Business Trip to Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park

[Thursday, March 1, 2012]

My colleagues from travel agency watching.sk have planned a business trip to Neusiedler See area. It included meeting with manager from Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park in the National Park Information Centre in Illmitz. We needed to discuss an excursion which will be part of Pannonian Bird Experience 2012. The other thing on our "to do list" was to check accomodation possibilities in Illmitz and nearby lying villages on the Hungarian part of Lake Neusiedl. I needed to dust off my ability to speak Hungarian but later I was satisfied with my performance. In the spare time we tried to make some birdwatching in this beautiful area. We visited several places but it's better to see it. And the late afternoon short stop on one watching tower brought a lifelist tick for two of us.

Modern building of information centre and headquarters of Neusiedler See - Seewinkel NP.

 We have about 20 minutes before the meeting with manager so we visited this hide.

This was the view from the hide - low grey clouds over Zicklacke periodic lake.

One of the Greylag Geese (Anser anser) that were feeding just few meters from the hide.

On the top of the watching tower next to the information centre.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) seen from the watching tower.

Flatlands of Seewinkel.

After visiting of several guesthouses in Hungary we moved to the Hungarian part of the lake near Fertóujlak

Large flock of Geese was composed mostly of Greylag Geese (Anser anser) and White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons). There were only few Bean Geese (Anser fabalis). Beside the Geese man could spot here 5 different duck species of Anas genus (Mallard, Gadwall, Teal, Pintail, Shoveler) and my favourite Shelducks.

Diving Pintails (Anas acuta).

Northern Shovelers (Anas clypeata) were showing their diving skills too.

My beloved Shelducks (Tadorna tadorna).

After the late lunch in Fertód we drove back to Bratislava,  but we decided to make two more stops near Illmitz. We stopped near Zicklacke (the same lake that could be seen from mentioned hide). I just asked if we have 10 spare minutes to go up on the watching tower and check some birds. In a while I spotted something that I have never seen before. Shelduck's rusty cousins. Two Ruddy Shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea) were feeding amidst Geese. What a great observation! It was lifelist tick for me and Katka. None of the photos is good enough but maybe this video:  With Ruddy Shelducks in our minds we moved to reeds that are all around the lake Neusiedl.

 Crisscross of channels, reeds and open water.

Sunset over vast reed belt.

List of observed bird species during the day:

Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Bean Goose (Anser fabalis) 3000 (all Geese together)
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 8
Shellduck (Tadorna tadorna) 15
Ruddy Shellduck (Tadorna ferruginea) 2; Lifer !!!
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 50
Wigeon (Anas penelope) 10
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) 3
Pintail (Anas acuta) 3
Teal (Anas crecca) 30
Pochard (Aythya ferina) 20
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 1
Great Egret (Egretta alba) 4
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 3
Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 4
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) 15
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) 7
Coot (Fulica atra)
Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)

Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) 2
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) 1
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Coloelus monedula) 2
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) H
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) 3

number of individuals is mentioned only if we were able to count them or make an estimation; "H" means that we heard it

Wonderful Late February Birdwatching

[Saturday, February 25, 2012]

The weather has changed. After big frosts it was predicted around 10°C for area around Bratislava. It was pretty sunny in the morning so I decided to visit Hrušovská zdrž water dam that lies on River Danube apr. 20km southward from Bratislava. It lies in IBA Dunajské luhy. There are lots of pictures and videos today so I will try to write something between them. 

 I have started in Čunovo. It is a part of Bratislava, it lies near tripoint border with Hungary and Austria.

 Man could find last remnants of ice near the banks of the dam.

 Smews (Mergellus albellus) were the first winter guests I have met today.

Here you can see the overview of the whole waterworks.

In this area was the old Danube river-basin dammed. This solution is a part of larger Gabčíkovo waterworks and energy plant. Below dam man can find calm water almost all-year round. Fine place for ducks.

But today's kings were White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla).

 Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus) were hiding on the right side.

