Full-Day Birding trip in the South Kiskunság area - March 17
Spring Birding at Csaj Lake and Tiszaalpár Wetlands
On March 17, we spent one day birdwatching in the southern parts of Kiskunság National Park, around Csaj Lake and the wetlands of Tiszaalpár. The weather was pleasant. In the morning it was 7°C, cloudy, with a light wind.
We started birdwatching at Csaj Lake. While walking to the fishponds, we saw very high songbird activity in the morning. In many places we heard Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris), and Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). I also heard the first singing Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) of the year, which made a real spring feeling.
When we arrived at the fishponds, on a grazed area we found one Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis) among about 1500 Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons). In the same area, behind the geese, we saw a Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga) sitting on a poplar tree. This species winters here regularly.
On the flooded areas, in the shallow water, we observed many birds. We saw Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), Common Redshank (Tringa totanus), Ruff (Calidris pugnax), Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus), and Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). In the nearby reedbeds, we heard several Moustached Warblers (Acrocephalus melanopogon), and we also saw some Bearded Reedlings (Panurus biarmicus).
On the fishponds we saw Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata), Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), Garganey (Spatula querquedula), and Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus). We saw at least four White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) in the area.
After this, we went towards Tiszaalpár. First, we checked a nesting pair of Saker Falcons (Falco cherrug) on a high-voltage pole. On the way, we saw a resting Little Owl (Athene noctua) on a farm chimney, and not far from here two Eastern Imperial Eagles (Aquila heliaca) were circling above the road.
When we arrived at the pole, we were lucky and saw both Saker Falcons (Falco cherrug) around the nest box.
After that, we went to the wetlands of Tiszaalpár, where we birdwatched until 4 PM in very nice light. The most interesting species was a Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), which I saw for the second time this year.
During the day, we observed a total of 81 species.