Five Days Birdwatching in Hungary: May 12-16

Five Days of Birdwatching – May 12–16

Our trip started on May 12 from Budapest. The weather was sunny and partly cloudy, not too warm – perfect for birdwatching. From Budapest, we drove towards Tiszaalpár. We decided not to take the motorway, but go through Apaj and Bugyi to look for Great Bustards (Otis tarda). When we arrived in the area, we already saw one Great Bustard close to the road.

In the same area, we also saw European Rollers (Coracias garrulus), European Bee-eaters (Merops apiaster), Lesser Grey Shrikes (Lanius minor) and many Red-backed Shrikes (Lanius collurio).

Then we continued to Tiszaalpár. After checking in at our accommodation, we visited the wetland near the village. There we saw a beautiful singing Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus). At the lake, we observed Whiskered Terns (Chlidonias hybrida), Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus), Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides), Caspian Gull (Larus cachinanns) and a flying Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca).

The next morning, we visited the nearby peat mine lakes. Here we saw Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina), Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida), Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus), Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus), Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides), and Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo).

In the afternoon, we went to the Tiszaalpár salt lake. We saw Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug), White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus), Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) and Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca). Later, in the forest habitat, we found Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis), Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla) and Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes).

On the third day, we visited Lake Csaj in the southern part of Kiskunság National Park. We saw Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) and Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea). In the reedbeds, there were Bearded Tits (Panurus biarmicus), Penduline Tits (Remiz pendulinus), Great Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) and Savi's Warblers (Locustella luscinioides).

In the afternoon, we explored a grassland and bushy habitat near the forest, where we found River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis) and Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria).

The next morning, we returned to the peat mine lakes because bird activity was so good last time. We were lucky to find a Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) sitting on a dead tree – a species we were very happy to see. Then we visited the nearby steppe habitats, where we saw Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus), Red-footed Falcons (Falco vespertinus) and Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe).

On the last day, May 16, we birdwatched in the northern part of Kiskunság National Park. We were happy to see a Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus), a new species for our trip list. In the area, we also saw many European Bee-eaters (Merops apiaster), European Rollers (Coracias garrulus), Lesser Grey Shrikes (Lanius minor) and Whinchats (Saxicola rubetra).

In total, we recorded 143 species during the trip.