Nature diversity of Petržalka

Today's walk in pictures:

today's route (9,4 km)

Malý Draždiak - wetland

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

Two-leaf Squill (Scila bifolia)

floodplain forest with green carpet of Bear's Garlic

Bear's Garlic (Allium ursinum)

Veľký Draždiak - gravel pit

Chorvátske rameno - canal of an old Danube's riverarm

urban area of Petržalka

gardens on western edge of Petržalka

former "Iron curtain" border

fields between Petržalka and Berg, already in Austria

Iron curtain museum

Kopčany - military cemetery

100 urban bird species this year and counting...

I was guiding a bird walk in Petržalka this morning. Our targets were common bird species of local waterbodies as Mute Swans, Coots or Black-headed Gull. We were exploring quiet corners of nature in this large borough of Bratislava, mostly comprised of blocks of flats. Last year in the beginning of November (9.11.2012) we observed Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) on Lake Veľký Draždiak. Today we had a reprise. Beside me and my colleague Katka there were also participants of our guided walk, that have spotted this unusual bird as well. Until today I have observed 99 various bird species in the urban areas of Bratislava this year. It couldn't be any better than reaching magical "100" with such a stunning bird as Black-throated Loon really is. I tried to make proper documentation so here are the results: 

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica)

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) with Mute Swans (Cygnus olor)

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) before diving

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica)

Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) in the rain

I think you may have enough of this Loon, so here is a little bonus of the other species observed today. Kingfisher was another addition to my urban yearlist.

Treecreeper (Certhia sp.), probably common one (C. familiaris)

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) - nr. 101 in my urban Bratislava yearlist

Coot (Fulica atra)

adult Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in winter plumage

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)

From port to park

I made another walk in urban areas of Bratislava. Started home, walked through old Ružinov where I found 130 Waxwings roosting in the tree. Then I checked the basins of port on Danube. I spotted just one Coot, male Pochard, male Mallard and Great Cormorant flew along. I crossed the river and walked on the embankment upstream to the Sad Janka Kráľa public park. There was European Hare pair running across thin strip of floodplain forest that lies between the Danube and embankment. At first I just heard some knocking on the wood, then I found fresh holes in the tree and male Black Woodpecker appeared in the moment. Great Spotted Woodpecker sat on the top of dry tree. The park showed its usual  inhabitants and seasonal guests: Great Tit, Nuthatch, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon and few others. Squirrel was hiding just two meters from the park sidewalk.

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)

Danube river port

Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)

Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)

Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Great Tit (Parus major)

Nuthatch (Sitta europea)

Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

Squirrel

List of observed bird species:
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)

My First Long-eared Owl Of The Year

We decided to make another search for Long-eared Owls in Bratislava. Finally we found one bird in big coniferous tree in Petržalka. It was only one bird but still more than nothing. We also checked "Martinský cintorín" cemetery in Ružinov but with negative result.

We thought every "LEO-s" are in Serbia (read here) but today we found one in Bratislava as well.

Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)

Urbanbirding In Petržalka

It was just another winter day in the city without snow under low grey skies with a little drizzle. But one need to find beauty also in this colorless world. I decided to count birds on former Danube river arm called Chorvátske rameno that passes through Petržalka - largest borough of housing blocks in Central Europe. Despite its artificial banks this thin 5km long line of water offers you nice opportunities to observe common wintering birds of urban areas. I found there 29 Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) - one with metal ring on its leg, that was ringed in Poland, 112 Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), 1 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) flew overhead, 1 Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), 24 Coots (Fulica atra), 113 Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and 1 Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus). After that I met with Katka and we went to check the lake Veľký Draždiak. We used our "special method" of reading the numbers of some ringed Mute Swans. Local birds are used to feeding and it is only matter of seconds as they arrive to "your" side. We noted and read several ringed Mute Swans. One needs to check the center of the lake if there is any lone bird. In previous winters we found here Black-throated Diver (Gavia arctica) or Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca). There was one such bird but for today it was "only" female Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula).

Black-throated Loon in the city.

I got an announcement yesterday, that Black-throated Loon was seen on lake Veľký Draždiak in Petržalka, Bratislava. I missed it last week on Danube so I wanted to make my yearlist tick today. I persuaded my colleague to join me and we checked this site this morning. Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica) was there all the time. It was intensively diving first hour, but later there were some nice opportunities to see this unusual bird.