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)

Afternoon walk along Danube

Karloveské rameno - Danube's river arm

one of two male Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Black-headed (Larus ridibundus) and Common Gulls (Larus canus)

Danube near center

hybrid Crow (Corvus corone x cornix) with some food, Common Gull (Larus canus) tried to steal it

pair of Jackdaws (Coloeus monedula)

List of observed bird species:
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 26
Pochard (Aythya ferina) 1
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) 1
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 2
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 1
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 250
Common Gull (Larus canus) 30
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis) 1
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica) 4
Common Magpie (Pica pica) 1
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula) 6
Rook (Corvus frugilegus) 3
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) 6
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) 2
Great Tit (Parus major) 8
Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) 2
Blackbird (Turdus merula) 3
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) 5
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) 1
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) 1
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) 4

Short walk in Medická záhrada public garden

fraction of c400 Waxwings

one Fieldfare joined the Waxwing flock

House Sparrows in the snow

Chaffinch was hungry too

No photos!

Okay! You may take one...

Neusiedler See NP in February

February in the area of Lake Neusiedler See and nearby Seewinkel region is great for geese and birds of prey. Both groups brought a lifer for me today. 

On our way from Bratislava to Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park we were "forced" to stop behind Gattendorf as unknown large raptor was sitting on a branch. In short time we realized that it is a juvenile Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). Weather just started to get worse but it didn't any matter to us as we had great birdwatching start. This great entrée was followed by Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) near Illmitz - Hölle. Male Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) was gliding over Hochstätten. We stopped to check the geese flock in the field and another Sparrowhawk just flew around. I tried to find it but I spotted "only" Merlin (Falco columbarius). Finally connected with this small falcon. My first lifer of the year. Another stop was in the hide next to the national park information centre in Illmitz. Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) was soaring over the reeds. Another bird of prey was slowly gliding over the reeds around Zicklacke but it was not usual Hen Harrier. It was female Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) that is much rarer in winter in the area. As I was scanning the flock of Greylag and White-fronted Geese in Sandeck - Lange Luss I spotted my only one Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) of the day in Austria.

Several thousands of geese are wintering in the flatland of Seewinkel. Flocks mostly consist from Greylag Geese (Anser anser) and White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons). I hoped to tick Bean Goose (Anser fabalis) from my yearlist but I need to try again. I  read reports of some Barnacle (Branta leucopsis) and Red-breasted Geese (Branta ruficollis) in the area. Search for these species is sometimes harder than looking for a needle in a haystack. We were satisfied with 7 different birds of prey and plenty of geese, some of them only few meters from the road. On our way back, as we were approaching Podersdorf I spotted small flock of Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) in the field. I realized that there was Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) reported in such small flock next this village. I asked for another quick birding stop. I checked that flock and it there it was - my another yearlist tick, and lifelist of course. Beautiful Canada Goose with 5 Mute Swans.

How can you name the day that you start with Imperial Eagle and end with Canada Goose? Small birdwatcher's heaven?

Illmitz - Zicklacke

Greylag (Anser anser) and White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) at Illmitz - Lange Luss

Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) - another not very usual winter inhabitant of the area

lifer Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) in Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) flock

List of observed bird species during the day in Austria:
Common Pheasant  (Phasianus colchicus)
Greylag Goose  (Anser anser)
White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 1 Podersdorf - Zeiselfeld
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 10+ Illmitz - Zicklacke
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Great Egret (Egretta alba) 1 near Berg
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) 2f; 1 Illmitz - Zicklacke, 1 reed belt on the road to Illmitz - Seebad
Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 1m Hochstätten
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) 2; 1 Illmitz - Hölle, 1 Untere Luss
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) 1 Illmitz - Zicklacke
Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) 1juv between Gattendorf and Neudorf
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) 1 Sandeck - Lange Luss
Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 Untere Luss
unidentified Gull (Laridae sp.)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
unidentified Woodpecker (Dendrocopos sp.)
Rook  (Corvus frugilegus)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major) 1 Sandeck - Lange Luss
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) 3 reed belt on the road to Illmitz - Seebad
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) 1 Illmitz - Hölle
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) 1 Illmitz - Kirchsee
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) 2m, Darscho

Corvids in Sad Janka Kráľa public park.

Large flocks of Rooks and Jackdaws are using eastern side of public park as gathering site before they move on to their night roost site below Bratislava. It is great opportunity to compare these overlooked birds. Man can spot here Rooks (Corvus frugilegus), Jackdaws (Coloeus monedula), Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix), if lucky its western brother Carrion Crow (Corvus corone). In addition Magpie (Pica pica) and even Jay (Garrulus glandarius) can be found near this eastern side of park. That makes 6 different Corvids in small area during the winter months. Another reason to explore Sad Janka Kráľa public park that lies on opposite side of Danube just next to the city center. (all photos were made yesterday afternoon)

Rook (Corvus frugilegus)

Rook (Corvus frugilegus)

Rook (Corvus frugilegus) and two Jackdaws (Coloeus monedula)

Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix)

Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix) and Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)

mixed flock of Rooks and Hooded Crows

mostly Hooded Crows

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Search for Waxwings - Redwing found

Waxwings occupy streets of Bratislava 8 weeks in row. My friend asked me to try to check wider centre of Bratislava to estimate number of wintering Waxwings. I decided to search in old town, Sad Janka Kráľa public park, castle hill,garden and squares behind presidential palace. My total number was 362 Waxwings. According to my friend's count and one other birder's we estimate their number around 4500 individuals in Bratislava area. We were shocked when we reached 1000 in December. Again two weeks ago when we counted 2000+ birds and today's count is simply breath-taking. I can't believe that I have seen my first ever Waxwings only two month ago and now I'm part of the team that tries to monitor them during the whole time of their stay in the city.

(In following days were photos from this count revised and one other birder's observation was added. Total number stands on 5112 Waxwings.)

But one can't forget also other birds. Yearlist tick Peregrine Falcon with caught Feral Pigeon. Fieldfares made my highest count today(800+). And in the flock of c700 Fieldfares and c100 Waxwings I have also found one Redwing (another yearlist tick). It was second time this winter that I spotted 4 different Turdus sp. thrushes in few minutes(Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Redwing).

Here are some photos from today:

Robin (Erithacus rubecula) always counts

hybrid Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) x Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)

Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)

Fieldfares (Turdus pilaris)

lonely Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) in Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) flock

my first Redwing (Turdus iliacus) of the year

Fieldfare in the snow

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