Shiny February afternoon
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
On Wednesday afternoon we went for a trip, to have a look at what Bratislava surroundings has to offer to an enthusiastic birdwatcher in the middle of February. The weather was extremely nice – all the time the sun was shining, the wind was light and the temperature for this time of the year was very mild.
We visited Hrušovská zdrž – vast water reservoir at the River Danube. Along typical winter guests like Mallards, Gadwalls, Wigeons, Goldeneyes, Pochards, Tufted Ducks, Swans, gulls, Great and Pygmy Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo, Microcarbo pygmeus), we recorded also all three species of genus Mergus that occur in Slovakia – Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser and Smew (Mergus merganser, M. serrator a Mergellus albellus). On one of the navigation islands we observed also one Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus).
At fields near Čunovo village we saw Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix) and were pleased by the presence of singing Crested Larks (Galerida cristata). With good luck we also managed to see Great Bustards (Otis tarda). Some of them were already starting to display their beautiful plumage.
Later we moved to Devín, another Bratislava district, under the ruin of majestic Devín Castle, where we hoped to see wintering Walcreeper (Tichodroma muraria). After a while we have found it. This charismatic little bird hopped on the illuminated rocks and we had enough time to enjoy this special observation.
In the end we visited one site with the occurrence of Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug), but this time we weren't lucky. After a pleasant afternoon we went home in the rays of setting Sun.
List of observed species:
Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
unidentified Goose (Anser sp.)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Smew (Mergellus albellus)
Goosander (Mergus merganser)
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 1 female
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis / Podiceps ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Ardea alba / Egretta alba)
Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus / Phalacrocorax pygmeus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Great Bustard (Otis tarda) 6
Coot (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus / Larus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Common Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Coloelus monedula / Corvus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) 1
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
