2 Wallcreepers in 2 Days!

I was informed yesterday about a Wallcreeper observed near Celje. I was quite near there and I decided to find it. I knew the exact location - an old church, so finding this rare alpine species was not difficult. It was feeding on high stone walls. Nice bird to be seen here in lowland where Wallcreepers are wintering. In spring most of them return in the Alps, very often above 2000m a.s.l.
But that is not all! Today I found another one in Maribor, feeding on concrete dam located on the Drava river. Holly shit, 2 birds in 2 days :) I normally see just one per year, not ...

Well, few minutes later another surprise. An adult Red Kite was circling above Maribor, gaining on height, and then it flew Northeast. It was also chased by a Hooded Crow and a Peregrine, but that big red bird of prey just did not care. Above the Drava river there is a big clif, where it looks like both Raven and Peregrine are going to build their nest. But can they nest just 20m apart? I do not think so. Ravens should be stronger... Bad luck for Falcons. I wonder if the Peregrines will relocate their current position somewhere else. They still have some very high buildings not far away.

My main purpose was to count waterbirds and birds of prey in that section of the Drava river (1km from the city centre). I saw some Pochards, a female Goldeneye, 20 Tufted Ducks, 2 Mute Swans, 5 Little Grebes, 1 Caspian Gull, 16 Yellow-legged Gulls (migrating North), 2 Kingfishers with very close viwes, Coots, Cormorants, Mallards and more than 250 BHGs. Later on I had a chance to read one with a color ring, too! It was ringed in Croatia. According to my data that BHG has been there at least since 15th January 2014. I also quickly read some rings on Swans. Most of them are from Slovenia, but also one from Slovakia and two from Hungary (yellow plastic rings). I saw years first Blackcap, too!

Tomorrow I am visiting Medvedce reservoir. Few days ago there were more than 1900 Lapwings on migration! Huge number for our country... I hope for a good day with lot of migrating birds and nice weather (especially without wind).