Place names in brackets where I stayed the night. Bat identifications made on my smart phone using 'Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro' are not always correct.
Tuesday 7 May (Maiersdorf, Austria)
Arrived at Bratislava on time at 0935. After a short trip north to collect my clothing and equipment that I leave in Slovakia, I headed into Austria picking up the following birds. Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Hooded Crow, lots of Kestrels, Magpie, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove.
A visit to the Neusiedler See (Lake) at Neuer Strand found Cuckoo, Common Tern, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Sandpiper, Moorhen, Nightingale, Greylag Goose, Great White Egret, and White Wagtail.
An evening walk around my home Maiersdorf for two nights, found little other than Singing Blackbird, Blackcap and a Tawny Owl calling.
Wednesday 8 May (Maiersdorf, Austria)
Hohe Wand (Woodland above a limestone cliff)
Jay, Great Tit, Robin, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Marsh Tit, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Alpine Ibex (Not in the nature park/zoo) , Red Squirrel (Black). Farmland around Maiersdorf strip farming with a variety of crops, but little in way of birds. Had a few distant larks that could not be identified to species plus a Roe Deer. After lunch the weather had warmed up to 17c in Maierosdorf and the clouds seemed to be clearing. Back at the top of Hohe Wand it was only 9c and the low clouds returned. Raven, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker. At dusk walked down to the local biosphere reserve with my Bat Detector identifying the following Bats. Soprano/Common/Savi's Pipistrelle, Daubenton's, Natterers. Plus the following dodgy ones. European Free-tailed Bat, Barbestle.
Thursday 9 May (Hegykő, Hungary)
Drove to Puchberg am Schneeberg to catch the train to the top of the Schneeberg Mountain. The first Tree Sparrows and Carrion Crows on the way there.
Schneeberg Mountain
It was a public holiday today and the mountain was very busy. Ring Ouzel, Water Pipit, Wheatear, Black Redstart, Raven, Alpine Chough. Chamois, Small Tortoiseshell, Alpine Marmot.
Hansag Fertőújlak (Hungary)
Shelduck, Gadwall, Red-Crested Pochard, Pochard, Shoveler, Great Reed Warbler, Corn Bunting, Black-winged Stilt, Redshank, Ruff, White-tailed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard. Lapwing,
Evening bat walk around the streets of Hegykő
European Free-tailed Bat (Very unlikely, but recorded in SE Germany!), Leislers Bat, Kuhl’s Pipistrelle, Meridional Serotine (Species of southern Spain!), Nathusius’ Pipistrelle, Noctule,
Friday10 May (Hegykő, Hungary)
Wallern im Burgenland Austria
Little Owl
Zicksee
Avocet, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Garganey, Mallard, Black Tern, Whiskered Tern, Spotted Redshank, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Ruff, Black-winged Stilt.
Warmersee
Skylark, Great Crested Grebe, Red-backed Shrike, Golden Oriole, Hoopoe.
Illmitz Back of visitor centre
Green Sandpiper, Linnet, Chiffchaff. Constant calls/songs of Cuckoo, Nightingale and Turtle Dove.
Illmitz Causeway
Little Egret, Stonechat, Reed Warbler,
White Donkey Wood, Illmitz, Austria
Red-footed Falcon several males and females around nests, much commotion between birds. This is probabbly the best location going, to see this species, which are nesting in an old Rookery. All photos taken from the edge of the small wood, which has a small fence around. The falcons just come and pose above you, totally unconcered.
Andue - Tadtern Plains
Curlew, Great Bustard one male showing. Great Grey Shrike, Purple Heron
Einser Kanal Austrian/Hungarian Border
Little Grebe. Pygmy Cormorant (This canal seems to be the best location for this species in recent years)
Hansag Fertőújlak
Several Bee-eaters landed in the top of a dead tree, only to be spooked by a Hobby, before I could photograph them!
Evening bat walk around the streets of Hegykő
Kuhl’s Pipistrelle, Noctule, Nathusius’ Pipistrelle,Leisler’s Bat, Common Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle. A Scops Owl calling outside one of the village pubs.
Saturday 11 May (Sokolovce, Slovakia)
Zicksee
Much the same birds as Friday, annoyingly the Black Terns again were feeding well out on the water, only the Whiskered Terns were near the shore.
Andue/Tadtern Plains
Sedge Warbler the only new bird, but 9 Great Bustards were showing well, if a little distant. Brown Hares were particularly numerous today. A quiet drive to my base in Sokolovce, Slovakia, other than 2 adult White-tailed Eagles as I crossed the Danube floodplains out of Hungary. In Hlohovec the first Swifts.
