In the Nature

Every Slovak loves spending time in the nature, and the coming of spring means there’s a lot more on show now. A few weeks ago Dúbravka was a winter wonderland:

Some animals at least left their marks:

Tatran Chamois were as comfortable as they could be on flat ground:

Now the snow has retreated to the hilltops, though there’s still some extra help for the nuthatches:

Coal tits:

And blue tits:

Goldfinches kept a safe distance:

Out in the countryside, fending for themselves, we found this handsome yellowhammer:

A slightly dull, but nice to have seen, treecreeper:

Marsh tit:

And quite resplendent Lesser-spotted woodpecker:

Bigger beasts were also around. Kestrels roosted on top of a cement factory, but came down to hunt:     And to answer nature’s other calls:

The most common raptors are the buzzards:

Deer are rightly cautious of people, spending their days either in the forest, or in the middle of the fields:    The beavers are also elusive, but their traces are less so: