Hungary-Slovakia Birding Trip: August 27- September 10, 2012

Day 13 Saturday, September 8 Roznava, Karst Region, Southern Slovakia


Hotel Cierny Orol http://www.ciernyorol.sk/en/ciernyorol.php

Ross would be our guide/leader for the rest of the trip. For starters he suggested a very early morning trek to check out the Nutcrackers (again! - still hoping for a decent photo). So Bill and Ross headed out at 6:30am after first checking for dippers (strike out). They got distant views of the Spotted Nutcracker, but closeups of a Chaffinch.



At 8am we all joined together for our final breakfast at the Safrany Pension.

Today we would visit the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Dobsinka ice cave, the largest ice cave in the world http://www.ssj.sk/jaskyne/spristupnene/dobsinska-ladova/?lang=en. After a 20 minute uphill trek, we arrived in time for the first tour. This was a very impressive tour, starting with a long descent down a metal staircase. MA recorded the commentary on her I-phone. The ice can be up to 20 metres thick. The rock and ice formations are dazzling. As our designated photographer, Bill captured some amazing shots.



On the trail back down, we finally saw a Tree Creeper. There were just a few people on our tour but when we emerged, crowds were arriving. At the parking lot, our little van was surrounded by huge tour buses.



Near the parking lot, the ladies checked out the souvenir stands, while Bill was excited to see a Dipper in the stream beside. Wait, that's not a Dipper! It looks like a Black Redstart. Oh, well.



More cheking on the stream by the car park revealed another possible Dipper. No, I don't think so!



As we drove west and south towards the town of Roznava, we made a few birding stops.



Ross and Margaret Ann decided to visit the Ochtinská Aragonite Cave http://www.best-of-european-union.eu/2011/02/19/ochtinska-aragonite-cave-the-only-aragonite-cave-of-that-kind-in-the-world-slovakia/, where we enjoyed a picnic lunch at tables beside the parking lot.



We birded in the forest outside the cave entrance while Ross and MA descended underground . Before you know it, Barbara was face to face with a perched Ural Owl. As she motioned to Bill, the owl flew. He landed further along the trail but was harder to spot behind branches. What a lucky sighting! There were lots of woodpecker trees, but we did not see any of the bids.



We arrived in the town square of Roznava late afternoon. After a Slovakian meal at our hotel, we walked around the town square, dominated by a massive church.



Birds seen Sept 8, 2012
*new birds bolded

Bird of the Day: Ural Owl

1. Mallard
2. Feral Pigeon
3. House Sparrow
4. White Wagtail
5. Chaffinch
6. Spotted Nutcracker
7. Marsh Tit
8. Crested Tit
9. Song Thrush
10. Tree Creeper
11. Black Redstart
12. Ural Owl
13. Nuthatch
14. Jay
15. Robin

Trip Total: Trip Total: 154

Other Nature
butterfly