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

Day 7 Sunday, September 2: Travel from Tallya to Komloska, Hungary

Solyomvar Hotel http://www.solyomvar.hu/

Bill and Ross started their day by checking out the birds in a nearby cemetery before breakfast.



MA had hiked around the village and had discovered a local winery - so we set out for a visit. As well as impressive vineyard, we were entranced by a large number of hummingbird moths attracted to the colourful flowers in the garden.



Ross continued his role as our guide for the day. Today we explored quarries for possible Rock Thrush and Eagle Owl. We visited two large quarries with no success in finding these. However, this quest took us into the land of mountainside vineyards. Vineyards attract insect-eating birds, so we did see some…. We also got some amazing views of the countryside.



As well, a few raptors soared overhead.



We decided to visit a castle in the town of Sarospatik. In our search for a lunch spot, we met a Hungarian historian and his family who we also met again at the castle. MA decided to visit the castle museum herself, as the tours were in Hungarian. The rest of us birded around the castle grounds.



Later we arrived at the village of Komloska where we spent three nights at the Solyomvar Hotel, booked for us by Sakertours. Our room balconies overlooked a waterway, a forest and some farm fields – we saw a variety of tits and some jays every morning. We settled in, looking forward to our next few days birding in nearby Zempleni National Park.



Birds seen September 2, 2012
*new birds bolded

Bird of the Day: Sparrow Hawk

1. Wood Pigeon
2. Barn Swallow
3. Eurasian Collared Dove
4. Spotted Flycatcher
5. Black Redstart
6. Alpine Swift
7. House Sparrow
8. Greenfinch
9. Stonechat
10. Blackbird
11. Common Buzzard
12. Sparrow Hawk
13. Common Kestrel
14. Red-backed Shrike
15. European Starling
16. European Goldfinch
17. Jay

Trip Total: 125

Other Nature

hummingbird moth