As every year, this year the employees of the Administration of the Veľká Fatra National Park took part in the winter census of waterfowl in Slovakia.
On the third weekend of January 16 to 17, 2021, the 55th International Winter Waterbird Census in Slovakia (i.e. the international main census date) took place. Currently, it is almost a global program, in which more than 100 countries are involved. The program is coordinated by Wetlands International, based in the Netherlands.
The main goal is to obtain qualitative-quantitative data on the occurrence of wintering and migrating waterfowl, to identify long-term trends and distribution. The systematic census also provides valuable knowledge for estimating the significance of individual wintering sites for the populations of the monitored bird species.
Although in Europe the regular waterbird census began in 1967, the systematic waterbird census in Slovakia has been carried out since 1991.
Source: https://www.sopsr.sk/web/?cl=20715 Ing. Andrea Lešová, PhD.
The Administration of the Veľká Fatra National Park in cooperation with the regional coordinator Ing. Ján Topercer CSc. annually maps and counts all tributaries of the Turiec, selected sections of the Váh River, the Krpelian Dam, ponds and other water bodies in the territorial jurisdiction. In addition to the mentioned main date, the census of wintering waterfowl can also be carried out a week before and a week after the international weekend date.
This year, we will introduce you to one of the mapped sections in more detail in the photos and description. It is a very beautiful and well-preserved watercourse, especially in its upper and middle parts.
Vríca is a stream in Lower Turiec, in the southwestern part of the Martin District. It is a left-hand tributary of the Turiec River with a length of 19.6 km. In its upper course, it forms a 30-meter-high Kľacký waterfall. In the middle course, it flows through the Kláštorská Valley. The area around its mouth is part of the Kláštorské lúky nature reserve with the protection of moisture-loving communities of the Turiec River.
In the spring area, it first flows in an easterly direction, then creates a distinctive arc bent to the north and then continues to the village of Vrícko in a southeasterly direction. From there it flows in a southeasterly direction to the settlement of Predvrícko, from the confluence with Studenec it flows in a northeasterly direction, below the confluence with Suchý it turns east. On the outskirts of the village of Slovany, it changes the direction of its flow, flowing first to the southeast, from the railway line finally to the mouth to the east.
Vríca, especially in the past, had a very significant impact on the water regime and wetland communities of the Monastery Meadows. In recent decades, however, in the dry summer months, the stream disappears and disappears even before the Monastery Meadows. By digging several canals, the land in the southern and northern parts of the Kláštorske lúky NP reserve was drained and the surrounding agrocenoses were also drained. The lower course of the Vríce is lost in the subsoil in these places, but the abstraction of water for fish farming in the area of Kláštor pod Znievom certainly has a large share in this.
The section we mapped represents a long route. (13 km). We were surprised by the higher concentration of Cinclus cinlus directly in the village of Vrícko, where we counted up to 6 individuals. A very nice section below Vrícko was poorer for observations, but the stream has a very nice preserved natural character in this part. In many places we found fresh signs of the river otter (Lutra lutra). In total, we recorded 13 individuals of the Aquarius in the section. We didn’t manage to spot the kingfisher on the stream this year, but it doesn’t have to mean that it doesn’t winter there, we just weren’t lucky with it. But the whole mapping route was made more pleasant by bullfinches, titmouses, nuts, finches and finches.
Text and photos: Ing. Juraj Žiak
Fresh tracks and droppings of the river otter (Lutra lutra).
Two adult cubs of a river otter (Lutra lutra).
Brook Aquarius (Cinclus cinclus).
Observation of the Eurasian Aquarius (Cinclus cinclus) in the middle section of Vríci.
Traces of the river otter (Lutra lutra).
Bullfinch (Phyrhulla pyrhulla).
