Hungarian Holiday.

[Eagle]

Hungarian holiday!!

Where does one start? At the airport, perhaps? No, then where?
150 different species seen (4 of these only heard) 35 lifers for me!!
Well perhaps. A list, no, that’s far too boring. I can’t (won’t) write about each day or we will be here til next June!
So highlights…edited …Eagles – White Tailed, Golden and Eastern Imperial .
Tales behind each of these…The wonderful WT Eagle…flying majestically over the flooded waters of two rivers at their confluence(flooding caused by the melt down of snow from the mountains). Golden Eagle being mobbed, by two Buzzards (very distant, but, unmistakable). Eastern Imperial Juvenile…I said I really wanted to see an adult! On the last day on the motorway to Budapest Airport…..sitting in a tree not one but a PAIR! Screech of brakes…well lots of noise from the air brakes…there they were 40-50 yards from the coach!! The male took off and retreated to another tree about 100 yards away…scaring the resident Magpie who promptly took off. The female remained in the tree while everybody rushed about finding cameras , being woken up ( in certain cases), speeding out of the loo….and whilst I was delighted, I was thinking, where is my camera (?)…. Packed away in the boot! It was pouring cats and dogs when we left our hotel…not much would be about!! ( Anyway I have enough pics of cats and dogs!!.) Eventually our leader, a well respected Bird Photographer said “ Do you want me to take a photo?” Did I? Yes, indeedy!! Much relieved…I was able to see the images…now await the actual photo being sent through!
The Owls? Eagle , Ural and Long Eared…!
The daily Hawfinches? The Buzzards and Marsh Harriers by the dozens….
My very first Bluethroat, Penduline Tit, Moustached Warbler, Red Necked Grebe, or Savi’s Warbler ?

Where to begin?????
You have it was Eagles!!
However the most amazing thing was that for each new bird there was a thrill and a new insight into how beautiful they are!!
The Nightingale, what a loud noise from such a small bird…
You see how spoilt for choice I am!
Part 1
Next, an amazing day!!

[Adey Baker]

I'm getting the impression that you rather enjoyed yourself!

35 lifers - amazing!

[Reader]

I am getting a tad bit envious of some of your sightings, especially the Penduline Tit. That is my biggest bogie bird of all.

I take it that you slightly enjoyed yourself. lol

[Eagle]

I am getting a tad bit envious of some of your sightings, especially the Penduline Tit. That is my biggest bogie bird of all.

I take it that you slightly enjoyed yourself. lol


Just a bit!!

There will be more to read when I can find an hour or two to compose the next report!!

[robinm]

Me, jealous - never ;).

Sounds like a great trip - look forward to more details.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Looking forward to reading more about your trip Eagle. There's a possibility I might be going to Hungary twice over the summer, which I'm rather looking forward to.

[pduxon]

its alright for you lot I was getting texts saying "Ooh Imperial Eagle by side of road" "Firecrests and Hawfinches outside the hotel"!!

i of course responded with WBA equalized 90th minute, Norwich beat Man U and Everton thrashed Palace.

[CornishExile]

Brings back happy memories of a month spent working in Budapest in 1995 - the city was an amazing, vibrant place then, with the Russian mafia power struggles all too evident. Meanwhile out in the countryside the birding was just brilliant - but I don't have to tell you that, Eagle!

[Andrew]

150 birds!!! That would do me nice!

(Found my way here after all!)

