“The one common denominator which encapsulates this year’s
birds and music tour of the Czech Republic seems to be Rusalka. The magical misty lake on stage at the State
Opera House which so exactly interpreted the vision of both composer and
librettist in one of the most perfect productions (of any opera) imaginable
also symbolised the recurrent image of our own Czech experience: water (with or
without waternymphs but always with water birds) – in the ancient fishponds of
Trebon, Dvorak’s black lake in the Sumava mountains, the landscaped lakes of
Pruhonice and Lednice, the frog-filled ponds at Hlohovec, and the fishponds of
Moravia. And reflected in so many
mental pictures are Red-crested Pochards, Garganey, Black-necked and
Great-crested Grebes, and Mediterranean Gulls; a Bluethroat in the reeds or a
Little Bittern clinging to a phragmites stem and stretching more and more
vertical until it almost fell over backwards; a Kingfisher surrounded by pink
and yellow azaleas; or Cranes flying, striding, and bugling amongst the
waterside vegetation.
It is difficult to evoke any species without recalling the
setting, the total context of the landscape.
Admittedly there were some isolated cameos – the displaying Firecrest at
eye level, the Crested Tit in the pine needles, the Icterine Warbler on its
nest, the Tawny Owl squeezing into the broken branch, a Penduline Tit or a
Marsh Warbler in the sallows, a Scarlet Rosefinch throwing back its head and
uttering its cheery song, a Grasshopper warbler vibrating its whole body in a
low bush. But almost invariably an
entire scene comes to mind. It is
impossible to picture Black Grouse without seeing the misty meadows beneath the
wooded hillside or to recall Hawfinch and not remember the castle gardens at
Cesky Krumlov. Similarly our first
Black Woodpecker and our only Ring Ouzel and Three-toed Woodpecker are inextricably
linked to the silent vastness of the primeval beech and spruce forest of Boubin
Hill – appropriately black-and-white birds in a sombre-hued world largely
without colour but dramatically lit by shafts of silver sunlight.
Colourful Bee-eaters and yellow-eyed Barred Warblers immediately evoke the sunny vineyards of Moravia; Wryneck and Middle and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers mature parkland; Golden Oriole a canopy of sun-lit leaves; and Corncrake (for the lucky few) brings to mind the source of the Vltava so clearly that Smetana’s rippling music can be heard in the background. Pygmy Owl and Woodcock conjure up an entire scene of silhouetted pines and such non-avian extras as a whole family of Wild Boar trotting towards us along a forest trail. Imperial Eagle and Saker evoke the secret woodland of the Soutok flood plain which we were so privileged to visit. And even White-tailed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Red Kite, Montagu’s Harrier, and Black Stork come to mind complete with their own particular context of the bluest of skies, itself an abiding image from our sequence of sunny days.
All in all, a very satisfactory selection of the birds of
the Czech Republic – and some superb views in unsurpassable settings. As equally memorable as the endlessly
attractive and ever-changing countryside were the charming townscapes – of
Trebon, Cesky Krumlov, Prague, Telc, Mikulov – justly meriting their World
Heritage status and appropriate settings for our varied selection of musical
experiences from the Pipers of Trebon, Vera and Vlastimil Leysek, and the
Radusov cymbalon quartet all performing exclusively for our Sunbird group to
Rigoletto and Lucia de Lammermoor at the State Opera, the Aloe Trio at
Bertramka, Le Corsaire at Brno, and the happy succession of folk ensembles at
Vlcnov.
These first-hand experiences, together with the excellent
film documentary at Janacek’s house and the taped narratives which unfolded
during our time on the road, provided as comprehensive a picture of the music
of the Czech Republic as any during the 15 years of the trip’s operation. Birds.
And music. QED..” Bryan Bland
This is a list of all the species seen during the last nine
tours to the Czech Republic.
Column A = Number of
tours on which this species has been recorded.
Column B = Number of
days this species was seen on the last tour.
Column C = Maximum
daily count for this species on the last tour.
