Wednesday 5 June
Arrived in Bratislava an hour late at 1825. My Rynair plane stood on the runway at Manchester, for nearly an hour, before departure! The drive up to my base at Hlohovec produced just a single Kestral. Swifts, House Martin's and Swallows over the town centre.
Thursday 6 June
After doing the school run, with my grandsons, it was off to fishing ponds near Madunce, lots of birds about Buzzard, Turtle Dove, Hoopoe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, White Wagtail, Golden Oriole, Nightingale, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Hawfinch, Yellowhammer. Just Mute Swan, Black-headed Gulls and Great Crested Grebe on the water. For the 3 years I have been visiting these ponds, one deep former sand/gravel pit has looked a likely spot for Night Heron. Today I has lucky, they are uncommon, but increasing away from the Danube wetlands in Slovakia. Went into Piestany for lunch. Walked through the park, which is supposed to good for peckers and flycatchers, only found Black Redstart and Red Squirrels of note. Back in Hlohovec I found a Syrian Woodpecker's nest in a roadside tree outside my son-in-laws house. Well grown young calling, but only the female bringing food in.
Friday 7 June
Koplotovce fishing ponds. Pretty much the same birds as yesterday morning, plus Red-backed Shrike and Nuthatch. Usually a good site for Wryneck, none seen or heard! Late morning explored some woods near Svrbice. A male Black Woodpecker was traveling low down from tree to tree, making it very difficult to photograph. At Oresany airstrip the usual Crested Larks and Tree Sparrows. A Cuckoo flew over. In the afternoon went to have a look at a small reservoir with a reedbed at one end near Kapince. Difficult access due to thick vegetation. Little Grebe, Great Reed Warbler, Marsh Harrier and a party of Bee-eaters flew over. A Lapwing was attacking a Buzzard. In the evening drove up to the upper reservoir above Chtelnica, in hope of some nocturnal wildlife. Noctule Bat and Tawny Owl quickly detected. Otherwise poor for bats, despite being in the middle of a forest. On the drive out of the forest a Martin (Pine or Beach) of an unknown species ran across the road, also a Brown Hare.
Saturday 8 June
Another effort to find new places, saw me by the River Vah at Posaka, early morning. Usual suspect birds in the trees and scrub. On the river at least 7 Little Egrets, 3 Kingfishers together and several Night Herons. In the afternoon a male Serin was singing in the front garden.
Sunday 9 June
Early morning visited the opposite side of the River Vah near Dolne Zelenice. Usual birds of floodplain forest Nightingale, Golden Oriole, Turtle Dove, Hawfinch with Red-backed Shrike. Then made a return visit to the fishing ponds near Madunice. Birds as above, but finally a Spotted Flycatcher. Mid-afternoon went to have a look at an old fashion type fishponds, at a village called Lukácovce pri Nitre. A lot of the pond was reed fringed, with no sign of angling. Straight away found female Red-crested Pochard with 1 ducklings and 2 Pochard with 4 and 6 ducklings respectively. Marsh Harriers were nesting in the reedbeds. Reed Warbler was a new Slovak species for me. Stonechat also present.
Monday 10 June
Left Hlohovec north to stay in a hamlet called Vyšní Repáňovci, near the ski resort of Terchová. With the temperate in the early 30s C, birds were few and far between. Only new birds were Mistle Thrush, Bullfinch and a Meadow Pipit, that had gone to a puddle on a track through woodland next to upland meadow, to bathe. Early evening walk up a valley near my apartment found no new birds, other than a small flock of Ravens. A head inside a nest box looked interesting, only for it to turn out to be a female Great Spotted Woodpecker. Visited a very local bar near my apartment. Tried my limited Slovak language skills to order a beer. Amazingly the barmaid understood and poured a large beer, then she tried to talk to me in Slovak! I smiled!
Tuesday 11 June
Apart from a Fieldfare in the garden of my apartment, which have been unusually scarce, so far. Early morning was disappointing, despite the superb weather. After breakfast caught one of the first cable cars to the top of the Mala Fatra mountains. Straight away found Ring Ouzel and Water Pipit, both species have a healthy population up here. Unfortunately little else in six hours, other than a Black Redstart, a House Martin, several Swifts and the only raptor a Kestral. Butterfly of the trip so far have been Painted Ladies which seem to be everywhere, others today on the high meadows Camberwell Beauty and Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell.
