[Jos Stratford]

Has anybody been out to the southern marshes in Belarus? Or know where to get some detailed information? Planning a couple of weekend trips down there this spring and would be happy to hear from anybody who's seen the area's specialities. Thanks in advance.

[albatross02]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

Has anybody been out to the southern marshes in Belarus? Or know where to get some detailed information? Planning a couple of weekend trips down there this spring and would be happy to hear from anybody who's seen the area's specialities. Thanks in advance.

Hello Jos,

never been there. Strenge camacdonald do not have this country in his table:
http://www.camacdonald.com/birding/C...ons-Europe.htm

Ramsar give some overview
http://www.wetlands.org/RSDB/_COP9Di...ry/3BY004.html

Maybe here some useful informations ?
http://www.belarusguide.com/nature1/Nature.html

Best regards
Dieter

[Periwinkle]

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/triprepor...vakia-2005.htm

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by Periwinkle

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/triprepor...vakia-2005.htm

Thanks for that, already seen that one ..it's virtually the only trip report I have managed to find. If can't find more info, will base my trip on that one. Gives two localities for the key species I am after :)

[Dave J]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

Gives two localities for the key species I am after :)

Hi Jos

What are your target species, if you don't mind me asking ?

Dave

[ed keeble]

Originally Posted by Dave J

Hi Jos

What are your target species, if you don't mind me asking ?

Dave

I could hAZard a guess..

[jurek]

Wow, Jos!

Belarus is dream place for Polish birders. Pity that there is no information, difficult access and quirks of Communist bureaucracy. Countryside feels sometimes like time travel: thatched roofs, horse charts, crane wells, gigantic wetlands and miles of forests.

There are several gigantic wetlands full of ruffs, aquatic warblers and other goodies. Orlowskoe Bolota is 40km x 40km wetland without a single house in it - last outside Arctic North. Bialowieza is wilder than Polish part, with bison, great grey owl, capercaille and whatever. I was there few years ago and saw a village in the middle of marshes inhabited by 6 people and 21 white stork nests, with eagle owl nesting in the attic. Groups of up to 7 lesser spotted eagles circled around.

Trouble is that getting any bird-related info is problem. You should speak Russian or some Slavic language and have a car. Try to blend in, because people still live in communist reality and may be suspicious. I was denied selling a bus ticket because it was suspicuious why foreigner travelled there. Very few Polish went there, mostly history fans.

[jurek]

Azure Tit, Terek Sandpiper, Great Grey Owl and all specialities of Poland and Lithuania. So there are few new species, but it is magical to see country where birds rare and localised elsewhere in Europe are common and everywhere.

Unfortunately, specialities is problem and visiting is pain. Some Swedes tried to go on organised trip, paid Swedish prices and were duped. Customer-oriented economy is still unknown there. Travelling in Gujarat is easy in comparison ;-)

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by white-back

I could hAZard a guess..

Spot on there White-back ...only about three-four hours drive from my door (plus however long the border takes!).

As Jurek says, very little info available, hence requests here. That said. more or less, got info on a couple of sites, just will need to do some searching and have a bit of luck.

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by jurek

Countryside feels sometimes like time travel: thatched roofs, horse carts, crane wells, gigantic wetlands and miles of forests.
.

Er, that is Lithuania too :) Still, unlike Poland which I notice changing very fast, much of the rural farming is still done by horse ...ploughing, hay gathering, etc.

[jurek]

Belarus is still wilder, wilder, wilder. Biebrza in Poland can feel like time travel 50 years ago. Then Belarus is like second time travel 50 years more.

[Avestom]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

Er, that is Lithuania too :) Still, unlike Poland which I notice changing very fast, much of the rural farming is still done by horse ...ploughing, hay gathering, etc.

Try to contact Aleksander Vinchevski from BirdLife Belarus - he is a really friendly guy who knows places and birds: apb@tut.by