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  • Writer's pictureBob Croxton

Slovakia April 2022

Updated: Jun 30

Slovakia April 2022 Thursday 31 March Arrived at Bratislava late at gone 11 pm, so walked to a local hotel for the night and will pick up the hire car early morning. Friday 1 April Walk to Airport car hire Kestrel, Woodpigion, with Black Redstart and White Wagtail in car park. Budmerice Mallard, Pochard, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Robin, Dunnock, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Yellow-legged Gull, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Linnet, Greenfinch, Serin, Chaffinch, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker in same small cherry tree. Swallow. About Magpie, Jay, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Starling, Collared Dove. Saturday 2 April Sokolovce (Base for 2 nights) Cold and windy but sunny morning. Three groups of Garganey along the old oxbow, making over ten in total, Most males. A pair of Gossander. Wren, Hooded Crow and managed to find a Night Heron amongst all the fallen trees. Koplotovce Another pair of Garganey. Oresany Airstrip Windy and quiet. Crested Lark


Sunday 3 April

Sokolovice

Few Garganey still around, small numbers of Great White Egrets heading north, Long-tailed Tit (dark headed).

Oresany Village, Hoopoe feeding round edge of curb in car park.

Voda Bodoc

At least 6 male and 1 female Garganey, Little Grebe, Blackcap, Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff.


Ludanice

White Stork on nest

Strelníky (My base for 7 nights)

Firecrest, Fieldfare, Small Tortoiseshell, Grey Wagtail.

Monday 4 April

Strelníky

Long-tailed Tits (white-headed), Coal Tit, Goldcrest, pair Bullfinch feeding on Blackthorn buds, 11 Red Deer, Mistle Thrush, Golden Eagle attacked by Common Buzzard.

Golden Eagle being mobbed by Buzzard - Strelníky

Ľubietová

Nuthatch, Dippers.

Caught bus to Povrazník and walked back to Strelníky a Common Buzzard flew into a wooded area with prey on its talons, a Peregrine then chased the Buzzard, both quickly disappearing over a hill. After a rest back at base, a late afternoon walk produced little other than 40 plus Song Thrush on the local football pitch.

Dipper (Dark-bellied form) - Ľubietová

Tuesday 5 April Low Tatras Cold with constant rain/sleet A totally unconcerned Red Fox came very close to the car. Rain stopped mid-afternoon so went out for a walk to Povrazník and back. Typically, lots of Song Thrush, Fieldfare and Chaffinch plus the usual White Wagtails and Black Redstarts. Only new bird today was a male Stonechat. Wednesday 6 April Light rain early then overcast until late afternoon when the sun came out. Walked at least 30 kilometres today a lot of time through dense forest, the further I went into the forest it seemed the less wildlife. My first Red Squirrel of the trip was still in its black winter palage. New birds today were a number of Marsh Tits including at one site where I have had them on all previous visits. Deep in the forest on two occasions, I came across Crested Tits on one occasion giving prolonged views. Chiffchaff 2.


Povrazník

Several Tree Sparrows Thursday 7 April Pleasant day with sunny intervals.

Strelníky

Hoopoe heard? Mountain Black Woodpeckers mating, A Starling type call turned out to be a Nutcracker, which depsite being in view, always moved on when I got the camera nearly focused on it! , Roe Deer. Povrazník Brimstone, Peacock butterfly, A very white large butterfly could not be itentified. Ľubietová Co-op Dippers photographed. Strelníky 2 Hawfinch, Roe Deer, Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers 1m, 2 f watched for at least 50 minutes, female pecking at oak buds (LS tree). A pair of Long tailed Tits comprised of 1 white-headed form and 1 dark-headed form. Several Red Deer crossed road.

Roe Deer - Red Fox

Friday 8 April Wet overnight much cooler with northerly wind and sunny spells. Strelníky Drove down to Ľubietová and back via the back lanes to shop at the Coop. Hawfinch at football pitch more elsewhere. Grey Heron on steam, pair of Marsh Tits prospecting at woodpecker hole in LS tree, later a pair of Crested Tits came and had a look. Then walked back to Ľubietová, but bird life quieted after 9 am, with just the common species on show. Bus back to Strelníky.

Long-tailed Tits - A pair together one black-headed, one white-headed forms

Saturday 9 April Very heavy rain overnight. I now have my daughter, two grandsons and large dog, which seem to have the effect of driving all wildlife away on walks. Strelníky

Hawfinch by the football pitch. At the LS tree Blue and Crested Tits having conflict over potential nesting hole. Sunday 10 April Cold and sunny.

Went for a long family walk up a mountain for the views, but little wildlife other than a few Ravens. Then drove back to Sokolovce for the last two nights. Monday 11 April Frosty start then fairly warm and sunny. Koplotovce Hawfinch, Swallows along river, Kingfishers 2, Marsh Harrier female dropped into reedbed, Green Sandpiper. Lukáčovce 2 displaying Marsh Harrier plus others about. Just a single Mute Swan and a few Mallard until I flushed 4 Shoveler and a male Garganey. Two Green Sandpiper, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls. Hopes of an Otter were dashed when it turned out to be a Copyu. Swallows. Blackthorn flowers alive with bees.

Garganey

Alekšince Several Red-crested Pochard, Pochard, 1 male Garganey, Night Heron, Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier pair, Kingfisher, Caspian Gull.

Caspian Gull - Voda Alekšince

Malé Zálužie 57 Mute Swan, 1 male Shoveler, pr Garganey, pr Marsh Harrier. Sokolovce Garganey, Common Tern, Kingfisher, 4 Green Sandpiper, Swallows. Tuesday 12 April

Frosty start turning warm and sunny Hlohovec A Rook from the farm track, I use as a shortcut to take my grandsons to school.

Soporna Teal, Marsh Harrier, Kingfisher, Red-crested Pochard, Common Tern, 8 Night Herons in roost. Circov Plenty of Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards. On the water Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, Garganey, Shoveler. Snipe and Lapwing, Reed Bunting.

Bratislava On returning the car to the airport, Jackdaws present around the terminal.


73 bird species in 12 days.


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