Pelican, Spoonbills, Whimbrels and more…
Saturday, April 23, 2011
We decided to visit Neusiedler See area once more. We fulfilled the wish of our friend and had another beautiful day of birdwatching. It is almost unbelievable that man can observe waders on saline lakes in such a close distance as it is possible here. Just two steps from the road on a nearby meadow we have found rare orchids: Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) and Green-winged Orchid (Orchis morio). According to recommendations we have visited Sandeck, home of the European White Donkey. Beautiful views on vast reed belt of Neusiedler See lake brought us nice surprise. Beside many species of ducks and waders we could spot Spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia) and Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus). After few minutes of observation the Pelican got off and some of us could see this rare bird in flight for the very first time. After this we moved to another place. On the route to Oberstinkersee we have spotted 11 Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus) on a field. We have recorded 82 various bird species in this very interesting part of Austria.
If you think that it is not possible to see more then read further lines. On our way back to Bratislava we stopped by the Danube River on the Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir. We observed the largest amount of Black Terns (Chlidonias niger) – 215 of this year’s spring migration. They were accompanied by flock of 16 White-winged Terns (Chlidonias leucoptera) and 1 Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida). And as a cherry on the cake we have spotted Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica). For this bird species it is very late occurrence at its wintering site. This unbelievably beautiful day in the nature has encouraged us to make more birdwatching trips.
Checklist of recorded bird species in Neusiedler See area:
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Pintail (Anas acuta)
Garganey (Anas querquedula)
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Egretta alba)
Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus)
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Common Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Savi’s Warbler (Locustella luscinioides)
Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Serin (Serinus serinus)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Checklist of recorded bird species on Danube River:
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Garganey (Anas querquedula)
Teal (Anas crecca)
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Black-throated Loon (Gavia arctica)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida)
White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)