Svbice Slovakia
Bee-eaters back at their nest site.
Sunday 12 May (Sokolovce, Slovakia)
Sokolovce - River, Oxbow and Reservoir
Fantastic pre-breakfast walk found the following birds; Starling, Golden Oriole, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Tree Sparrow, Great Tit, Blackcap, Black-headed Gull, Mute Swan, Song Thrush, Grey Heron, Nightingale, Turtle Dove, Spotted Flycatcher, Marsh Tit, Mallard, Hobby, Common Tern, Pheasant, Hooded Crow, Common Buzzard, Hawfinch, Little Grebe, White Wagtail, Black Tern, Goldfinch, Night Heron, Blue Tit, Swallow, Yellow-legged Gull, Red-backed Shrike, Long-tailed Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Cuckoo, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wryneck.
Monday 13 May (Suchá Hora, Slovakia)
Sokolovce River and Oxbow
My first Bee-eaters at this location, several next to the river at dawn. Cormorant, Jay, Nuthatch were new birds not found Sunday.
Lukáčovce Pochard, Tufted Duck, Red-Crested Pochard. Arable fields around seemed full of hunting Common Buzzards, Marsh Harriers and Kestrels.
Donovaly Ski Resort
Fieldfare.
Tuesday 14 May (Suchá Hora, Slovakia)
Sucha Hora pre-breakfast circular walk into Poland and next to the peat bog Meadow Pipit, Whinchat, Bee-eater.
Oravica river valley (Short excursions along forest tracks found very few birds). As usual annoying Camberwell Beauty always landed too high in trees to photograph, amazingly one did eventualy come down and pose later.
Sucha Hora
Lesser Spotted Eagle typically flew across the road, while I was crossing the Polish border with a car right behind me.
Wednesday 15 May (Suchá Hora, Slovakia)
Rašelinisko Rudé (Peat Bog) exceptional for singing warblers this morning. Blackcap, Garden Warbler paricuarly so, plus Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Icterine Warbler. A 2nd calendar year male Red-footed Falcon flew over from the Polish border, although a few breed in southern Slovakia, I would imagine a rarity this far north.
Sucha Hora to Oravice (Walk)
Corncrake, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Tree Pipit. Wheel ruts full of tadpoles and a newt. Dipper.
Oravice to Vitanová (Walk with bus back to Suchá Hora from Vitanová)
Black Stork as I often find, feeding along a small stream.
Thursday 16 May (Suchá Hora, Slovakia)
Walk to Babia Hora Superb open spruce habitat but lacking in birds. Chaffinch, Blackcap and Red-backed Shrike dominant.
Old Jewish Cemetery Starý židovský next to Voda nádrž Orava (Reservoir)
Woods alive with birdsong, highlight was a male Pied Flycatcher, Common Terns on the water.
CHKO Horna OravaA protected area next to the Polish border. Again, poor for birds Red-backed Shrike again regular. Found a number of small Beaver dams no lodges or much evidence of many trees being cut down. Called in at a protected area of peat bog in Poland, but just a few common birds.
Evening bat walk around Suchá Hora
Just two samples of Whiskered Bat.
Friday 17 May (Suchá Hora, Slovakia)
Oravice
Another disappointing walk up an open woodland valley. An information board at the start showed some of the key bird species I am after, so on a looser to start with. Again, mainly Fieldfares, Red-backed Shrikes, Blackcaps and Chaffinchs plus White/Grey Wagtails, a Tree Pipit, a Robin, Bullfinchs and Dippers. Not only were the specialist species not present in five hours, not one tit species or other expected species such as Goldcrest. Just after I got back to the car, the rain set in.
Dolina Kościeliska, Poland
Walked up this valley/gorge, allegedly good for Wallcreeper early evening, but had little other than Ravens.
Saturday 18 May (Suchá Hora, Slovakia)
Oravice
A walk up a different forest track produced very much the same birds as Friday morning, bar Willow Warblers which were in song today. With another disappointing day ahead as I returned to my car, things suddenly picked up by a couple of mature isolated spruce trees. I observed a tit go into one of the spruces, then fly higher into the next one, Crested Tit. A very green Warbler flew by quick may have been Icterine? A Chiffchaff was seen feeding in a bush and a Black Woodpecker called nearby. Star bird of the day high on the spruce was a Firecrest, although I have found several over the years, this is the first time I have manged to photograph one.
Rašelinisko Rudé (Peat Bog)
Beavers have made a small dam over a drainage ditch.
Last year I presumed that I heard Nightjar on a number of occasions in untypical habitats. I am now convinced that the typical Nightjar sound was made by an amphibian probabably a frog as I heard the sound again, next to pond late afternoon. Common Crane flew south.