[Eagle]

An amazing day!!
What a way to begin a holiday.
At 6am watching the sun strike water and the atmosphere of lightly lifting early morning mist! Hearing and seeing finches, Gold, Green and Chaff, Reed Bunting , Great Tit , Blockheads, Collared Dove , Starling and then sitting alone half asleep a solitary HAWFINCH!!! Our leader rushed off to see who else was about and they came swiftly to see the delightful finch. After a short while and 5 of the 8 of us having seen the bird it decided that was enough posing !!
Little did we know then, that we were to see Hawfinches every single day of the holiday!! Daily Hawfinches!!
8.00 departure…White Wagtails, Marsh Harriers, Buzzards on our way to Hortobagy National Park…then a flock of CRANES (L), about 200 in a field!!!
All along the road sides where we would expect Crows were Stonechats! Sitting on reeds or whatever!! Lapwings (which I know call Dizzies…as in a Dizzy of Lapwings) Corn Buntings, ROOKS I say that Rookeries everywhere!! And then my first Hooded Crow (L), they do not have Carrion here. The Rooks dominant..
Total Marsh Harriers 14, Kestrel 1 and Buzzards 5 on the way to the first Fish Pond.
Greylag Goose, Skylark, Crested Lark(L) what a little beauty!!. On the Fish Pond,
Ruff, nearby Hoopoes, F Black Redstart (racing pulse only seen them just this March!!) Great White Egret …leading to GWEs studying them…seen before in Canada but only one so here I was able to look ., learn and observe!! Red legs and black feet!!) Evidence of copper staining too on some..Sparrows, Cormorant and Pygmy Cormorant (L), Purple Heron(L) and Grey Heron!
At last a Robin!! All this accompanied by a Booming Bittern….which followed us around or did we?? Never saw it but heard!!! Goldcrests, Chiffchaff….then…..
walking to wards the only hide we actually went in….Reed Warbler, Bearded Tit ( good sights) Blackcap, then…..BLUETHROAT!!!(L) lovely little bird full of character and really perky like our Robin ( in the same family apparently) . I was really thrilled as Pete and I had dipped on the one at Languard Point. Well it flew before we could try for it!!
I now wanted to text Pete…but I thought how cruel I have seen two birds he has recently dipped on…leave it to later!! I got overwhelmed eventually and began texting some brilliant birds but I have left these out of the texts!! (Sorry Pete!!)
Spoonbill(L), then MOUSTACHED Warbler!!!(L) Great sights and in my scope…
really fascinating. A tropical blue tit….the colour was tropical blue!! Never seen one so clean looking brilliant blue!! I’m sure there is a name for it but none of us could remember!! Great Tit and another Kestrel. Penduline Tit!!!(L) wow! Now I cant remember whether this was the more amazing of Moustached Warbler or not but 1 I did take a pic of 1 or other!…will down load these over the w/e and hopefully post …
In the Hide. Scope up and there was a Red Necked Grebe (L) ..I couldn’t quite take this in and as I asked a more knowledgeable member of our group to see what he thought of this it did what grebes do….dove!! And could I see it again…nope!!
So here there was some scepticism about what I had seen…it was accepted by most except one birder and one queried it….however this leads to more tales and fortunately we have become good enough acquaintances to exchange e-mail addresses and an invitation to see Cirl Buntings in Devon!!
Black Necked Grebes, Little Grebes and GC Grebes!! Then a lesson on the difference between White Fronted Geese and Lesser White Fronted Geese (L) . There were the usual suspects…Tufty, Gadwall, Mallard, Pintail, Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Goldeneye and Garganey…lots of Garganey (made the 1 we watched in admiration at Welney seem a distant memory!!) and a Ferruginous Duck, Shoveler,.
Outside a family of Stoats were doing whatever it is that Stoats do. Tree Sparrows, Song Thrushes, Starlings and Mute Swan( we didn’t make much of this but discovered rare here…the only time we saw any.(2).and my first Swallow of the year!!!
(rest point there is more!!)

[Eagle]

Another Fish Pond

GWEgret,
Grey Heron, Ruff, Redshank, Greenshank, Dunlin, Curlew, Black Tailed Godwit, Common Gull (Mew)...
Little Ringed Plover and Ringed Plover. Wood Pigeon

White Storks!! (L) Huge birds!!

also seen Deer and Hares!!

