Hungarian Bird Festival 2010

2^nd – 9^th May 2010

2^nd May

We drove along the M3 from Budapest and arrived at our hotel in Tiszafured, our base for the week. Even our first afternoon yielded some excellent birds including Night Heron, White Stork, Marsh Harrier, Great White Heron, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Crested Lark, Black Redstart, Lesser-Grey Shrike and Hooded Crows.

3^rd May

Pre-breakfast bird walk around the hotel. Birds seen included Purple and Night Herons, Great White Heron, Bittern (heard only), Yellow-legged Gull, Cuckoo, Turtle Dove, Hoopoe, Wryneck, Syrian & Black Woodpeckers, Nightingale, Great Reed & Barred Warblers, Red-backed Shrike, Golden Oriole and Serin.

Morning trip to Heves area – Sarud – Poroszlo. Highlights included Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Roller, White Storks, Lesser Grey Shrikes, Spoonbill, Saker, Imperial Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Avocet and Black Stork.

Afternoon trip to Hortobagy National Park – Meggyes/Lapos. Highlights were a breeding colony of Red-footed Falcons, Red-backed Shrike, Crested Lark, Savi’s, Great Reed and Marsh Warblers, Eastern Greylag, Whiskered Tern and Little Owl. Butterflies included Orangetips and Southern Festoon.

4^th May

Morning trip to the Karcag Ricefields. New species included Lesser Spotted Eagle, Collared Pratincole, Bluethroat and Quail heard. Swallowtail headed the butterfly cast.

In the afternoon we visited the Hortobagy National Park with Dr Kovass, the local warden. We enjoyed a Bee-eater colony, White-tailed Eagle, Red-footed Falcon, Black Stork, Hoopoe and Tawny Pipit amongst other species seen. At Nienzeti we saw Great Bustards, Aquatic Warbler, a colony of White Storks, waders and Whiskered Terns.

5^th May

A full day trip to the Bukk Hills National Park. Felsotarkany, Beech Wood North, Egger, Noszvaj, Bogacs North and South. We encountered more specialities such as White-backed , Middle-spotted & Black Woodpeckers, Hawfinch, Wood Warbler, Corncrake, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Collared Flycatcher, Honey Buzzard, Rock Bunting & River Warbler. Butterflies included Large Whites, Scarce Swallowtail and Hungarian Glider.

6^th May

Morning trip to Great Fishponds, Hortogaby Fish Farm and afternoon trip to Woodland Trail, May Fly Floodtrail and River Tisza. Avian highlights included Penduline Tit, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Icterine Warbler, Black and Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers, Pygmy Cormorant, Ferruginous Duck, White-winged Black Tern & Little Bittern.

7^th May

A morning trip to the Hortobagy Northern Grasslands. We were still seeing new birds this late in the week, Long-legged Buzzard and Common Crane this morning plus Lesser Grey Shrike, White-winged & Whiskered Terns and Tawny Owl.

In the afternoon we went to the Hortobagy Fishponds in the northern section. New birds included Caspian Gull and Moustached Warbler plus lots of the usual wetland species.

8^th May

A full day trip to the Zemplan Hills and Tokaj region with local warden Gabor Firmanszky. Today’s highlight was Ural Owl with supporting cast of Tree Pipit, Raven and a stunning Camberwell Beauty butterfly.

Birds of the Trip

Jenny                                  Golden Oriole

Ian, Christine and Gerard   White-backed Woodpecker

David G                              Ural Owl

Monica                               Spoonbill

David T                              Great Bustard

Mark                                  Aquatic Warbler

Caroline                             Long-legged Buzzard

Mammals seen

Red Squirrel

Roe Deer

Water Buffalo

Wild Boar

Brown Hare

Stoat

Retiles/Amphibians

Fire-bellied Toad

Tree Frog

Edible Frog

Common Toad,

Marsh Frog

Green Lizard

Grass Snake

It was agreed by the group that this was an excellent trip, good value for money. The leader, driver, local guides hotel and birds were excellent. A memorable holiday. MF May 2010