One sign of spring in Bratislava is the return of the storks, several pairs of which nest in the suburb round the corner from us, Devínska Nová Ves. Here the Morava river marks the border between Slovakia and Austria, and its floodplain is home to storks, herons, and other water birds.
Fortunately the storks are quite easy to photograph, because they spend a lot of time on the nest. Ears are scratched there:
And other natural needs attended to:
The nest itself is constantly being improved with new twigs and leaves:
And is home to more species than just the storks:
The bill of the stork is very impressive, and is completely perforated by the nostrils:
The splendid chest feathers can sometimes get out of control:
Other storks passing overhead provoke a mantling display: 
Then a song: 
And it’s time to head off in search of lunch:
Fantastic stork photos!
Brilliant stork photos!