Ruff migration – a specialty of the Hortobágy
Hortobágy is definitely one of the best places to collect big numers of Ruffs on migration. From the middle of March to the middle of May birdwatchers going around in the area can feel that they are always surrounded with Ruffs almost everywhere in the open areas. Despite being a very common bird in Spring, it is very hard to properly photograph them, as they don't tend to stay at the same place, instead their small to huge sized flocks are always keep moving and moving and changing their feeding sites.
This year – finally – our team managed to find a spot where the habitat was so reach in food and the conditions were perfect to have shorebirds always there, that we decided to try it for our shorebird hide. It finally turned out to be a successfull move, as we had several species of waders in front of it in April and the first half of May. Black-winged Stilts, Common Redshanks, Northern Lapwings and Green Sandpipers were nearly every day photographable but for the most luckies Hungarian photographers, in the first half of May Ruffs were appearing in front of the hide's glass sometimes the males fighting and displaying to the females.
We put together a short summary on our blog with smart illustration how it looked from the hide, click and enjoy.
Flock of Ruffs turning above a wetland in the Hortobágy National Park by János Oláh
Male Ruff starting his display by János Oláh