Ended the day seeing a small raptor that may have been a Hobby we didn't worry at the time....didn't see another one...we were inthe coach so difficult to id!!

After this I'll mention new birds or specific events!

Total 82 but I'm not sure if all been mentioned I'll have to check!

[Andrew]

A bumper bagful of lifers for you there! :t:

[Eagle]

Pheasant, Coot, Golden Plover, Little Egrets, Feral Rock Dove, Wheatear, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Magpie.
Yellow legged Gull (caused lots of discussion with the knowledgeable ones...not me!!!)
Two Kingfishers!!
We heard but did not see Water Rail!!

(somehow I missed moorhen....another story which meant I had the mickey taken out of me at the end of the time when they and I discovered they had moorhens and I didn't!!)
I did get them!!!Eventually!! :eek!:

[digi-birder]

Sounds like you had a fantastic time. Some wonderful birds there. You sound so excited, you're not speaking in complete sentences!! ;)

[Woodchatshrike]

It's a great country! The highlight when I went was a flock of 49 Lesser Whitefront Geese. They are classy geese.

Is it too early for Aquatic Warbler?

[Eagle]

Sounds like you had a fantastic time. Some wonderful birds there. You sound so excited, you're not speaking in complete sentences!! ;)

Probably cos I'm writing this in between work!! I'll go through a make it grammatically correct where it should be....some are for dramatic effect!! ;)

[pduxon]

Sounds like you had a fantastic time. Some wonderful birds there. You sound so excited, you're not speaking in complete sentences!! ;)

sounds like a normal conversation with Corinna to me!!

[Reader]

Probably cos I'm writing this in between work!! I'll go through a make it grammatically correct where it should be....some are for dramatic effect!! ;)

And it comes over well. Mind you if the sentences weren't as short the post would be 5 pages long. lol

[Reader]

sounds like a normal conversation with Corinna to me!!

Hey Pete, are you saying our Corrina is a dramatic lady, I can see that I will have to meet up with you guys. lol

[Eagle]

sounds like a normal conversation with Corinna to me!!


Watch it!

Good job I dropped in before going to Selhurst!

Do you WANT to see the Tawny tomorrow?
I might have to reconsider.....................

[Eagle]

And it comes over well. Mind you if the sentences weren't as short the post would be 5 pages long. lol

Thanks Reader!!
I wouldn't mind meeting up with you,especially with all your birding knowledge altho' I don't think I'm very dramatic!

[digi-birder]

Probably cos I'm writing this in between work!! I'll go through a make it grammatically correct where it should be....some are for dramatic effect!! ;)

It wasn't criticism of your grammar, Corinna. I was merely pointing out that you were typing as if you were telling the story in an excited manner, where sentences are not completed as you want to get onto the next piece of news. I could just picture you mumbling the story to someone in the same way - full of enthusiasm! I enjoyed reading it.

[Eagle]

Hungarian Tales!
Monday 04
Total 67
Decided to count Marsh Harriers, Buzzards and Kestrels today!
MH 42
B 10+
K 18
Went to a Rookery….around the back of the copse was a Long Eared Owl!!! I even managed a couple of pics!!
Then it was on towards the plain where the Great Bustards have been reintroduced. We saw two GB(L) flying, I’m was very glad I managed to get the bins on them and watch them. After an age as the heat haze rose and got worse and worse we gave up!!
Special permission required to gain access, they had to reapply for us to go again tomorrow. Our last opportunity as on Tuesday we had to travel to the Zemplen Hills. We saw lots of deer, in fact we quite often thought that deer were GB’s!!
Yellow Wagtail made us feel better! (eventually saw 3)
So did 3 White Storks on their nests.
New Birds today…Hen Harrier, Avocets, Common Sandpiper,
One of our group went to relieve himself and came back saying “Did you see the Little Owl?” consequently we didn’t speak to him for some time!!
Had I mentioned Black Redstarts…well we saw 2 today. The one seen yesterday was a female…I didn’t see that well if I did I didn’t register it…only having ever seen Males! Jackdaws, Linnet,
Best of all was Savi’s Warbler (L)…and we saw 2!! We spent a long time watching a certain area of reed beds, our leader something of an expert on Warblers, saying he could hear them…some thought that Cetti was present…others that other Warblers were present…..I knew nowt…I just quickly looked at Collins to see what a Savi looked like. Eventually there was a Savi…and it flitted away and back and away…then there were two,….then they both flitted away and back!! This went on for a while.
Oh, we also meet a Green Tree Frog…I couldn’t believe that amount of volumn of noise produced from such a tiny creature.(oh, another Hawfinch seen today ,well several)


