Month: August 2011

During this one week long trip we recorded 175 bird species, among them 26 wader species. 

Weatherwise it was unusually warm, dry and sunny all week long.

We started our week in the Zemplén-hill which proved to be excellent for soaring birds. One day we saw more than 300 migrating White Stroks. Birds of pray were literally everywhere with several Eastern Imperial, Lesser Sptted, Short-toed and White-tailed Eagles and many Black Storks.

In the Hortobágy we concentrated on waterbirds for which the several drained fishponds and swallow ponds and marshes proved to be excellent. We recorded some scarcer migrants like Red-necked Phalarope and – in three occasions – Broad-billed Sandpipers. We had an excellent spot where we saw Little Crakes, Spotted Crakes and Water Rails together.

Beside these we saw Great Bustards, no less then 29 Dotterels (26 adult and three juveniles), Long-legged Buzzard and Saker Falcons. We visited a Red-footed Falcon roost site which was a memorable event with the nice summer sunset in the background.

Migrating White Storks

Lesser Spotted Eagle

Juvenile Eastern Imperial Eagle

Femail Monatgue´s Harrier

Icterine Warbler

Lesser Gray Shrike

Adult Dotterel                                                                              All photos: Gábor Simay

Sakertour team