Wednesday 12 June
Early morning drive to have a look at some grasslands near the Polish border, that apparently have Citrine Wagtail. Straight off a number of new trip species in White Stork, Skylark, Lesser Whitethroat and Winchat. Despite seemingly good grassland no sign of any Wagtails. The job was made difficult due to the lack of access to many rural lanes on both sides of the border. After walking down one track for a mile or so, I came to a sign saying it was a Ramsar Site, but on the map showed no signs of access! Drove around Poland for a while, but found few places, where I could stop and explore as usual. Just after I crossed back into Slovakia a Lesser Spotted Eagle flew over the car, typically where there was nowhere to stop. Probably due to the temperature being around 30c, it went fairly quiet in the afternoon. Travelling back to my apartment, just added Robin, Dipper and a Woodcock that flew down a forest track.
Thursday 13 June
Went out with the intention of a walk for a couple of hours. Climbed to a mountain ridge through some fantastic habitats. Meadows, Spruce and Beech forests, open and closed. Just kept on walking until I returned to my apartment six hours later, in glorious weather. Kept a Bird list. Blackbird , Fieldfare, Black Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Hooded Crow, Yellowhammer, Song Thrush, Raven, Chiffchaff, Jay, Wren, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Cuckoo, Dunnock, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Robin, Swift, House Martin. All the specialities of the region absent and not a single raptor all day! Also Painted Ladies in profusion, Speckled Wood, Camberwell Beauty, Red Admiral a brown and a fritillary butterfly to id back home. In deep ruts caused by forestry vehicles and filled with water. Large Red Damselflies and Broad-bodied Chasers, plus tadpoles. Only mammals Roe Deer and a Red Squirrel. After a midday snooze with temperatures up in the early 30c's, birds were very quiet, when I went out later.
Friday 14 June
Return to Hlohovec. Visited vodná nádrž Nová Bystrica reservoir. On the map it showed a two and a half hour walk around. After an hour and a half walking, a sign indicated I had walked 5 K and had 22 K to go. Given the heat and amount of forestry vehicles passing , I turned back. Birds no different than yesterday. First Map butterfly of the trip. Rest of the day, traveling with stops quiet, with the temperature reaching 34 c hardly surprising. At least a few Buzzards and Kestrals today. Best wildlife sighting of the day was two adult Red Deer stags with full antlers, still covered in velvet, which slowly crossed the road in front of me.
Saturday 15 June
Early morning visit to Madunce fishing ponds. Plenty of birds about, but went quiet by 7:00 as temperatures rose. Nightingales seem to have stopped singing. Golden Orioles still very vocal, and a surprise when a male came down onto a track and had an altercation with a Starling. The Starling won! Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers put in regular appearances. Hawfinchs around, along with Red-backed Shrikes. Rest of the day very hot again.
Sunday 16 June
Lukácovce pri Nitre Fishonds on my second visit, found a small colony of Sand Martins nesting in a bank no more than one Metre high above the water. A male Marsh Harrier landed atop of the nests, elicited no attacks from the Martins. The harrier left empty handed after a while. Two Kingfishers were about. A Common Sandpiper was presumed to be on return migration already. Then went back to Koplotovce fishing ponds. Nightingales still in song here, along with Golden Orioles calling. A rare sharp shower had me running back to the car.
Monday 17 June
A return visit to the woods above Chtelnica. Walked for several miles through woods predominantly beech with some oak, Hornbeam and spruce. A female Collared Flycatcher, confirmed from a photo. Some distant raptors soring high and plunging Peregrine style, were surely Honey Buzzards. Could not make out the head or tails through the heat haze. Flushed a young Roe Deer. Early evening a party of Bee-eaters flew over Hlohovec.
Tuesday 18 June
Left Hlohovec to stay in Lednice, Czechia for 3 nights again. A walk in the Horná Pustá Ves area produced a fox hunting over a recently cut meadow. Finally in a dead tree, typically next to a large garden orchard, a Wryneck. An early evening walk around the Lednice Gardens was fairly quite, just Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers. New birds for the site for me Night Heron and Common Tern. At dusk visited the area of the lake where the large bats where, back in March, this time with a bat detector in hand. Some large bats again present, will have to wait till I get home to analyse the recordings. Interesting sight was many fireflies over vegetation, next to one of the smaller lakes.