H =
Heard only
(H)
= Mostly heard but
some seen
|
9 |
Little Grebe |
3 |
2 |
|
Tachybaptus ruficollis |
|
9 |
Great Crested Grebe
|
7 |
25 |
|
Podiceps cristatus |
|
9 |
Black-necked Grebe
|
2 |
8 |
|
Podiceps nigricollis |
|
9 |
Continental Cormorant * |
5 |
20 |
|
Phalacrocorax (carbo) sinensis |
|
2 |
Little Bittern |
1 |
2 |
|
Ixobrychus minutus |
|
9 |
Night Heron * |
6 |
100 |
|
Nycticorax nycticorax |
|
1 |
Squacco Heron |
|
|
|
Ardeola ralloides |
|
6 |
Little Egret |
1 |
1 |
|
Egretta garzetta |
|
5 |
Great Egret * |
2 |
3 |
|
Egretta alba |
|
9 |
Grey Heron |
9 |
150 |
|
Ardea cinerea |
|
8 |
Black Stork |
2 |
2 |
|
Ciconia nigra |
|
9 |
White Stork |
8 |
6 |
|
Ciconia ciconia |
|
8 |
Spoonbill |
1 |
6 |
|
Platalea leucorodia |
|
9 |
Mute Swan |
5 |
60 |
|
Cygnus olor |
|
9 |
Greylag Goose |
7 |
100 |
|
Anser anser |
|
4 |
Shelduck |
1 |
2 |
|
Tadorna tadorna |
|
1 |
Mandarin |
1 |
1 |
|
Aix galericulata |
|
1 |
Wood Duck |
1 |
1 |
|
Aix sponsa |
|
1 |
Wigeon |
|
|
|
Anas penelope |
|
9 |
Gadwall |
7 |
30 |
|
Anas strepera |
|
4 |
Teal * |
1 |
2 |
|
Anas crecca |
|
9 |
Mallard |
12 |
200 |
|
Anas platyrhynchos |
|
7 |
Garganey |
2 |
3 |
|
Anas querquedula |
|
1 |
Pintail |
1 |
2 |
|
Anas acuta |
|
8 |
Shoveler |
4 |
3 |
|
Anas clypeata |
|
9 |
Red-crested Pochard
|
6 |
40 |
|
Netta rufina |
|
9 |
Pochard |
7 |
50 |
|
Aythya ferina |
|
9 |
Tufted Duck |
7 |
50 |
|
Aythya fuligula |
|
9 |
Goldeneye * |
4 |
20 |
|
Bucephala clangula |
|
1 |
Smew |
|
|
|
Mergellus albellus |
|
9 |
White-tailed Eagle
|
2 |
4 |
|
Haliaeetus albicilla |
|
8 |
Honey Buzzard |
4 |
6 |
|
Pernis apivorus |
|
9 |
Black Kite |
2 |
1 |
|
Milvus migrans |
|
6 |
Red Kite |
1 |
1 |
|
Milvus milvus |
|
9 |
Marsh Harrier |
8 |
4 |
|
Circus aeruginosus |
|
1 |
Hen Harrier |
|
|
|
Circus cyaneus |
|
1 |
Montagu's Harrier |
1 |
1 |
|
Circus pygargus |
|
4 |
Goshawk |
|
|
|
Accipiter gentilis |
|
7 |
Sparrowhawk |
|
|
|
Accipiter nisus |
|
9 |
Common Buzzard |
10 |
8 |
|
Buteo buteo |
|
9 |
Imperial Eagle |
1 |
1 |
|
Aquila heliaca |
|
2 |
Lesser Spotted Eagle |
|
|
|
Aquila pomarina |
|
2 |
Osprey |
|
|
|
Pandion haliaetus |
|
9 |
Kestrel |
11 |
5 |
|
Falco tinnunculus |
|
8 |
Hobby |
3 |
1 |
|
Falco subbuteo |
|
5 |
Saker |
1 |
5 |
|
Falco cherrug |
|
6 |
Peregrine |
|
|
|
Falco peregrinus |
|
3 |
Hazel Grouse |
|
|
|
Bonasa bonasia |
|
9 |
Black Grouse |
1 |
1 |
|
Tetrao tetrix |
|
8 |
Grey Partridge |
1 |
1 |
|
Perdix perdix |
|
4 |
Quail |
|
|
|
Coturnix coturnix |
|
9 |
Pheasant |
9 |
3 |
|
Phasianus colchicus |
