Sunny March Afternoon

Just few photos from today's walk in quiet corners of Bratislava:

Danube's blind riverarm

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) and Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

Danube below Prístavný most

Great Tits (Parus major)

Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)

Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) from behind

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)

Walk in the fields

Day started with great observation of flock of 150+ Waxwings. Some of them were roosting on the TV aerial on the opposite roof.

Waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus)

I decided to make a walk across the fields between Rožňava and Jovice. I hoped to spot some uncommon Rough-legged Buzzard. There were only the Common ones and some other birds. Let's check it.

fields between Rožňava and Jovice

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) from behind

Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)

Magpie (Pica pica)

snowy blanket all over

Bulrush (Typha sp.)

I thought that nothing could beat today's Waxwings but I was wrong. To be honest it was an "owlsome" mistake...

somebody is roosting on the chimney...

Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)

Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) from another angle

Walk on Danube's right bank

[Monday, February 20, 2012]

I had spare time around noon, so I decided to make a walk to the right bank of Danube. Man can find 3 bridges in downtowns Bratislava. I crossed river walking the Old bridge. Tens of Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) were swimming on Danube. I have spotted two Little Grebes (Tachybaptus rufficolis) and few Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo). In the grove under the Old bridge I saw some Tits - Great Tit (Parus major), Marsh Tit (Parus palustris), Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) and heard Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius). Then I walked into the park "Sad Janka Kráľa", where man can spot some woodpeckers and passerines that like large canopies of old trees. I saw my first Green woodpecker (Picus viridis) of the year. In the tree-tops were hiding Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorius), Jackdaws (Coloelus monedula), Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) and 4 Greenfinches (Carduelis chloris). I was checking also the undergrowth for same Wrens or Robins, but I found a surprise. Male Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) was hopping and feeding on the ground. I realised immediately that I've found a lifer right in the center of the city. It persuaded me to be not afraid to explore the places that man thinks he already knows. Here are few photos and videos from that walk and in the end you can find the full list of observed bird species.

Bratislava - Šafárikovo námestie

Nový most - New bridge

Danube

Danube - right bank

grove along Danube

Apollo bridge

river port

in the park

in the park

Hawfinch - Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Hawfinch - Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Jackdaw - Coloelus monedula

Green Woodpecker - Picus viridis

Mistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus

Black-headed Gull - (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

 

List of observed bird species:
Mallard  (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pochard  (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck  (Aythya fuligula)
Common Goldeneye  (Bucephala clangula)
Goosander  (Mergus merganser)
Little Grebe  (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Cormorant  (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Black-headed Gull  (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Feral Pigeon  (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove  (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker  (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker  (Dryocopus martius)
Green Woodpecker  (Picus viridis)
Common Magpie  (Pica pica)
Jackdaw  (Coloelus monedula)
Rook  (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow  (Corvus cornix)
Marsh Tit  (Poecile palustris)
Great Tit  (Parus major)
Blue Tit  (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Long-tailed Tit  (Aegithalos caudatus)
Nuthatch  (Sitta europaea)
Blackbird  (Turdus merula)
Mistle Thrush  (Turdus viscivorus)
House Sparrow  (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow  (Passer montanus)
Chaffinch  (Fringilla coelebs)
Brambling  (Fringilla montifringilla)
Greenfinch  (Carduelis chloris)
Goldfinch  (Carduelis carduelis)
Hawfinch  (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)