Tuesday! April 05

We went to Angyalhaza before breakfast! I think we got back for 9.00 and left about 7.00????
Before we left I was treated to seeing a Blockhead catch a fish in the lake outside our Hunting Lodge!
On the plain we walked for miles( well kilometres) we saw a Dotterel!! Then we finally saw a couple of male Great Bustards in full display mode!! It has to be admitted that you had to watch in the bins to even see them…thank goodness I was able to get my scope on them fairly quickly. Well it might have taken a lot of work on behalf of our local guides to find them , but we were able to watch a total of 11 females and 8 males…doing the GB thing… the displaying , flying, stomping, although this looked more like ships sailing behind all the reeds!! I took a pic of the distance…when I have down loaded them I’ll try to post them.
Back to the Lodge after breakfast we had to journey across to the Zemplen Hills.
On route we were in search of a Saker as this was our last chance to see one. The day before we had searched numerous pylons as they roosted there..and we saw no Saker (L)
However we were successful today..and saw 4!!
We travelled on and stopped at a place apparently good for Raptors. A local airport with Souslik
We saw an Osprey, then something flew up from the trees in the distance and when we had the scopes on it turned into an Imperial Eagle (L) juvenile, at the same time some got on to another bird…I quickly swopped scopes and realised it was different and looked like a buzzard of some kind…it was a Rough Legged Buzzard (L).
We then were totally surprised by a call followed by a Black Woodpecker (L) exploding out of a wood beside us and flying straight away from us across a field!!
We finished with two Kestrels mobbing a Buzzard!
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Raven. We then went through Tokaj a large town . ( Tony Curtis of the Road Films was born here!) We again stopped to look over a place where two rivers meet and with all the thawed snow from the mountains it was flooded!
Here we saw lots of Hawfinches. Lesser Spotted Eagle (L) then I saw a familiar large barn door flying in the sky!!! Yes! A White Tailed Eagle, this time tho’ a full adult with the amazing white tail!! Fabulous!!!

We then continued our journey. Flying over us and then almost into the coach a Black Kite (L) landed in the road briefly showing off his deep red chest!! In the sun!!

Wednesday 06 Zemplen Hills
After my first real nights sleep!! Back in a town!! The Hunting Lodge was too quiet! Except at 3am when the Pheasants started!!

At breakfast we were greeted by one of the couples saying they had seen Syrian Woodpecker, and Siskin in a local park. (They had been to Hungary before!!)

On the coach I saw a Brambling…no one else did and this was questioned by one of our number and queried by another.(more on this later!!)
Walking in a forest we saw a Raven’s nest with at least 3 babies in it. They looked really cute, all eyes!!! Jays, Song Thrush, and then Middle Spotted Woodpecker (L) a pair displaying with wing movements! Grey Headed Woodpecker (L) ( at first could just see his head then the whole body!) There was a Ural Owl (L) looking very benign and even friendly (don’t be fooled one took a famous birders eye out defending as far as the Owl knew his young!!) he eventually flew off with that very slow almost exaggerated flight of the Owls. Sparrowhawk, Nuthatch and Yellowhammer and then a Goshawk. Redstart, Wheatear, Bullfinch and LTT Tit but different to ours with a White Head still as cute as ever!! Common Cranes flying in the sky 250 on one occasion and about 200 on another!! Our first Black Stork!!(L) and another Lesser Spotted Eagle!!
We then went to a quarry to hopefully see an Eagle Owl roosting, but it wasn’t to be!!

