Birding spring seasonal trip - May 5-9

5-Day Birdwatching Tour (May 5–9)

Our tour started on May 5. We left the airport in the morning and went to our accommodation. We did not take the highway, but we drove on smaller roads through Apaj to do birdwatching on the way.

First, we looked around Bugyi. Here we saw Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor), European Roller (Coracias garrulus), European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster), Great Bustard (Otis tarda).

Then we stopped at the Apaj fishponds. Here we saw Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), Farruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus), White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus), Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), and White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).

After this, we went to Tiszaalpár and checked in at our accommodation. In the afternoon we visited the big lake at Tiszaalpár. Here we saw Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides), Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea), Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus), River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis), Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus).

On the next day, May 6, we visited more areas around Tiszaalpár. First we went to the Sós Lake where we saw Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) and at the wetlands we saw Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus), Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), Garganey (Spatula querquedula). After this, we checked the steppe areas. Here we saw Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus), Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus), Hobby (Falco subbuteo), Barred Warbler (Curruca nisoria), Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus), Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix), Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops), Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris).

On May 7, we visited the southern part of Kiskunság National Park (Pusztaszer Nature Reserve). At the Csaj Lake we saw many new species, for example: Bearded Tit (Panurus biarmicus), Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris farruginea), Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), Common Tern (Sterna hirundo).

On May 8, we looked around the alkaline lakes and steppes of Upper Kiskunság. Here we saw Great Bustard (Otis tarda), Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus), Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), European Roller (Coracias garrulus), Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor), Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra), Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus).

On May 9, after checking out from our accommodation, we stopped at more places for birdwatching on the way to the airport (Apaj, Bugyi, Kunpeszér). Here we saw Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus), Black Kite (Milvus migrans), Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris).

All in all, it was a very good 5 days with good weather. We saw many species, in total we saw 154 species.