Perching Common Kestrel

I found this Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) on my way to our new office. It was perching on wires on the side of the building of Slovak University of Technology at Radlinského street in Bratislava city center.

Birds of prey in urban areas of Bratislava 2013

I realized that I regularly observe Sparrowhawks, Kestrels and sometimes other birds of prey as I walk just down the streets of Bratislava. I will try to make a list of these observations and adding updates from time to time. May be I'll have interesting set of data in the end of the year. I will mention only those observations in which birds were observed in (or flying over) urban areas or in very close distance to urbanized areas.
Check the map:

• Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) - yellow pin
• Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) - light blue pin
• Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) - red pin
• Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) - deep pink pin
• Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) - purple pin
• Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) - green pin

View Birds of prey in Bratislava 2013 in a larger map

January 4
   Kestrel (c 8:15, Eurovea, BA I, flyover)
January 6
   Sparrowhawk (c 15:30, sport river harbor, BA II, flyover)
January 10
   Sparrowhawk (c 11:00, Ružinovská, BA II sitting on aerial)
January 14
   Sparrowhawk (14:05, Miletičova market, BA II flyover)
January 16
   Sparrowhawk (8:15, Sasinkova, BA I, flyover)
January 19
   Hen Harrier (morning, Devínska Nová Ves, BA IV, flying down the river, brown bird)
   Goshawk (afternoon, Devín castle, BA V, flyover)
January 23
   Common Buzzard (13:05, Rusovská cesta, BA V, flyover)
January 27
   Peregrine Falcon (11:18, flyover from Hviezdoslavovo nám. over Danube to Incheba tower with caught Feral Pigeon, BA I, BA V)
   Sparrowhawk (12:20, garden of presidential palace, BA I, flyover)
   Kestrel (16:00, Most SNP bridge, BA I, flyover)
January 31
   Sparrowhawk (c 12:00, Devínska Nová Ves - Na mýte, BA IV, flyover)

February 3
   Kestrel (12:00, SAV, BA I, flyover)
   Sparrowhawk (14:20, Ondrejský cintorín/cemetery/ - Ulica 29.augusta, BA I, flyover)
February 7
   Peregrine Falcon (14:48, Sad Janka Kráľa public park, BA V, flyover)
   Sparrowhawk (16:20, Štúrova, flyover)
February 11
   Sparrowhawk (c 13:00, Medická záhrada public garden, BA I, flyover)
February 14
   Kestrel (16:33, Stein old brewery, BA I, sitting on a chimney)
February 15
   Sparrowhawk (c 15:21, Koceľova, BA II, flyover)
February 16
   Sparrowhawk (c 12:30, Malé Pálenisko, BA II, roosting on tree)
February 17
   Sparrowhawk (14:40, ČOV Vlčie hrdlo, BA II, flyover)
   Sparrowhawk (16:35, Mariánska, BA I, flyover)
February 23
   Sparrowhawk (13:56, Moskovská, BA I, flyover)
   Sparrowhawk (14:39, Strážnická, BA I, flyover)
   Kestrel (14:38, Strážnická, BA I, flyover)
   Peregrine Falcon (16:14, Hlavné námestie, BA I, flyover)
February 28
   Kestrel (13:04, Štefanovičova, BA I, soaring over area)

March 3
   Sparrowhawk (17:00, Devínska Nová Ves - Na mýte, BA IV, flyover)
March 5
   Buteo sp. Buzzard (15:45 - 15:48, flying over Danube from port southwards, BA II, possible Buteo rufinus!)
March 7
   Kestrel (11:05, Čajkovského, BA I, flyover)
   Kestrel (11:13, Kýčerského, BA I, soaring over area, possibly the same bird in both occasions)
March 8
   Kestrel (16:55, Panská, BA I, flyover)
   Kestrel (17:13-17:15, 17:39-17:50, Stein old brewery, BA I, perching on aerial and chimney)
March 9
   Sparrowhawk (c 17:20, Malé Pálenisko, BA II, flyover)
March 10
   3 Kestrels (13:00-16:00, Devín castle rock, BA IV, flying around and perching on castle rock)
   Common Buzzard (15:30, Devín, BA IV, soaring over village)
   Kestrel (17:00, Panská, BA I, flyover)
March 11
   Kestrel (14:38, Stein old brewery, BA I, flyover)
March 13
   Kestrel (14:08, Americké námestie, BA I, soaring)
March 17
   Sparrowhawk (16:14, Krížna, BA I, flyover)
March 19
   Kestrel (17:52, Stein old brewery, BA I, perching on aerial)
March 29
   Kestrel (12:35-12:52, Stein old brewery, BA I, perching on aerial and roof)
March 30
   Kestrel (12:00, Legionárska, BA I, flyover)

April 1
   Sparrowhawk (c14:00, Rusovce, BA V, flyover)
April 7
   Kestrel (16:10, Hodžovo námestie, BA I, flyover)
April 8
   Kestrel (9:59, Krížna, BA I, flyover)
   Kestrel (18:30 - 18:31, Stein old brewery, BA I, 3 birds flyover, 2 of them soaring a while later)

Winter waterbird census - January II.

[Sunday, January 15, 2012]

On Sunday I visited the area of seepage channel that lies on the northern side of Hrušovská zdrž water dam. It lies in IBA Dunajské luhy I began in Hamuliakovo and then I headed northwards alongside the channel to its end near Slovnaft, Bratislava. This was the third time this winter that I have made census of wintering water birds on this location. Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis) were in largest number of all observed bird species as usual in winter on this site. I have got a few short glimpses over the vast area of the dam, but it was very windy so I spent checking it only few minutes. Here you can check the map of my Sunday's counting section. Numbers of observed water birds on the counting section: Mute Swan 120, Mallard 21, Tufted Duck 126, Pochard 1, Little Grebe 268, Moorhen 3, Coot 36.

sunday morning in Hamuliakovo

sunday morning in Hamuliakovo (HDR try)

by the channel

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

List of observed bird species:

Common Pheasant  (Phasianus colchicus)  1 
Mute Swan  (Cygnus olor)  120 
Mallard  (Anas platyrhynchos)  21 
Pochard  (Aythya ferina)  1 
Tufted Duck  (Aythya fuligula)  126 
Common Goldeneye  (Bucephala clangula)   
Smew  (Mergellus albellus)  1  female
Little Grebe  (Tachybaptus ruficollis)  268 
Great Crested Grebe  (Podiceps cristatus)   
Great Egret  (Egretta alba)  1 
Pygmy Cormorant  (Microcarbo pygmeus)  1 
Great Cormorant  (Phalacrocorax carbo)   
Hen Harrier  (Circus cyaneus)  1 
Sparrowhawk  (Accipiter nisus)  1 
Common Buzzard  (Buteo buteo)  3 
Common Kestrel  (Falco tinnunculus)  1 
Moorhen  (Gallinula chloropus)  3 
Coot  (Fulica atra)  36 
Black-headed Gull  (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)   
Feral Pigeon  (Columba livia f   domestica)   
Hooded Crow  (Corvus cornix)   
Great Tit  (Parus major)   
Blue Tit  (Cyanistes caeruleus)   
Blackbird  (Turdus merula)   
Robin  (Erithacus rubecula)   
Tree Sparrow  (Passer montanus)   
Chaffinch  (Fringilla coelebs)   
Goldfinch  (Carduelis carduelis)   
Large Gull  (Larus cachinnans/michahellis) 
number of individuals is mentioned only if we were able to count them or make an estimation; "H" means that we heard it