Hungary-Slovakia Birding Trip: August 27- September 10, 2012

Day 2 Tuesday, August 28: Kiskunsag National Park, Hungary with Guide Gerard Gorman http://www.probirder.com/

Bara Hotel http://www.hotelbara.hu/english_bara/index_e.htm

Our guide, Gerard Gorman, treated us to an amazing day of discovering European birds. He picked us at 6:30am at our hotel in Budapest (to avoid heavy traffic later). As he was originally from Britain, we benefited from his excellent English, his profound knowledge of Hungarian birds and his adventurous spirit of discovery.



As we headed south towards Kiskunsag Park on the Southern Plain, we soon learned Common Buzzards are indeed common. As well, sheep herds are numerous and shepherds guide flocks across the road. We travelled through tidy villages with impressive church steeples.



Gerard bounced his all wheel drive SUV down bumpy side roads. He paid careful attention to a far off field of bright green alfalfa where he spotted one of our friend Ross’s target species for the trip, a group of Great Bustards – these are the heaviest birds that can fly. Scope shots followed by flying birds were impressive. Barbara discovered a few who had put down around a corner in the road and was pleased to find some of their footprints as well.

Bill watched a large brown hare bound quickly through a field.



At our next stop, we were surprised to see a young Imperial Eagle perched on a buzzard’s nest before it took flight. A small roe deer peeked at us through the grass. Northern Lapwings were in abundance. Common Kestrels and Marsh Harriers soared over the fields.



We got views of the spectacular European Bee Eater. A Saker Falcon, Long-legged Buzzard and Ring-necked Pheasant were special sightings.



As Gerard is a woodpecker specialist, he was able call in a Syrian Woodpecker in a village park.

A visit to fish ponds introduced us to some reed birds and some water birds. Bill and Gerard climbed up into a viewing tower to get more perspective.



An osprey was chased by a crow.



Surprisingly, a Hungarian cow was touring the fishponds too.

At a stop at a pond beside a construction site, we spotted Northern Lapwings, a Great Crested Grebe and gulls.



During the day, we had multiple sightings of Red-backed Shrike, Whinchat, Stonechat, Rook, Wood Pigeon and Northern Wheatear.



Gerard had given us a very special introduction to the variety of birds in Hungary. He dropped us at out hotel in Budapest and headed home to work on his book on woodpeckers of the world.


Birds seen Aug 28 2012
*new birds bolded

Bird of the Day: Great Bustard

1. Hooded Crow
2. Feral Pigeon
3. Wood Pigeon
4. Black-billed Magpie
5. Common Buzzard
6. Turtle Dove – lifer#2
7. European Starling
8. Eurasian Collared Dove
9. Common House Martin
10. Barn Swallow
11. House Sparrow
12. European Bee Eater – lifer#3
13. Northern Lapwing – lifer#4
14. Common Kestrel
15. Great Spotted Woodpecker
16. Eurasian Tree Sparrow – lifer#5
17. Red-backed Shrike – lifer#6
18. Western Marsh Harrier
19. Gray Heron
20. Stonechat
21. Whinchat
22. Great Bustard – lifer#7
23. White Wagtail
24. Eastern Imperial Eagle (juvenile) – lifer#8
25. Greenfinch
26. Hoopoe – lifer#9
27. Helmeted Guinea Fowl (domestic)
28. Ring-necked Pheasant (juvenile)
29. Grey Partridge
30. Saker Falcon – lifer#10
31. Long-legged Buzzard – lifer#11
32. Northern Wheatear
33. Common Cuckoo – lifer#12
34. European Roller – lifer#13
35. Syrian Woodpecker – lifer#14
36. Rook
37. Black Redstart
38. Mallard
39. Penduline Tit – lifer#15
40. Eurasian Coot
41. Graylag Goose – lifer#16
42. Great Crested Grebe
43. Common Moorhen
44. Ferruginous Duck
45. Great Egret
46. Yellowleg Gull
47. Black-headed Gull
48. Great Cormorant
49. Common Pochard – lifer#17
50. Purple Heron – lifer#18
51. Osprey
52. European Goldfinch
53. Bearded Reedling (Tit) – lifer#19
54. Black Stork – lifer#20
55. Little Egret
56. Greenshank

Trip Total: 56


Other Nature

1. European Hare
2. Roe Deer
3. Chicory
4. Sea Lavender
5. Common Suslik (ground squirrel)
6. Lizard