|
1 |
Water Rail |
|
|
|
Rallus aquaticus |
|
9 |
Corncrake |
1 |
1 |
|
Crex crex |
|
6 |
Moorhen |
4 |
1 |
|
Gallinula chloropus |
|
9 |
Coot |
7 |
15 |
|
Fulica atra |
|
2 |
Black-winged Stilt |
|
|
|
Himantopus himantopus |
|
8 |
Little Ringed Plover
|
3 |
8 |
|
Charadrius dubius |
|
2 |
Ringed Plover |
|
|
|
Charadrius hiaticula |
|
1 |
Grey Plover |
|
|
|
Pluvialis squatarola |
|
9 |
Lapwing |
5 |
12 |
|
Vanellus vanellus |
|
1 |
Temminck's Stint |
|
|
|
Calidris temminchii |
|
3 |
Ruff |
1 |
2 |
|
Philomachus pugnax |
|
5 |
Common Snipe * |
2 |
3 |
|
Gallinago gallinago |
|
8 |
Woodcock |
2 |
2 |
|
Scolopax rusticola |
|
7 |
Black-tailed Godwit
|
1 |
6 |
|
Limosa limosa |
|
2 |
Curlew |
1 |
1 |
|
Numenius arquata |
|
1 |
Spotted Redshank |
|
|
|
Tringa erythropus |
|
7 |
Redshank |
2 |
2 |
|
Tringa totanus |
|
3 |
Greenshank |
|
|
|
Tringa nebularia |
|
4 |
Green Sandpiper |
|
|
|
Tringa ochropus |
|
5 |
Wood Sandpiper |
|
|
|
Tringa glareola |
|
4 |
Common Sandpiper |
1 |
1 |
|
Actitis hypoleucos |
|
6 |
Mediterranean Gull
|
2 |
2 |
|
Larus melanocephalus |
|
4 |
Little Gull |
|
|
|
Larus minutus |
|
9 |
Black-headed Gull
|
12 |
‘00s |
|
Larus ridibundus |
|
1 |
Common Gull |
|
|
|
Larus canus |
|
8 |
(Yellow-legged) Caspian Gull * |
1 |
2 |
|
Larus cachinnans cachinnans |
|
9 |
Common Tern |
4 |
15 |
|
Sterna hirundo |
|
3 |
Whiskered Tern |
|
|
|
Sterna hybrida |
|
7 |
Black Tern * |
2 |
7 |
|
Chlidonias niger |
|
9 |
Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon |
12 |
80 |
|
Columba livia |
|
7 |
Stock Dove |
|
|
|
Columba oenas |
|
9 |
Woodpigeon |
11 |
20 |
|
Columba palumbus |
|
9 |
Collared Dove |
12 |
50 |
|
Streptopelia decaocto |
|
9 |
Turtle Dove |
5 |
10 |
(H) |
Streptopelia turtur |
|
9 |
Cuckoo |
10 |
4 |
(H) |
Cuculus canorus |
|
1 |
Barn Owl |
|
|
|
Tyto alba |
|
1 |
Scops Owl |
|
|
|
Otus scops |
|
5 |
Eagle Owl |
|
|
|
Bubo bubo |
|
8 |
Pygmy Owl |
1 |
1 |
|
Glaucidium passerinum |
|
1 |
Little Owl |
|
|
|
Athene noctua |
|
6 |
Tawny Owl |
3 |
3 |
|
Strix aluco |
|
3 |
Ural Owl |
|
|
|
Strix uralensis |
|
2 |
Long- eared Owl |
2 |
1 |
(H) |
Asio otus |
|
8 |
Tengmalm's Owl * |
2 |
1 |
(H) |
Aegolius funereus |
|
5 |
Nightjar |
|
|
|
Caprimulgus europaeus |
|
9 |
Common Swift |
12 |
30 |
|
Apus apus |
|
8 |
Kingfisher |
2 |
1 |
|
Alcedo atthis |
|
7 |
Bee-eater |
1 |
5 |
|
Merops apiaster |
|
3 |
Hoopoe |
|
|
|
Upupa epops |
|
9 |
Wryneck |
2 |
3 |
|
Jynx torquilla |
|
9 |
Grey-headed Woodpecker |
2 |
1 |
H |
Picus canus |
|
9 |
Green Woodpecker |
