Nighttime on the Danube

This is the time of year when the large red dear mate. And, of course, the stags give their mating calls.

(https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jbJLUJCnN00 I don't find these sounds sexy, but then I'm not a red deer female.)

We signed up to try to hear them last night. A group of 13 met at the National Park centre at Orth Castle. This is where we regularly go to visit snakes, turtles, dragonflies... Once we had been separated out from those wanting to see owls, we had an hour long talk by a ranger about the biology and ecology of these deer. They have built green bridges and other helps so that the deer can now mix along a corridor over 3000 km. long. We saw pictures, heard recordings, handled antlers and a skin. But then it was time for adventure.

We all got in our cars and drove the short distance in the rain to the Danube. By now the sun had set, and it was getting darker. We walked the short distance to where the Tschaike moors. A short talk on the history of these boats, traditional military boats rowed on the Danube by elite troops. (Their rations were over 8 000 calories a day. They probably needed it.) In the meantime our captain had arrived by bicycle, and we could go down the very slippery gangway. The replica we were on has oars, but also two motors, a noisy diesel for going upstream, and a quiet electric to allow manouvering when going downstream. http://www.schiffmuehle.at/tschaike/tschaike.html Once we had settled in, the boat headed upstream. We were passed by the Twin City Liner hurrying upstream from Bratislava, and then a cruise ship passed going downstream. There weren't many freight barges out last night - I think they prefer to move in the daytime, besides the Danube is very low right now, so they can't go through to the Black Sea, but that was the first of 5 cruise ships (three down, two up) that went past in the three hours we spent on the water.

The Vienna airport at Schwechat was busy. I don't think the sound of airplanes ever stopped, although it varied from quite noisy, to just barely audible. It never really got dark, either, To the West we had the lights of Vienna, to the East we could see the lights of Bratislava. During the trip upstream the ranger answered questions such as 'How did this summer's long hot period affect the animals in the National Park?' Answer: Lots of fish died because the side arms dried out, which was good for the birds. Pannonian flora had a lovely time. This year was still just within what the ecosystem can handle, as long as it isn't a regular thing.

Anyway, after we passed Tomato Island, we stopped and anchored, and waited. The rain went pitty pat on the canvas, the river murmured, airplanes passed overhead. ... ... ... Our ranger picked up an empty watering can and bellowed into it. ... ... ... The anchor got brought back in, and we glided back downstream with just a touch of motor when needed. What's that? Yes, in the distance. Still not a sexy sound to my ears, but thrilling hearing it across the evening Danube. Eventually we stopped again. Waited. Then went back upstream stopped and heard a bit more. Apparently some years they call right on the riverbanks, but this year are further back. Wolves and bears can also use the wilderness routes. Perhaps there are some passing through? They don't really know.

Back at the pier, we were offered a short trip up the side channel to try again, but we were in the group that left. I really enjoyed it, but home, bed, and even the car seats were calling louder by this time.