Month: October 2012

On the 25th of October the number of Cranes were 95 400 individuals at 6 major roosting areas in the Hortobágy National Park. The largest numbers were counted on the Kondás pond of the Hortobágy Fishpond complex (43 700) and on the Virágoskúti Fishponds (26 100).

Cranes on the Hortobágy by János Oláh

Sakertour team

During this eight days tour we were extremely lucky weatherwise, as we had full sunshine all over the week and a nice, above the average temperature. We visited the Zemplén-hills as well as the Hortobágy, where we did see all the possible woodpeckers, including White-backed and many great views of Middle-spotted. We also saw 5 species of owls, like Ural and Eagle Owl. Thanks to the nice weather, Dotterels were still around and Great Bustards and Lesser White-fronted Geese were also seen extremely well. One of the main attraction of the season are the Cranes, which were present in huge numbers with more then 40.000 seen one evening flying to roost. We even recorded some local rarities, like Lesser Yellowlegs, Grey Phalaropes (2 different individuals – one found by the group) and Herring Gull.  

Ural Owl

Flock of male Great Bustards

Dotterels

Long-eared Owl roosting

Common Cranes flying to roost (Photos: Simay Gábor)

Sakertour team

The Crane migration is a great event in the Hortobágy National Park. Every year tens of thousands arrive and gather in this grassland park. The numbers are monitored with weekly counts on the roosting sites. Usually the highest count is in the middle of the month. A total of 80 200 Cranes were counted today evening (18th of October) at 7 different roosting areas. The biggest one is the Kondás pond in the Hortobágy-Fishpond complex with 46 200 birds present.

Cranes flying to roost in the Hortobágy National Park in October 2012 (Photo: János Oláh)

Following the very good breeding succes of the Lesser White-fronted Geese in 2011 we had a very promising count in 2012 Spring. We were somehow all secretly expecting an even higher number in 2012 autumn but it did not happen. The highest count of the autumn of 2012 was 43 (45) birds (9 juvenile). Although we all know that some of the unsuccessfull breeders would not take the same migration root. Also a few birds (12 ind) already arrived to Kerkini Lake when the highest count was on the Hortobágy so the autumn total is minimum 55 birds. If you want all the recent observations of this endangered geese please visit the LWfrG portal!

Lesser White-fronted Geese flock in the Hortobágy in October 2012 (Photo: János Oláh)

Sakertour team

Autumn birding in the Danube Delta always has it`s own, different feeling, especially in September when thousands of birds are on the way to wintering areas in Africa, India or Middle East. 

This year we have had again a very enjoyable and successful trip with our partner company, Limosa Holidays.

We have recorded 180 species whitin 9 days. Highlights were 18 raptor species among them Lesser Spotted Eagles, Booted Eagles, Saker Falcons, Lesser Kestrel, Red-footed Falcons, Levant Sparrowhawks; 29 wader species such as Broad-billed Sandpiper, Mars Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalaropes, Bar-tailed Godwits, Collared Pratincoles; lots of passerines amongst them plenty Red-breasted Flycatches;  Pied and Isabelline Wheatears in fresh, autumn plumage; nice selection of woodpeckers including fabulous, prolonged view of a Black-, Grey-headed and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers; Arctic Skuas and a friendly, first year Great Black-headed or Pallas`s Gull.

The full trip report with more pictures will be available soon in our Danube Delta blog.

Sakertour team

Red-breasted Flycatchers migrates high number through Danube Delta (Photo: Zoltán Baczó)

First winter Pallas`s Gull  (Photo: Zoltán Baczó)