White-tailed Eagle census on Danube

Last Saturday of January is a date, when annual census of wintering White-tailed Eagles on Slovak section of Danube is taking place. I was one of few tens of volunteers who decided to spent 5 hours on the assigned observation point somewhere between Devín and Štúrovo. After previous years' censuses that I spent further down the stream of Danube below Bratislava, this year I was assigned to the point in the outskirts of Petržalka. It is less than 1,5 km from the nearest blocks of flats and less than 1km away from the sewage plant. 

It was snowing in the morning. Clouds were grey and low. Not the best conditions for birdwatching. Despite the fact, one of the first observed birds was a Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). In following 1,5 hour I observed its several flyovers.

High voltage powerlines, distant chimneys of the Slovnaft oil refinery, mounds of gravel. One would say that nothing special could be seen here.

The skies were slowly clearing. On the surface of Danube were flocks of Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula), Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) and few Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) were diving for fish. 

Several Geese (Anser sp.) flocks were flying in the heights. Danube is an amazing highway for migrating birds.

It is a highway for cargo ships as well.

Tufties and Goldeneyes were flushed several time by the passing ships.

Four Great Egrets (Ardea alba) flew over. Another highlights were 3 Goosanders (Mergus merganser) and distant calling Raven (Corvus corax).

Beside Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) I spotted also some soaring Common Gulls (Larus canus). 

While waiting for White-tailed Eagles I observed few other birds of prey species - Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus).

 

After almost 4 hours of waiting there was finally a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). It was flying towards my observation point.

 

Beautiful adult White-tailed Eagle with glowing white wedge-shaped tail started to soar over my head. In a while another White-tailed Eagle appeared. It was a brown-tailed juvenile. They were soaring together for a few minutes and were slowly flying away from me. After 10 minutes it was all over.

 

 

Finally time for writing down some precious data. Juvenile White-tailed Eagle showed itself again in 5 minutes and in a couple of minutes was gone from my sight. (Red arrow shows my observation point)

Bratislava offers plenty of possibilities for birdwatching. One can choose walk in the city parks or around urban lakes. But there is an amazing fact that Danube is a super highway for migrating birds and species such as White-tailed Eagle, Kingfisher, Goosander or Great Egret could be spotted so close to the center of the Slovak capital.

Short urbanbirding walk along Danube

I had some small duties in the city center. There was a bit of spare time so I got off from the tram 3 stops earlier and walked along the Danube river. One may think the grey waters of Danube can't show something special. But I've found a Kingfisher in the city center of Bratislava. Let's have a look on it and some other birds seen during that walk. 

riverbank near PKO

flock of Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula)

pair of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

common Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

winter guest Common Gull (Larus canus)

female Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

pontons along the bank

Kingfisher searching for fish from the anchoring cable of the ponton

"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)
 

Saturday birdwatching on Danube

After several visits in the northern outskirts of Bratislava near River Morava I decided to change my direction and went to check Danube. Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir is an important migration and wintering spot in Central Europe. I took spotting scope and my binoculars and went out to check if there are already first autumn guests or not. I found 3 different dabbling duck species beside Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) - 7 Gadwall (Anas strepera), 6 Wigeon (Anas penelope), 15 Teal (Anas crecca). I've spotted one female Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina), 5 female Goosander (Mergus merganser) and first few hundreds of Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula) and Common Pochards (Aythya ferina) that used to winter in this area. There were plenty of White Wagtails (Motacilla alba) and one Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea). It might be there more of them, but I spotted only one. I haven't seen any waders nor Pygmy Cormorants. May be there will be some of them in later weeks. 

I think this is enough writing. It's better to check photos, videos and list of observed birds on Hrušovská zdrž water dam and Čunovo surroundings. Photos and videos of birds are digiscoped using my HTC Desire S smartphone.

Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)

Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)

juvenile Yellow-legged or Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)

River Danube below Danubiana

female Goosanders (Mergus merganser)

River Danube below dam

posing Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

sleeping Teals (Anas crecca)

upper parts of water reservoir

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Great Egret (Egretta alba)

List of observed bird species:
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Teal (Anas crecca)
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Goosander (Mergus merganser)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Egretta alba)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Magpie (Pica pica)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)