[pnraby2002]

Hi all,

I am off to Belarus in October 2007 and would be very grateful for some detailed bird site information on where to go in this very under-watched country.

Very interested in catching up with Azure Tit.

Many thanks

Peter

[delia todd]

Hi Peter I see this is your first post, so may I welcome you on behalf of the Staff and Moderators at Bird Forum

There's an entry on Opus which might give you a start in your search for the Azure Tit

Hope this helps

D

[StuartReeves]

Welcome to BirdForum Peter. I'm sure BF's very own Eastern Europe correspondent, Jos Stratford, will be able to help with this one.

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by StuartReeves

Welcome to BirdForum Peter. I'm sure BF's very own Eastern Europe correspondent, Jos Stratford, will be able to help with this one.

Feel like a BBC journalist after that intro

Anyhow, yes I've got to know Belarus quite well over the last couple of years and THIS LINK, part of my website, gives an account of four trips to the south of the country, during which Azure Tits featured prominently.

Have a read through it, then get back to me with any specific questions you may have. The country is fantastic ...toilets good too, the link on the website will explain why

[pnraby2002]

Hi Jos,

A great read! But rather lacking in detail. The exact location of the village of Kudrichi would help as well as the other sites mentioned in the article. I would really like to see Great Grey Owl and Azure Tit.

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by pnraby2002

Hi Jos,

A great read! But rather lacking in detail. The exact location of the village of Kudrichi would help as well as the other sites mentioned in the article.

"But rather lacking in detail" - such is birding in this valley, areas are vast and birds such as Azure Tit can occur anywhere in good habitat. However all locations I mention are on maps. Details beyond that are not so easy, as Kudrichi, for example is at the end of about 15 km of rough gravel roads and much easier for you to simply get a map than me to describe the various turns, as I will probably forget one. It took me sometime to find it, even with a map!

In fact, the report is not really lacking in details so much...

eg "day two in my search for Azure Tit started in the settlement of Mikashevichi. Meandering down a maze of dirt tracks, I eventually reached a fabulous area of wet woodland" It is exactly that, from the village I left the village and drove at random down little dirt roads, turning here and there in the general direction of the river (south) - I happened upon one super area, though probably no more super than than an area if I had happened to take another track.

eg "notch up the footwork, put in the kilometres and, sooner or later, I had to bump into an Azure Tit ...or at least, so I convinced myself! Chose to walk along the river, hugging the bank where possible, the habitat a mosaic of mature trees, swampy hollows and meadows, a fantastic piece of landscape.". Again, exactly what I did, from Turov, drove to a random patch of riverbank, then started to walk.

So, in short, sorry for the lack of detail, but the whole valley is excellent and it is birding at its best, find good habitat (everywhere) and look - the Azure Tits wander a lot, but can be in any village or area of wet riverside woodland.

For locations in my report, that certainly will not guarantee Azure Tits in October, you need a good map (in Russian preferably, as all local signs where they exist, will also be in Russian ...plus useful if you need to ask directions!). Alternatively, pay my visa and I will come and show you

[pnraby2002]

Thank you for all that info Jos, I am getting rather excited about visiting a country that few birders has visited.

One last question: How easy is it to find accommodation (plus hot food) in the area you mention?

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by pnraby2002

Thank you for all that info Jos, I am getting rather excited about visiting a country that few birders has visited.

One last question: How easy is it to find accommodation (plus hot food) in the area you mention?

Turov has a hotel, it is rather basic and harks back to bygone days Restaurants in that part of the world are, erm, interesting! I can recommend the 'pizza' in the small restaurant in Turov - looked a bit more like a hybrid omlette, had nothing in common with pizzas that you might be more familiar with and you must remember to take the cling film off that has sunk into the relatively hot topping (which is essentually tomato kechup, with extra tomato kechup). I stop in my local supermarket here in Lithuania before crossing the border

The much larger town of Pinsk probably has hotels and restaurants to standards comparable with elsewhere in Europe, well almost. However, Turov is probably a better base for at least part of your trip, a lot more localities in that area.

Food and hotels are only a minor detail, the valley is fantastic and the birding great. A couple of questions - how long will you be there and what part of October are you planning your visit? Also,will you have a car?