[Andrew]

Blimey, the lifers keep rolling in!

(BTW Great fightback at Selhurst today!)

[Eagle]

Zemplen Hills

Thursday 07

To the woods today!!
First 6am meet outside the Hotel for a walk in the Park. But first Serin!!(L).
We walked all over the Park. At 7.10 three Syrian Woodpeckers(L) were spotted!!
After Breakfast to a quarry. Where a Nightingale(L) sang and was seen!! What aloud voice!! WOW!!
We were after an Eagle Owl another possible roosting place. On route they played the song of a Wryneck (big mistake!!!) the reply was from a Wryneck(L) who was definitely not pleased to have a rival present. He sang and sang and sang in fact he could have entered the worlds longest Wryneck song!! I just know he was a character and the very dull picture I had of Wryneck was totally transformed into one of a really terrific bird!! We then spied (after a great deal of time…) an Eagle Owl (L) in a hollow on the rock face under the roots of a tree. What disguise!!
On to a Forest …Treecreeper, White Backed Woodpecker(L), Ural Owl,
Dipper, Grey Wagtail.

The journey continued to Slovakia.

PS just to remind you I'm not repeating birds seen before unless there is a little tale with them...or I specially like something!!
I thought this looks a little pathetic but there were lots of birds!!

[Reader]

Jeez Corrina that is some bird list you are racking up. I am impressed. So many of those would be lifers for me.

How expensive was it to do that trip. It certainly looks worth trying to save for.

BTW, I wouldn't mind meeting up with you one day, especially if you know a Tawny Owl site. All the sites I know seeem to have lost their birds. It has been over a year since I have seen one and that was a chancy one that flew past my car late at night near Aylesham in Norfolk.

[Stevie babe]

its alright for you lot I was getting texts saying "Ooh Imperial Eagle by side of road" "Firecrests and Hawfinches outside the hotel"!!

i of course responded with WBA equalized 90th minute, Norwich beat Man U and Everton thrashed Palace.

not nice
Steve Babe

[black52bird]

Hi Eagle
As a long-time Brit resident in Hungary, I can say that this is a good and typical Hungarian list for this time of the year. What you haven't said so far is who you went with. As you mention 'we' and 'bus' and 'local guides', readers assume you were taken to all these places. Which company? Naturetrek?

In answer to the Aquatic Warbler question..well, yes, they are around, but you they're not 'available' to the general public or even to most organised trips, as there are so few pairs, breeding in highly restricted areas of the Hortobagy Reserve.

Believe me, Hungary is this good at all times of the year. Anyone interested in visiting would do well to read Gerard Gorman's 'The Birds of Hungary' and 'Where to Watch Birds in Eastern Europe'.

Best

David

[Eagle]

BTW, I wouldn't mind meeting up with you one day, especially if you know a Tawny Owl site. All the sites I know seeem to have lost their birds. It has been over a year since I have seen one and that was a chancy one that flew past my car late at night near Aylesham in Norfolk.

See the thread My Birding Day 17th April!! Tawny not there any more |:(|
Don't know where they have gone. A well known pair vanished.
Photos in the Gallery of a pair of Tawnies one very pale almost grey and the male usual colour posing in a hole in a tree....
sad!! Also meant three people dipped today!!
But still I'm sure there will be another excuse!! Minsmere????

[Eagle]

Hi Eagle
As a long-time Brit resident in Hungary, I can say that this is a good and typical Hungarian list for this time of the year. What you haven't said so far is who you went with. As you mention 'we' and 'bus' and 'local guides', readers assume you were taken to all these places. Which company? Naturetrek?
David

And Reader!
The Company in England was limosa details of the tour are here.

http://www.limosaholidays.co.uk/tourDetail.cfm?tourID=281

Spent time on the coach with the name of the tour ompany on the side...cant remember it!! Sorry.

