Iron Curtain Bike Birding

Bratislava offers you plenty of opportunities for birdwatching. Beside Danube that is full of waterbirds, Carpathian forest or floodplain meadows along Morava River man can find flat agricultural landscape on the border between Slovakia and Austria. Riding a bike is a best way how to explore this area in southwestern outskirts of Bratislava. In August man can spot soaring Buzzards, Marsh Harriers or Kestrels over the fields, hunting Red-backed Shrikes, or Goldfinches and Tree Sparrows along the road that is aligning the border. There is another interesting highlight of this area. While riding along the border man can discover pre-WWII fortification system of small fortresses and bunkers, that was meant to protect former Czechoslovakia against Austria that was already controlled by Hitler. Rest is history. Czechoslovakia was divided into Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and war Slovak state with puppet government. Those objects were never used. After WWII it became part of "iron curtain" between east and west. Come and explore this part of Bratislava in my photos:

bunker "B-S 4 Lány" lies just few meters from Danube bike trail

bunker "B-S 4 Lány"

information panel in Slovak, German and English as well

historical border gate (these days not exactly on the border line)

Danube bike trail is realley next to the fortification

former military border road, today it's a bike trail (left side - Slovak cornfield, right side - Austrian cornfield)

border stone

military cemetery and WWI memorial

graves of soldiers, that were fighting in WWI

cross in the middle of the cemetery

some graves are with names, some without

behind the gate man can find bunker "B-S 8 Hřbitov"

barbed wire of former "iron curtain" (ATTENTION! Border area. Entry allowed only with the entrance permit.)

 

 

Eurovelo 13 Iron Curtain Trail - roads that were in the past used only by army are now free accessible bike trails

sign on the Austrian side of border

cornfield in the left is in Austria, buildings in the right are in Petržalka, largest borough of Bratislava

road from Kittsee (AT) to Jarovce (SK)

when you cross the highway, you will reach SPA (special protected area) Sysľovské polia - wintering grounds of Great Bustard (Otis tarda)

central part of SPA, entrance is allowed only with special permission, if you have a spotting scope you needn't go further

southern part of SPA Sysľovské polia

and this is what I found - female of rare and in Slovakia critically endangered Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus)

If you liked it and want to explore this area in the future feel free to drop me an email or some tweet.

More information on the military fortification in Bratislava can be found here.

Important note! Entrance into the SPA Sysľovské polia is prohibited due to the nature protection. All my photos and observations were made outside or on legally accessible roads.

Marchfeld bike ride

Neighbouring Austria is always worth of a visit, especially if you are a bike tourist. On Saturday I crossed 3 bridges over 2 major rivers of the region - Danube and Morava. I rode few kilometres to the west along Marchfeldkanal bike trail and then turned back. In southeast direction I reached Stopfenreuth where I connected to the Danube bike trail and followed its path to Bratislava. First half was sunlit but the other one changed into the run ahead of the storm approaching from the west. 

Here are few pictures from the Saturday's afternoon:

Devín castle

bridge over Morava (Slovakia left, Austria right side)

in front of SchlossHof (palace Hof)

first metres of Marchfeldkanal bike route

Devínska Kobyla from different angle

small bridge over Russbach

picturesque Marchfeld region

plenty of information panels along the route

nearby storm

bridge over Danube near Hainburg

it is pretty hard to be lost

upstream Danube in Hainburg - storm is still approaching

back in Bratislava - Lafranconi bridge over Danube

Note for birders: I spotted my first Grey Partridges of the year. Just few metres from the road. Marchfeldkanal bike route goes along Great Bustard LIFE+ project protected area. It is estimated that in border region of Austria, Slovakia and Hungary there could be wintering more than 400 birds. I will check this site later in the autumn.

Useful information: Marchfeldkanal bike trail map

Support Hen Harrier Day

Loss of breeding sites of Hen Harriers in the north means no joy during the observations while wintering in Central Europe. 

Please support Hen Harrier Day - August 10, 2014!

Take care about your environment and protect your local wildlife!

Bikebirding in Morava floodplain

Ordinary afternoon bikebirding trip was targeted on Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria), that I still miss in my yearlist. I didn't find it but instead I was lucky to spot some other great birds. To be honest I didn't await to spot Grasshopper Warbler or Little Bittern. But it must have been some kind of reward for time spent outdoors. Beside it I will mention just few highlights: adult Eastern Imperial Eagle, 6 Red Kite, 5+ Black Stork, Great Egret, 3 Turtle Dove, Savi's Warbler or Spotted Flycatcher. Full list of observed birds can be found after the photos.

floodplain meadows

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

meadows where Black Storks were roosting

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)

singing male Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia)

List of recorded bird species:
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia )
Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
European Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)
Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Northern Raven (Corvus corax)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Common House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris)
Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina)
Common Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia)
Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides)
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Common Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)
Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

Hike in Veľká Fatra

I have spent few last days in the vicinity of Veľká Fatra National Park. Small festival took place in Mošovce. I decided to have a hike on Friday. I had only my smartphone and binoculars so I didn't take any bird photo. I will just mention sightings of soaring Lesser Spotted Eagle, glimpse of lifer Hazel Grouse or singing Tree Pipit and Wood Warbler. Have a look what I have spotted on my hike to Drieňok (alt. 1268m) and Blatnická dolina valley.

summit of Drieňok

Dianthus sp.

below the summit

Red Helleborine (Cephalanthera rubra)

Common Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium)

Common Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium)

Green Snaketail (Ophiogomphus cecilia)

Green Snaketail (Ophiogomphus cecilia)

Broomrape (Orobanche sp.)

Tree Sparrows predated by Magpie

Tree Sparrows that I found in March are breeding again. First breeding seems to be successful as 4 juvenile birds are hanging around. Parents are bringing food to the cavity and taking away fecal sacs. It took an attention of a Magpie, that was trying to predate the chicks. I hope this breeding will be successful as well.

position of nesting cavity

one of the parents

looking out of the cavity

obtrusive Magpie

Friday afternoon at Danube

Few images from Friday afternoon walk:

juvenile Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

juvenile Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus)

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)

mating bugs (unknown species)

nest of Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)