"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)
 

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