot at least Red Kites or White-tailed Eagles. Near the waste dumping site I found at least 9 Red Kites. I observed short flyover of male Hen Harrier over the embankment. Pair of White-tailed Eagles was roosting in the meadow. After spotting my first Great Grey Shrike of the year I was already satisfied with the walk. I didn't know that I will have an opportunity to spot pair of Eastern Imperial Eagles and as I will walk to railway stop back home I'll find Water Pipit and Green Sandpiper feeding on the gravel bank of Morava River.

Check the photos and list of observed bird species during the day.

morning in Lamač

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

floodplain meadows

Red Kite (Milvus milvus)

Goosander (Mergus merganser)

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

White-tailed Eagles well hidden in the grass

Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)

Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)

tea birding as usual - Bao Zhong oolong from Taiwan

List of observed bird species:
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Goosander (Mergus merganser)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Egretta alba)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

"S" for Spring

Spring started to show its signs and I was still missing couple of wintering birds in my yearlist. As a coincidence my today's target species begin with "S" - Scaup and Smew. I didn't want to wait till late November to spot them so I decided to take 18km long birdwalk along Danube from Dobrohošť to Čunovo. This part of Danube is wintering site for both species. 

Small flock of c15 Waxwings appeared just minute after I left home. On my way to bus station I found Snowdrops ("S" as coincidence). I took bus to Dobrohošť. As I was approaching Danube shipping channel I spotted flock of c130 birds. They were Starlings ("S" again) and Fieldfares. Just a while later my first spring Skylark (what about "S"?) was flying up from Danube's channel embankment and tried to sing with shy voice. I was scanning flocks of Tufted Ducks and Common Goldeneyes for my targets. After 1,5 hour I found  male Scaup and few whiles later 3 females too. The bird that was identified as male Scaup was hybrid of Pochard and Tufted Duck. 3 female Scaup remained in the list. First target species was ticked. Meanwhile I spotted Pygmy Cormorants, Goosanders, Gadwalls, Buzzards and Sparrowhawk. I was thankful for gloves and cap as wind was blowing in my face all the way. 12 kilometres against the wind were in my legs as day's goal was fulfilled. I found Smew pair (species with "S" once more). Yearlist jumped to number 90. I continued along Danubiana gallery. Two dozens of Pochards appeared and another large flock of Goldeneyes. As I was checking this part of water surface I registered panic among waterfowl and cormorants. I was looking for White-tailed Eagles but I didn't see any. Few minutes later I spotted a pair of them soaring high in the sky over gallery. 

Here is a bunch of phonescoped record shots from today:

filling channel of old river-arm system

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Great Egret (Egretta alba)

Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus)

male Scaup (Aythya marila) left, female Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) right

male Scaup (Aythya marila) hybrid Pochard x Tufted Duck right, male Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) left

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

vast water surface of Danube's channel

male Goosander (Mergus merganser) up, Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) down

Gadwalls (Anas strepera)

literally record shot of Smews (Mergellus albellus)

Pochards (Aythya ferina)

Danubiana gallery

Tea time! (Mao Jian)

Pygmy Cormorants

site where Pygmy Cormorants were sitting

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

List of observed species during the day in Bratislava and along Danube:
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Smew (Mergellus albellus)
Goosander (Mergus merganser)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Egretta alba)
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Common Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)
 

Saturday birdwatching on Danube

After several visits in the northern outskirts of Bratislava near River Morava I decided to change my direction and went to check Danube. Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir is an important migration and wintering spot in Central Europe. I took spotting scope and my binoculars and went out to check if there are already first autumn guests or not. I found 3 different dabbling duck species beside Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) - 7 Gadwall (Anas strepera), 6 Wigeon (Anas penelope), 15 Teal (Anas crecca). I've spotted one female Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina), 5 female Goosander (Mergus merganser) and first few hundreds of Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula) and Common Pochards (Aythya ferina) that used to winter in this area. There were plenty of White Wagtails (Motacilla alba) and one Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea). It might be there more of them, but I spotted only one. I haven't seen any waders nor Pygmy Cormorants. May be there will be some of them in later weeks. 

I think this is enough writing. It's better to check photos, videos and list of observed birds on Hrušovská zdrž water dam and Čunovo surroundings. Photos and videos of birds are digiscoped using my HTC Desire S smartphone.

Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)

Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)

juvenile Yellow-legged or Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)

River Danube below Danubiana

female Goosanders (Mergus merganser)

River Danube below dam

posing Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

sleeping Teals (Anas crecca)

upper parts of water reservoir

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Great Egret (Egretta alba)

List of observed bird species:
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Teal (Anas crecca)
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Goosander (Mergus merganser)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Egretta alba)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Magpie (Pica pica)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)