Some Gadwalls (Anas strepera)(on upper picture) and Wigeons (Anas penelope) were feeding and roosting there too.

 Then I walked the body of the dam towards Danubiana gallery.

 I looked north. Some 20 km away lies Bratislava.

 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)


 Most probably it was Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) but one never knows.

 

Danubiana - gallery of contemporary art is built on artificial cape.

 The beginning of Danube's artificial channel. View NW direction.

The beginning of Danube's artificial channel. View SE direction. I was looking for Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) and Long-tail Duck (Clangula hyemalis) that were reported here earlier this week. I did not see them. Only more Pygmy Cormorants, Smews, Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) and Goosanders (Mergus merganser).

 Tea time!!! It was Lu Xue Ya - Green Snow.

 I turned back via Čunovo. I went to check small peninsula below the dam.

The nest of Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)- most probably from last year's breeding.

 I found there large group of Great Cormorants in courtship plumage. This is the time of year when these ordinary birds look really great.

 And some Gulls nearby - mixture of Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Common Gulls (Larus canus)

 Another Grey Heron.

 And then came the surprise of the day. A Pintail (Anas acuta). While I was shooting short video I have spotted two waders. Ruffs (Philomachus pugnax) in February are really bombastic!!! Both, Ruff and Pintail, were my first sightings of these bird species in 2012. 

I took a glimpse on the area below dam and I realized that large frozen part is gone. 

 

Nature in motion.

 I passed alongside the seepage channel. Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) were hiding under the bridge.

 I walked through the fields near Čunovo.

 The land here is really flat.

 Roe-deer were roosting in the afternoon sun.

 Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) sitting on the tree on the roadside.

 I was hoping to spot some Great Bustards (Otis tarda), but the country roads were busy.

Fantastic day ended with the song of my first Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) of this year. Spring is already behind the door.

List of observed bird species:

Common Pheasant  (Phasianus colchicus)  1 

Mute Swan  (Cygnus olor)  20 
Gadwall  (Anas strepera)  25 
Wigeon  (Anas penelope)  10 
Mallard  (Anas platyrhynchos)   
Pintail  (Anas acuta)  1  male
Pochard  (Aythya ferina)   
Tufted Duck  (Aythya fuligula)   
Greater Scaup  (Aythya marila)  3  all males
Common Goldeneye  (Bucephala clangula)   
Smew  (Mergellus albellus)  16 
Goosander  (Mergus merganser)  4  3m+1f
Little Grebe  (Tachybaptus ruficollis)  5 
Great Crested Grebe  (Podiceps cristatus)  7 
Grey Heron  (Ardea cinerea)  10 
Great Egret  (Egretta alba)  3 
Pygmy Cormorant  (Microcarbo pygmeus)  30 
Great Cormorant  (Phalacrocorax carbo)   
White-tailed Eagle  (Haliaeetus albicilla)  2 
Common Buzzard  (Buteo buteo)  4 
Common Kestrel  (Falco tinnunculus)  1 
Moorhen  (Gallinula chloropus)  1 
Coot  (Fulica atra)   
Ruff  (Philomachus pugnax) 2
Black-headed Gull  (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)   
Common Gull  (Larus canus)   
Large Gull  (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)  20 
Feral Pigeon  (Columba livia f. domestica)   
Collared Dove  (Streptopelia decaocto)    H
Common Magpie  (Pica pica)    H
Rook  (Corvus frugilegus)  10 
Hooded Crow  (Corvus cornix)  6 
Great Tit  (Parus major)   
Crested Lark  (Galerida cristata)    H
Common Skylark  (Alauda arvensis)  3 
Blackbird  (Turdus merula)  1 
Fieldfare  (Turdus pilaris)  15 
House Sparrow  (Passer domesticus)  3 
Tree Sparrow  (Passer montanus)  5 
Goldfinch  (Carduelis carduelis)    H
Yellowhammer  (Emberiza citrinella)  6 
number of individuals is mentioned only if we were able to count them or make an estimation; "H" means that we heard it