Month: November 2011

The 2011/2012 eagle season is just starting from 1st December 2011. There are many White-tailed Eagles around the Hortobágy at the moment as still lots of geese present. The night temperature is down to -5C now but daytime weather is still not cold. We hope to see you in our eagle hides soon!

White-tailed Eagle                                                                                           Photo: János Oláh

Sakertour team

Late Autumn was lovely dry and sunny in Hungary and there were some fantastic possibilities for photography. Our drinking hides are still in full operation and in 2011/2012 winter we will try for the first time to keep some drinking water at the hide throughout the coldest periods as well (heating).

Although we have subzero temperatures now every night the drinking pool attracts many birds in daytime. Thrushes, woodpeckers, tits, finches are abundant!

Slowly the superb colours of October and November are disappearing but it is not far now for the eagle season! Look out for raptor images on our website and hope to see you in Hungary this winter!

Mistle Thrush

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Eurasian Jay

Black Woodpecker

All photos by János Oláh

Sakertour team

The trip report of our successful 2011 Autumn Tour has just been uploaded and you can see it here. All the possible targets has been seen including a large flock of Lesser White-fronted Goose, 8 species of woodpeckers including White-backed Woodpecker and 5 species of owls including Ural Owl.

This tour will run again next year from 6-12 October.

White-backed Woodpecker                                                                             Photo: János Oláh

Sakertour team

This tour concentrated on the spectacular Crane migration and the arriving masses of northern Geese in the Hortobágy area and its surrounding. We spent a week in the Hortobágy and we did well regarding both of our targets, and we did see many more. 

Smaller and bigger flocks of Common Carnes were seen every day feeding on stubble fields and grasslands but the real spectacle was when we visited their biggest evening roost, and seen more than 30.000 Cranes flying line after line.

Though we had several encounters of bigger geese flocks, we had a special day, when we recorded no less, than 9 species of geese! (considering Taiga and Tundra Bean as separate species) Among them especially good views of Red-breasted Geese.

Beside we saw Imperial, two Great Spotted and many White-tailed  Eagles, Saker Falcons, Long-legged and Rough-legged Buzzard. 23 Great Bustards and 18 Dotterels. 

Regarding the woodpeckers we were also lucky with 6 species recorded what is really good in the lowlands.

We also recorded a mega rarity! We were close enough to a ringing station in Hortobágy Fishponds to see Hungary´s third Pine Bunting without a real effort!  

This trip was special weather wise too – we had seven days sunshine and warm weather, often reaching 15 Celsius degree. 

Common Cranes flying to their night roost

Adult and juvenile (1y) Great Spotted Eagle

Dotterel

Black Woodpecker

Male Bearded Reedling

Penduline Tit and its nest 

Juvenile (1y) female Pine Bunting        All photos: Simay Gábor

Sakertour team

In the 3rd week of October a small group of nature photographers from Scotland spent a week in Hortobagy. This trip was designed to coincide with the peak of the European Crane passage through Eastern Hungary and this year over 100 000 individual stayed in this region!

Cranes still visited our drinking place daily and in a same time 30 000 individual roosted in front of our hide.

During this week they had chance to photograph birds from other different hides as well and to see the results please take a look here.

Cranes catching pink light (Photo: Eric MacCabe/Wildscotphotos)

White-tailed Eagle getting tail pulled by Hooded Crow (Photo: Eric MacCabe/Wildscotphotos)

Goshawk  (Photo: Eric MacCabe/Wildscotphotos)

Sakertour team