How the winter water bird census is carried out
Sunday, November 18, 2012
On Sunday we took a walk from Čunovo to Rusovce. We explained how the winter waterbird census is carried out and tried it ourselves. Despite foggy weather there were 11 of us. The youngest participant was only two years old. We started in Čunovo, than moved through forest, where we saw Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major) and Bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula). We came to the seepage canal, where we started to count waterbirds. Seepage canals of the hydroelectric power plant Gabčíkovo are the most important wintering sites for Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis/Podiceps ruficollis) in Slovakia. On our way we checked also birds at Hrušovská zdrž water reservoir, where we observed White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) and Wigeon (Anas penelope). We continued along the canal further to Rusovce, where we observed Hawfinchces (Coccothraustes coccothraustes), heard Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) and Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). Among other species we were pleased by the observation of Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis). Despite the weather we were lucky and recorded 33 species of birds.
List of recorded species:
White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis / Podiceps ruficollis)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus / Larus ridibundus)
large gull (Larus cachinnans/michahellis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major / Picoides major)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)
Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus / Parus caeruleus)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Serin (Serinus serinus)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris / Chloris chloris)
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