[Eagle]

not nice
Steve Babe


Good to see a fellow Eagles fan!! (I mean the boys!!!)

It wasn't was it!!

[Geoff Pain]

Am I Green with envy?nah!, well perhaps just a little bit,well actually yes I bl**dy well am ;) .Great report,I could do with some of those birds,quite a few lifers there for me.

[Eagle]

Help!! Still got two days in Slovakia to go!!

Interrupted by a days birding in UK 17/04 Had to write that up immediately or it would have been left!!
Thanks Geoff!

[Reader]

See the thread My Birding Day 17th April!! Tawny not there any more |:(|
Don't know where they have gone. A well known pair vanished.
Photos in the Gallery of a pair of Tawnies one very pale almost grey and the male usual colour posing in a hole in a tree....
sad!! Also meant three people dipped today!!
But still I'm sure there will be another excuse!! Minsmere????

Strange isn't it. All the places I know where tawnies usually are have been deserted by them. Now yours have gone as well. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this in their areas.

I think I will start a thread on it and see if it is widespread.

I will be at Minsmere so Ii will see you there.

[Eagle]

Strange isn't it. All the places I know where tawnies usually are have been deserted by them. Now yours have gone as well. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this in their areas.

I think I will start a thread on it and see if it is widespread.

I will be at Minsmere so Ii will see you there.


Good idea!!

Se you at Minsmere!!

[watcher]

I have also very nice memories from the Wine Museum in Budapest, but most of all I enjoyed the pair of Great Bustards after few hours of driving through the fields of Kishkunshagi searching for this huge birds... The steppe areas there were really impressivle... However for a week of guided birdingin in Bulgaria in Spring there is no problem to cover even a species list of 200 and more!
Regards to all!

http://www.birdwatchingbulgaria.com

[Eagle]

Slovakia
Friday 08
6 am Birding from my Hotel Balcony. Scope and bins!!Went in again til 6.30 as no one up yet..well if they were, the birds were speaking in whispers!!
Along on the third balconey Brian and Sue (well one at a time ).
Male and Female Black Redstart very busy!! Great Tit pair…Robin…Magpies
Greenfinches heard….at 7.00 we saw GOSHAWK!! Great views!!!

Into the Forest!!
Crossbill, Coal , Willow and Crested Tit….well impressed with the Crested bags of personality!!! Treecreeper, Daily Hawfinches, Dipper, Raven and Buzzard…(sorry forgot seen before!!)
At some point we went back to the Hotel for lunch and then out again for 4pm
Across a very large field Mipits and Wipits..Fabulous sight of Black Woodpecker…bright eyes flashing!!! At the top of a Spruce…in response to a tape of I think Three toed Woodpecker or perhaps it was BW???
Sparrowhawk!! (our first on this trip) Siskin, Yellowhammer and Hooded Crow…(I think seen already? (that’s the trouble with having a rest in between writing accounts!!) Think we heard Tawny.
Walked for ever in snow in the new Forest dipped on the 5 we were in search of..
Hazel Grouse, Nutcracker, Three toed Sloth , Pygmy and Tengmalms Owls.(oh Nutcracker was one we added, unlikely we were told!!)

This is a bit vague as I am at work in my lunch hour and the daily list is where??
Home!!
Still the little blue book will have to do!!
I do know that my knees were aching after all the walking in the snow…its like sand…had I known there would be so much in the forest I would have brought my snow boots…in fact we should have hired snow ( what do you call those things like tennis rackets only bigger and you wear them on your feet???) Easier to walk on snow then.
Brian was a gentleman and offered to carry my scope on the way back as I was flagging!!!
Very tired on return…very sore knees…( no cartilage is the problem!!)
Reasonable bottle of Red Wine tonight. I had a glass or two.(Spanish!)
I have to confess I did not enjoy Hungarian Wine!!