6 |
3 |
|
Picus viridis |
|
9 |
Black Woodpecker |
3 |
1 |
|
Dryocopus martius |
|
9 |
Great Spotted Woodpecker |
9 |
10 |
(H) |
Dendrocopos major |
|
8 |
Syrian Woodpecker
|
|
|
|
Dendrocopos syriacus |
|
9 |
Middle Spotted Woodpecker |
3 |
1 |
|
Dendrocopos medius |
|
3 |
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker |
1 |
2 |
|
Dendrocopos minor |
|
5 |
Three-toed Woodpecker
* |
1 |
1 |
|
Picoides tridactylus |
|
4 |
Crested Lark |
1 |
2 |
|
Galerida cristata |
|
1 |
Woodlark |
|
|
|
Lullula arborea |
|
9 |
Skylark |
7 |
25 |
|
Alauda arvensis |
|
9 |
Sand Martin |
2 |
15 |
|
Riparia riparia |
|
9 |
Swallow * |
12 |
30 |
|
Hirundo rustica |
|
9 |
House Martin |
12 |
30 |
|
Delichon urbica |
|
9 |
Tree Pipit |
2 |
3 |
|
Anthus trivialis |
|
9 |
Meadow Pipit |
1 |
6 |
|
Anthus pratensis |
|
6 |
Yellow Wagtail |
|
|
|
Motacilla flava |
|
9 |
Grey Wagtail |
3 |
3 |
|
Motacilla cinerea |
|
9 |
White Wagtail * |
12 |
8 |
|
Motacilla alba |
|
3 |
Dipper |
|
|
|
Cinclus cinclus |
|
9 |
Wren * |
6 |
2 |
(H) |
Troglodytes troglodytes |
|
9 |
Dunnock |
4 |
1 |
(H) |
Prunella modularis |
|
9 |
Robin |
7 |
10 |
(H) |
Erithacus rubecula |
|
9 |
Nightingale |
5 |
5 |
(H) |
Luscinia megarhynchos |
|
9 |
Bluethroat |
2 |
2 |
|
Luscinia svecica |
|
9 |
Black Redstart |
12 |
12 |
|
Phoenicurus ochruros |
|
9 |
Redstart |
5 |
2 |
|
Phoenicurus phoenicurus |
|
9 |
Whinchat |
2 |
30 |
|
Saxicola rubetra |
|
8 |
Stonechat |
1 |
1 |
|
Saxicola torquata |
|
3 |
Northern Wheatear
|
|
|
|
Oenanthe oenanthe |
|
4 |
Ring Ouzel |
1 |
2 |
|
Turdus torquatus |
|
9 |
Blackbird |
12 |
20 |
|
Turdus merula |
|
9 |
Fieldfare |
5 |
12 |
|
Turdus pilaris |
|
9 |
Song Thrush |
11 |
20 |
|
Turdus philomelos |
|
9 |
Mistle Thrush |
6 |
3 |
|
Turdus viscivorus |
|
9 |
Grasshopper Warbler
|
2 |
4 |
|
Locustella naevia |
|
9 |
River Warbler |
2 |
2 |
(H) |
Locustella fluviatilis |
|
8 |
Savi’s Warbler |
1 |
1 |
H |
Locustella luscinioides |
|
9 |
Sedge Warbler |
3 |
4 |
(H) |
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus |
|
9 |
Marsh Warbler |
3 |
3 |
(H) |
Acrocephalus palustris |
|
9 |
Reed Warbler |
3 |
6 |
(H) |
Acrocephalus scirpaceus |
|
9 |
Great Reed Warbler |
3 |
3 |
|
Acrocephalus arundinaceus |
|
9 |
Icterine Warbler |
3 |
3 |
|
Hippolais icterina |
|
5 |
Barred Warbler |
1 |
4 |
|
Phylloscopus sibilatrix |
|
9 |
Lesser Whitethroat
|
3 |
1 |
(H) |
Sylvia curruca |
|
9 |
Whitethroat |
3 |
6 |
(H) |
Sylvia communis |
|
9 |
Garden Warbler |
6 |
10 |
(H) |
Sylvia borin |
|
9 |
Blackcap |