Wednesday 19 June
Pre-breakfast walk around Lednice Park Lake. One bird that has frustrated me for years is Collared Flycatcher. Sure I have seen several over the years, but all flew off, before I had the chance to get my bins or camera on them. Today I was in luck, I found a male using a park bench as a perch. It seemed to be feeding on ants on the ground and kept coming back to the same bench, often allowing close approach. Then, as you do, found a number of other Collared Flycatchers including good photos of a female. Other birds about Marsh Tit, Spotted Flycatcher and Hawfinchs. Mid-morning went to Soutok. Very hot, with little bird song. Found another male Collared Flycatcher, got all set up for some good photos opportunities, just for a gardener to turn up to mow the lawn.
Good site for raptors on past visits, but only Buzzard and Kestral today. Went to see the White Sorks, nesting in the old trees. In the afternoon went to the Fishponds to the east of Lednice. These are classed as a nature reserve, so a bit of a shock went I walked past a kind of pop up nudist beach, with all my optics on show! Put everything in my bag on the way back. Once past the beach I had the place to myself. From the bird hide, I watched the island with the Larus gulls that I thought may be breeding back in March. Lots of juveniles and from a long distance, it seems Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls were present. Will check when I blow the photos up back home. Other birds Great and Common Reed Warblers. Lots of Common Terns nesting on platforms. First Sedge Warbler of the trip. Late afternoon spent a couple of hours at Pastvisko Reserve. Finally a few raptors, Black Kite, Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and sub-adult and adult White-tailed Eagles. Also about Great White Egret, Little Egret and at least two pairs of Cuckoos. One opservastion is the amount of ducklings that seem to grow to maturity, compared to Britain. Be it Mallard, Pochard or Red-crested Pochard for starters!
Thursday 20 June
Another walk around the lake in Lednice Park early morning. Fairly quiet to start with, until I dropped on a Middle Spotted Woodpecker, next to where yesterday Collared Flycatcher was, which promptly put in another appearance, on the park bench. A family of 4 Green Woodpeckers were still feeding young, away from the nest. Great Spotted and Black Woodpeckers also noted. Re-visited the Pastvisko Reserve. A Roe Deer was in front of the hide. A different White-tailed Eagle, a younger one than yesterday was perched out in the open in a dead tree. This attracted the attention of a number of passing birds. First a Black Kite then a Hooded Crow bombed the eagle. Two Common Terns then joined the in, which proved too much and the Eagle flew off. Several minutes later the eagle returned and made the big mistake of flying over the tern raft. All hell broke out, the terns soon saw off the eagle. Midday visited some limestone grassland of the Palava Hills in the hope of some butterflies. Plenty about, but pretty much what I would expect back in Britain. Marbled White the most common, still plenty of Painted Ladies. Driving around found the first Red Kite of the trip. Late afternoon another walk around Lednice Park Lake. A few Collared Flycatchers, a Black Kite and a couple of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers. One Bird I find hard to find are Moorhen. It took several visits to Central Europe before I noticed any and two weeks into this trip to find any.
Friday 21 June
Took full advantage of the longest day and was out walking round Lednice Park Lake at 5 am. Finally managed to hear a Grey-headed Woodpecker, also about Great Spotted and Green. Picked up a few Collared, but Spotted Flycatchers seemed very common today. Only raptor a Black Kite. On a track back to my apartment, found a fantastic Stag Beetle. It was then time to leave Lednice for my early evening flight back home from Bratislava. Passed through Austria, very unremarkable. Drove to a number of sites on the Slovak side of the River Moravia. Raptors continue to be scarce with only a single Red Kite, at one of my best sites. Rynair back to Manchester on time.
Weather throughout the trip mostly very warm and sunny, with just two short sharp showers. I came across no other birders
Male Stag Beetle - Lednice, Czechia
Butterfly list
Green-veined White, Large White, Clouded Yellow, Common Blue, Large Copper, Essex Skipper, Lesser Purple Emperor, Camberwell Beauty, Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Map, Silver-washed Fritillary, High Brown Fritillary, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Marbled White, Speckled Wood, Woodland Ringlet, Small Heath, Pearly Heath.
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