Rašelinisko Rudé (Peat Bog)
Returned at dusk in the hope of a few night birds such as Nightjar, Corncrake etc. As it got dark a strange noise came from the shrubby area Brown Bear or Wild Boar? I made a hasty retreat. Noctule the only bat out.
Sunday 19 May (Sokolovce, Slovakia)
Sucha Hora
Lane through fields to south of village. Impressive numbers of Whinchat.
Turčianske Teplice Fishponds
Caspian Gulls and Black Storks, Golden Oriole.
Dubové
Lots of Red-backed Shrikes and Turtle Doves.
Sokolovce
While driving through woodland just before the village a Tawny Owl flew across the road.
Monday 20 May (Sokolovce, Slovakia)
Madunice - Drahovce Fishponds
Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Nightingale, Turtle Dove, Golden Oriole. A pair of Spotted Flycatchers were observed collecting bits of bark, presumably to line a nest, at the same time continuously diving at a Great Spotted Woodpecker near their nest.
Siňava Reservoir Drove up the western side. Around a dozen Black Terns inevitably on the other side to me. A very distant small gull on the other side caught my attention, probable Little Gull. Drove round to the east side picking up a Night Heron and some Fieldfare (Uncommon in southern Slovakia) on the way. Managed some closer views, sure enough an immature Little Gull. Also around Common Sandpiper and Kingfisher.
Orestany Airstrip Buzzards, Kestrels and a Marsh Harrier having their usual feast. A Lapwing flew over and the resident Crested Larks showed briefly. At least 30 Tree Sparrows at the manure dump.
Kaštieľ Sokolovce grounds and pond evening bat walk
Nathusius’ Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle, Kuhl’s Pipistrelle, Savi’s Pipistrelle, Noctule, Grey Long-eared Bat.
Tuesday 21 May (Sokolovce, Slovakia)
Sokolovce river, reservoir and oxbow
Just as I parked my car at dawn an adult White-tailed Eagle flew over. Too dark and overcast for a decent photo. Not much bird song this morning other than lot of Nightingales and a few Golden Oriole. Two Night Herons flew over. A Kingfisher was at the reservoir, two Wryneck were calling and a probabbly recently fledged Grey-headed Woodpecker showed well. Just got back to my car before a thunder storm at 0720 hrs.
Nova Lehota
Spent around 3 hours around the wooded hills of this area late morning in the hope of some of the rarer raptors, only Buzzards.
Moravany nad Váhom Lake
My first Moorhen of the trip.
Siňava Reservoir, Ratnovce
2 immature Little Gulls today. At least 3 Kingfishers.
Sokolovce Industrial Estate
On my way by bicycle, out for a batting session at dusk Tawny Owl.
Sokolovce Oxbow (Short batting session as it stated to thunder, just got back to base before the rain came)
Noctule, Common Bent-winged Bat, Common Serotine, Leislers, Nathusius’ Ppistrelle.
Wednesday 22 May (Sokolovce, Slovakia)
Started raining a soon as I left the house 0515 this morning, so sat it out in the car next to the dead trees by the River Vah. Very little bird song, the most active bird was a Spotted Flycatcher, which on one occasion dive bombed a Red Squirrel that presumably had got too close to its nest.
Koplotovce
The rain stopped around 11 and the sun came out. Apart from Golden Oriole's calling, but being as elusive as ever, with 4 flying out of the top of a tree at one point.
Siňava Reservoir Ratnovce The two immature Little Gull still present and one Black Tern flew by.
Thursday 23 May
Bumarice Reservoir Very quiet compared to past visits, with the water level being very high. Two Kingfishers straight away, good numbers of Tree Sparrow and another frustrating Black Tern always staying on the opposite side to me. A very plain unmarked long snake seen briefly on the way back to the car. Looking at distribution maps most likely Grass Snake.
Surr (Ramsar site to the north of Bratislava)
Now very warm and sunny and very little about. Nightingales singing a plenty, a lot of tree nesting Starlings and a couple of Golden Oriole. The first Lesser Purple Emperors out.
In the airport carpark, a calling Golden Oriole. Quick flight home and out of Manchester Airport all trains and buses running on time.
Butterflies Wall Brown Common Blue, Small Heath, Large White, Orange Tip, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Grizzled Skipper, Swallowtail, Meadow Brown, Woodland Ringlet, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Lesser Purple Emperor. Clouded Yellow, two of which that were too flighty to photo, were very pale suggesting Pale Clouded Yellow.
Dragonflies
Just a few of the most common species such as Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Darter, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Red-viened Darter.
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