Saturday 09

Birding on the balcony this morning. , Robin, Female BlackRedstart,
Out early to the Forest.
Greenfinch, Magpie, Serin, White Wagtail, Jay, Fieldfare, Crossbill Linnets, Hawfinch, Blue, Great and Willow Tits.Chiffchaff, Ring Ouzel (L) Waxwing!!
Mallard, Tufty, Pochard, Dipper, Brambling!! At last everyone saw the Brambling…in fact they were on their way through Slovakia to where????
Migrating through not just a few, or some, but hundreds!!!Gt and LTTit (with the white head) Fox, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Bullfinch, Crested Tit( what a lovely little bird!!),Robin, Coal Tit, Kestrel, Marsh Tit, Buzzard, Black Stork, Raven and Goldcrest. Starling. Willow Warbler
Male Black Redstart (on our return to the Hotel)
Oh yes and finally FIRECREST (L) !!!! Yippee!!!! Dunnock and Wren .
More walking in the snow, searching for the famous or infamous five…dipped again.
Do Hazel Hens or Hazel Grouse really exist!! I think they are a figment of our guides imaginations!
Walking in the footprints of a Brown Bear today!! I even have pics of them the footprints that is!! Scary!! Also Badger, Lynx and Fox footprints!!
During the morning it was not so bad! But the going up and the coming down was ouch!!
Our leading guide would say just 200 metres round the corner and an hour later you think what??? Or its 400 metres and it was a couple of miles.
After the long fruitless walks for Hazel Grouse you begin to realise how shy these birds are and I think I was so tired by now I really wasn’t that fussed!!
I did want to see Pygmy Owl tho’ !!
In the afternoon we were promised that we would be walking on the flat!!
Again off in fruitless search of the afore mentioned beasties!! Three toe sloth was back to being referred correctly as Three Toed Woodpecker in case they were offended!!
No avail!!
We got to a point where I could not go on. I actually began wishing I had stayed at the coach and watched possibilities from there!! This is what pain can do to you. I was thinking I am not fit enough…need to go to the gym…I will go on that diet…
I will visit my sports physio….for the further series of exercises that will build up the muscles of the knee area!!
I stopped…how much further??? 200 metres up a hill and around a corner. NO that’s it ! I shall stay here. I really couldn’t believe the guy!! So our famous leader and my friend Chris (you see what a weeks birding can do!!) stayed with me.
The others plodded on in their quest.
We played the sound of the pygmy owl and all the little birds came!! LT, Blue, Great and Crested Tit, very CrossBills, and the tiny Goldcrests and Firecrests!! Swarms of them!! They were out to defend themselves against the predator owl!! So Pygmy were about!! NO Owl appeared!!
They eventually went away again. Tengmalms Owl was played….nothing…..
After a while Pygmy Owl played again and they were back…very cross this time..
But what a lovely sight!! All the little birds in a gang to defend themselves. Just what would a Pygmy Owl face if they had their babies to defend?
I was feeling that all was right with the world again. It must have been another hour from when I said No to the others returning. They had heard a Tengmalms.
The long, long, long, long walk back…I think the guides were disappointed they hadn’t found Hazel or Pygmy or Tengmalms ( to see), or Nutcracker or the Three toed Woodpecker.
Various reactions. One birder had come with a specific if difficult list. Hazel Hen, Threetoed, Syrian , White Backed Woodpeckers, and Saker. He was able to tick three lifers. Others very happy to have seen what they had seen!! Me well apart from the agony …I just wanted to get to the coach!!
Actually I had had a fantastic time!! I would have liked to see an adult Imperial Eagle and I would have loved to have seen more and better sights of Golden Eagle but…well really 35 lifers enough said!!

