Hooded Crow having an urban feast

At first piece of pizza:

and then McCafe drink:

Land of Beavers!

I use to find signs of Beavers occurrence regularly during my walks in the nature in the surroundings of Bratislava. Have a look what I found yesterday:

tree with freshly nibbled wood, next to the Danube's seepage channel

marks of beaver's teeth

another site, signs of beavers again: small creek along the road, red arrow shows to the dam

creek with the beaver dam

beaver dam from above

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

First winter guests on Danube

I made another birdwatching bike ride. Despite it is November already, the weather was pleasant. I rode along Danube and I made several stops to check the surface of Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir for newly arrived winter or migration guests. I got my only second sighting of Shelducks (Tadorna tadorna) in Slovakia. Ten of them were swimming in compact flock along with thousands of other ducks. First Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) appeared. There was a group of 13 Goosanders (Mergus merganser). Beside Tufted Ducks and Mallards the numbers of Teals (Anas crecca) and Wigeons (Anas penelope) are arising. I counted 83 Teals and c130 Wigeons today. I spotted only 2 Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus), but at least I know first of these unusual migrants are here. Pygmy Cormorants migrate not southwards but to the northwest from the Danube delta. In the peak of winter we could have here up to 1000 birds. In addition I observed Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) for a while and flyover of a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).  Great Egret (Egretta alba) with something like tumour on its leg need to be mentioned as well. I'm not sure if it will survive winter.

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

signs of presence of Beavers

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

pair of Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus) in the right

Great Egret (Egretta alba) with tumour on its leg

numbers of waterbirds are beginning to rise

flock of 10 Shelducks (Tadorna tadorna)

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Teals (Anas crecca)

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

List of recorded birds:

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) c250
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) 10
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 1
Wigeon (Anas penelope) 130+
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2000
Teal (Anas crecca) 83
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) 3
Pochard (Aythya ferina) 50
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) 700
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 8
Goosander (Mergus merganser) 13
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) c20
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) 20+
Great Egret (Egretta alba) 2
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus) 2
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 200+
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) 1
Coot (Fulica atra) c100
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
large Gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) 1
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) 1, calling
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

Weekend in the field

All but last photo were made on Saturday during my first day of winter waterbird census on my counting section along Danube. Mixed pair of Crows was found on Sunday's guided walk in city parks of Bratislava.

Danube canal near Hamuliakovo

resting White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) and Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

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)

Weekend in Hortobágy National Park

We have spent last weekend in Hungary. Our main target was Common Crane (Grus grus) migration stop in Hortobágy National Park. Beside it we have visited Hungarian Grey cattle fair. We tasted famous local cuisine and explored vast steppe country also known as puszta. Two of the bird highlights we spotted from bus while driving on highway. On Slovak-Hungarian border we observed flock of c30 Great Bustards (Otis tarda). Adult Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) was flying next to the highway 85km east from Budapest. The count of Common Cranes in the area was one of the largest in the last years - c85000 birds were counted in Hortobágy NP. The best moment came during Saturday sunset. About 15-20000 Common Cranes landed on Kondás fishpond while we were observing them from hides and platforms just 1km away. Aside of the Cranes we spotted during the weekend 5 White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), up to 50 Bearded Reedlings (Panurus biarmicus), tens of Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmeus), Curlews (Numenius arquata), Spotted Redshanks (Tringa erythropus) or Little Owl (Athene noctua) - other pair was calling just few metres apart of our accomodation in Patkós csárda. Complete list of observed bird species you can find in the end of this post.

flock of Common Cranes flies over our bus

my parents also enjoyed the hundreds of Cranes that flew overheads

morning walk near our accomodation (temperature was below zero)

Patkós csárda road inn - place where we were accomodated

interesting birds in every direction

Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) was singing in the small local animals zoo

herdsmen with Hungarian Grey cattle

the most famous road inn in the region - Hortobágyi csárda

nine-arch bridge - one of the region milestones

Common Crane counts in the national park information center

Shovelers (Anas clypeata) on Kondás fishpond

first hundreds of Cranes are landing on the fishpond

Common Cranes kept landing till sunset - more than 15000 birds appeared there

List of observed bird species during the weekend:

Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Teal (Anas crecca)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Egretta alba)
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Great Bustard (Otis tarda)
Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Common Crane (Grus grus)
Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
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)
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)
Bearded Reeding (Panurus biarmicus)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Common Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
unidentified warbler (Acrocephalus sp.)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)