12 |
10 |
(H) |
Sylvia atricapilla |
|
9 |
Wood Warbler |
1 |
1 |
H |
Phylloscopus sibilatrix |
|
9 |
Chiffchaff |
12 |
10 |
(H) |
Phylloscopus collybita |
|
9 |
Willow Warbler |
5 |
4 |
(H) |
Phylloscopus trochilus |
|
9 |
Goldcrest |
3 |
2 |
(H) |
Regulus regulus |
|
9 |
Firecrest |
2 |
10 |
(H) |
Regulus ignicapillus |
|
9 |
Spotted Flycatcher
|
9 |
5 |
|
Muscicapa striata |
|
6 |
Red-breasted Flycatcher
|
|
|
|
Ficedula parva |
|
9 |
Collared Flycatcher
|
8 |
20 |
|
Ficedula albicollis |
|
5 |
Pied Flycatcher |
1 |
1 |
|
Ficedula hypoleuca |
|
2 |
Bearded Tit |
|
|
|
Panurus biarmicus |
|
6 |
Long-tailed Tit * |
4 |
2 |
|
Aegithalos caudatus |
|
9 |
Marsh Tit |
2 |
2 |
|
Parus palustris |
|
7 |
Willow Tit * |
1 |
5 |
|
Parus montanus |
|
9 |
Crested Tit |
2 |
1 |
|
Parus cristatus |
|
9 |
Coal Tit |
5 |
3 |
|
Parus ater |
|
9 |
Blue Tit |
12 |
20 |
|
Parus caeruleus |
|
9 |
Great Tit |
12 |
10 |
|
Parus major |
|
9 |
Nuthatch |
12 |
14 |
|
Sitta europaea |
|
9 |
Treecreeper |
2 |
1 |
|
Certhia familiaris |
|
9 |
Short-toed Treecreeper
|
3 |
2 |
|
Certhia brachydactyla |
|
9 |
Penduline Tit |
1 |
1 |
|
Remiz pendulinus |
|
9 |
Golden Oriole |
6 |
10 |
(H) |
Oriolus oriolus |
|
9 |
Red-backed Shrike
|
6 |
12 |
|
Lanius collurio |
|
7 |
Great Grey Shrike |
|
|
|
Lanius excubitor |
|
9 |
Starling |
12 |
50 |
|
Sturnus vulgaris |
|
9 |
Jay |
10 |
10 |
|
Garrulus glandarius |
|
9 |
Magpie * |
11 |
4 |
|
Pica pica |
|
1 |
Nutcracker |
|
|
|
Sitta europaea |
|
9 |
Jackdaw |
7 |
3 |
|
Corvus monedula |
|
7 |
Rook |
2 |
20 |
|
Corvus frugilegus |
|
4 |
Carrion Crow |
8 |
4 |
|
Corvus corone |
|
9 |
Hooded Crow * |
5 |
1 |
|
Corvus cornix |
|
8 |
Raven |
1 |
1 |
|
Corvus corax |
|
9 |
House Sparrow |
12 |
10 |
|
Passer domesticus |
|
9 |
Tree Sparrow |
8 |
8 |
|
Passer montanus |
|
9 |
Chaffinch |
12 |
100 |
(H) |
Fringilla coelebs |
|
9 |
Serin |
11 |
20 |
(H) |
Serinus serinus |
|
9 |
Greenfinch |
12 |
10 |
|
Carduelis chloris |
|
9 |
Goldfinch |
10 |
20 |
|
Carduelis carduelis |
|
9 |
Siskin |
1 |
2 |
|
Carduelis spinus |
|
9 |
Linnet |
4 |
6 |
|
Carduelis cannabina |
|
9 |
Redpoll |
1 |
10 |
|
Carduelis flammea |
|
9 |
Crossbill |
1 |
2 |
|
Loxia curvirostra |
|
9 |
Scarlet Rosefinch
|
2 |
20 |
(H) |
Carpodacus erythrinus |
|
9 |
Bullfinch |
1 |
3 |
|
Pyrrhula pyrrhula |
|
9 |
Hawfinch |
3 |
3 |
|
Coccothraustes coccothraustes |
|
9 |
Yellowhammer |
6 |
12 |
|
Emberiza citrinella |
|
9 |
Reed Bunting |
6 |
5 |
|
Emberiza schoeniclus |
|
4 |
Corn Bunting |
1 |
1 |
|
Miliaria calandra |