This evening we had a lovely bottle of wine!! (French!!)
A very good dinner!! They excelled themselves!! The waiter altho’ willing should have been sent away for some training he must have covered miles…forgetting the spoons…or giving the wrong thing in the wrong order! Still he was rather sweet with his “Sorry!”


Sunday morning. It was raining…not just a little but absolutely teeming!!
No birding out the window!!
Still they told us it was supposed to rain every day and it hadn’t!! In fact it had been brilliant weather for birding!! Clear skies and sun!
It rained all the way to the airport!!
We added another bird for the 150th bird can’t remember what that was now.
I’ll edit later.
I got my wish not one, but two Imperial Eagle Adults (see the very first post about Hungarian Holls!!)



What could have improved on this? Possibly a local expert guide for the precise area in Slovakia. The Hungarian guides were brilliant in Hungary…a lot of local knowledge. I’m not so sure about in Slovakia. Great thing tho’ was that the coach had a w.c When you are in the field for many hours specially in a rural area its ok for the chaps , they can and do go behind a tree and that’s that! More tricky for the females. Having our own wc avoided all the problems!!
I am now waiting for my photo of the Imperial Eagle female . To send pics to Chris of her and Bob, persuade them to join Bird Forum for two armchair ticks!! And receive copies of their digiscoped birds!!
Enthusiastic I am! I have learnt a lot. I have gained in experience in the field.
I am now going to do my world list!
I want to say to those of you who have read these tales that its not about ticks really, its about observing our feathered friends as they go about their daily business!!
I am not a scientist but I am a birder! I used to call myself an Ornithologist when I first started birding aged 10 as a member of the YOC (Young Ornithologist Club) of the RSPB. I am now a birder I have a long way to go before I can call myself an Ornithologist. But right now I am going to be learning song, calls and increasingly sorting out my id skills. The more you know, the more you want to know!! I think that the more I learn the more I realise there is so much more to learn!! Sermon over!!
YIIIIPPPPPEEEEEE!!!!!! ( I sound a bit like Jake, no disrespect meant there Jake!!)
Certainly not very cool!! Altho’ I did enjoy spotting a Buzzard on Sunday and pointing it out all casually!! That def. came from this week, my raptor spotting certainly improved!!

:bounce:

[Ruby]

Sounds fantastic Corinna...

I'm not at all jealous of all these guys who are heading off on fantastic trips and seeing wonderful birds ....

....sob....


Ruby

[Eagle]

Sounds fantastic Corinna...

I'm not at all jealous of all these guys who are heading off on fantastic trips and seeing wonderful birds ....

....sob....


Ruby

I presume you mean guys in the collective sense...
seems like people on here think I have to be a guy..footie, cricket...
not sure what else..
Ruby you have met me am I not a female???

Hehe!! You got to see the tawny yes..make sure you tell PeteD!!!!

PM me with your e-mail I have somnethinbg of interest I think!!

[Ruby]

I presume you mean guys in the collective sense...
seems like people on here think I have to be a guy..footie, cricket...
not sure what else..
Ruby you have met me am I not a female???

Hehe!! You got to see the tawny yes..make sure you tell PeteD!!!!

PM me with your e-mail I have somnethinbg of interest I think!!

You're quite right Corinna - you're definitely NOT a guy (meaning a male guy that is!!)..... If anybody tells you that you are - don't believe them!!!

Oh dear - poor Pete hasn't seen a Tawny yet - Here's a grippingly average photo of the one that USED to live in Bushy Park (now seems to have pushed off apparently) just so that he'll be able to recognise one when he does find one.

I'm intrigued re: your last para....PM on the way!!


All the best.... Ruby

[Eagle]

Something that strange jumble was meant to say!!!

Too much wine!!

PM on way...don't be too intrigued!!

Pete will have to be told to look through this thread for the owl...wont tell him thats why he has to...he is birding in Dorset right now....sending me texts like..160 Tree Pipits!!