Day with ringed gull can't be dull

It was an ordinary Monday afternoon in Bratislava center. Only plans were to join my friends in wintering Peregrine Falcons count. I was slowly moving towards Most SNP bridge where was my observation point. In the winter several flocks of Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) use to occupy pontoons on Danube. Sometimes accompanied by few Common Gulls (Larus canus). In this case it was just monotonous roosting flock of Black-headed Gulls in winter plumage. 

Despite this fact I started to check their legs for rings. Surprisingly I found one in a short period of time. It was an adult with metallic ring on its left leg and white darvic ring with black code on the right leg. It took me a while, but I read the code succesfully - Z41A. 

I was already leaving when I spotted another gull with ring. It was really close. I took few record shots and tried to solve the metallic ring as well. The result was interesting. The rings were from Poland as I was able to read "Gdańsk", which is the name of city on the Baltic coast.

 In this case it was a juvenile Black-headed Gull with white darvic ring T26L on the right leg.

I spent the rest time of the afternoon searching for Peregrines. I found one, but it wasn't on my point so it was "officially" counted by my colleague. Altogether we counted two Peregrine Falcons in Bratislava. 

Back to the gulls. When I came home I immediately checked the EURING website for the schemes to send reports about my observations. In few days I received replies. 

Z41A was ringed year ago (January 20, 2014) as an adult (3+ years) on River Vltava in the center of Prague, Czech Republic. Interesting fact was that just few days ago (January 8, 2015) this gull was still in Prague. It covered at least 300 km in following days.

T26L was ringed just this autumn (October 1, 2014) as a juvenile in Gdańsk, Poland. Direct distance between Gdańsk and Bratislava is 700 km. It is amazing that these young birds are capable of such long journeys.

These nice observations just gave me an acknowledgment, that it's worth of it to have a closer look even on the common birds. Ringed birds are full of surprises, big stories and fantastic natural journeys.

Afternoon bike birding in Petržalka

Forecast for the next days didn't look well, so I decided to take a bike ride to Petržalka. I checked Incheba building if I can spot Peregrine Falcon. It was there! Then I visited Lake Veľký Draždiak. Birds on this lake were really close as they are used to pedestrians. I had nice views of Mute Swans, Coots and Mallards. Great Crested Grebe appeared in the middle of the lake. Just few hundreds meters away is Lake Malý Draždiak with small wetland next to it. I found there 2 Mute Swans, 2 Coots, Little Grebe, Grey Heron and Great Egret. Jay and Green Woodpecker flew over my head.

Incheba exhibition complex

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

female Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and Coot (Fulica atra)

male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and Coot (Fulica atra) behind

female Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Coot (Fulica atra)

Mute Swans in the northern part of the lake

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

Lake Veľký Draždiak from southeastern bank

wetland next to the Lake Malý Draždiak

Great Egret (Egretta alba)

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Short afternoon walk

I had a short walk in Sad Janka Kráľa public park and I checked the Peregrine. Have a look:

From left to right: Aupark tower, Incheba tower (red arrow), Most SNP bridge

Incheba building - Peregrine Falcon wintering site

Falcon was there

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Sad Janka Kráľa public park

unknown feather

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in winter plumage

Peregrine Falcon back in town

I read about the sighting of Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) in Bratislava yesterday. I took a walk this afternoon and I decided to check its regular wintering site. I spotted it on the top of the main building of Incheba Expo. I observed the raptor for several minutes. Building of Incheba Expo lies in Petržalka but it is very close to the city center. It would be great to spot a pair as this 85,6m high building is very suitable for breeding of this species.

Incheba Expo building

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

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)