Hungary Trip in June (1 Viewer)

brianfm · Mar 6, 2008

I had been thinking of joining a birding/butterfly tour to Hungry this year, but to be honest I'm loathe to pay the prices asked by the tour company I had looked at, and have decided to make the trip privately with a friend. I guess we will see less, but for less than half the price I am willing to take that chance. We will be there for 7 days and likely to visit the Aggtelek N P and Hortobagy N P. I was wondering if any one had experience with local guides as I feel we are going to need help, certainly with the butterflies and odonata. Any other tips would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Jos Stratford · Mar 6, 2008

The area is easy to visit alone, but I don't know anything about guides in the area, sorry. That said, even if you see slightly less, it will still be an amazing trip - Red-footed Falcons dripping off the roadside wires, etc, etc.

Ruby · Mar 6, 2008

Hi Brian,

Don't know the first thing about Hungary - other than the fact that I fancy a trip there myself, so will be quite interested in how you get on.... We were thinking that June might be a good time of year too, hoping to get the tail-end of the Spring breeding season for birds and peak season for butterflies.

I did make some tentative enquiries about Farm Lator (http://www.farmlator.hu/html/home.htm) and the advice from Rob de Jong was that June would be the best time with a trip for both birds and butterflies in mind....

Anyway - hope you have a great trip, and look forward to hearing all about it in due course...

All the best.... Ray

brianfm · Mar 6, 2008

Ruby said:
Hi Brian,

Don't know the first thing about Hungary - other than the fact that I fancy a trip there myself, so will be quite interested in how you get on.... We were thinking that June might be a good time of year too, hoping to get the tail-end of the Spring breeding season for birds and peak season for butterflies.

I did make some tentative enquiries about Farm Lator (http://www.farmlator.hu/html/home.htm) and the advice from Rob de Jong was that June would be the best time with a trip for both birds and butterflies in mind....

Anyway - hope you have a great trip, and look forward to hearing all about it in due course...

All the best.... Ray

Cheers Guys. Thanks especially for the link Ray which I shall certainly be taking a look at later as it sounds more than interesting. You can be assured that there will be a report at some stage;-)

Take care

Nick-on · Mar 7, 2008

Visited Hungary a couple of years ago in mid-june (only for birds not insects1) it was too late for wood[eckers and owls but otherwise pretty good.
If you visit hortobagy first you can arrange a guide at the visitor centre (you have to go there anyway to get a permit). The guides are necessary/compulsory if you want to visit certain areas of the park (inc Aquatic Warbler/Great Bustard areas) also he will be able to put you in touch with guides in the Aggtelek area.
tip for when you are there, go to the fish farm with the silos and climb on top of the silo (views over the reedbeds are excellent and birds are at eye level as they go past!).
HTH

Nick

Forgot to add, take plenty (make that loads) of insect repellent. the mozzies are HUGE and there are billions of them!

brianfm · Mar 7, 2008

Nick-on said:
Visited Hungary a couple of years ago in mid-june (only for birds not insects1) it was too late for wood[eckers and owls but otherwise pretty good.
If you visit hortobagy first you can arrange a guide at the visitor centre (you have to go there anyway to get a permit). The guides are necessary/compulsory if you want to visit certain areas of the park (inc Aquatic Warbler/Great Bustard areas) also he will be able to put you in touch with guides in the Aggtelek area.
tip for when you are there, go to the fish farm with the silos and climb on top of the silo (views over the reedbeds are excellent and birds are at eye level as they go past!).
HTH

Nick

Forgot to add, take plenty (make that loads) of insect repellent. the mozzies are HUGE and there are billions of them!

Thanks a lot Nick.

I have just being discussing the trip with my mate this afternoon. We are going to spend 4 nights at Farm Lator (now booked), mentioned in Daves post, and plan to visit Agglelek N P from there. We will then move down to Hortobagy NP for the next 3 nights. Sounds like we will have no problems with finding guides or mozzies!!!. Thanks.

John Cantelo · Mar 26, 2008

I missed this correspondence earlier - but all the things I'd have said have been mentioned by others. However, I will just mention that the Crossbill Guide to the Hortobagy (see www.crossbillguides.org) and is now available from Wild Sounds,

John

brianfm · Mar 27, 2008

John Cantelo said:
I missed this correspondence earlier - but all the things I'd have said have been mentioned by others. However, I will just mention that the Crossbill Guide to the Hortobagy (see www.crossbillguides.org) and is now available from Wild Sounds,

John

Thanks a lot John. The Hortobagy is an area I have heard so much about, but don't know at all and the Crossbill Guide looks as though it will be very useful.

Vipers · Apr 1, 2008

Hi Brian.
I am off to Hungary with a friend in May. We have booked a guide through Gerard Gorman for the four full days we are there. http://www.probirder.com/gerardspage.html
We return on the 1st June, so I will be able to give you up to date info on our return.
How are you getting to Hungary? We are driving to Liverpool to catch the Ryanair flight to Budapest.

brianfm · Apr 1, 2008

Vipers said:
Hi Brian.
I am off to Hungary with a friend in May. We have booked a guide through Gerard Gorman for the four full days we are there. http://www.probirder.com/gerardspage.html
We return on the 1st June, so I will be able to give you up to date info on our return.
How are you getting to Hungary? We are driving to Liverpool to catch the Ryanair flight to Budapest.

Hi Gary

We are flying from Luton. Driving down there over night, at least Graham (Level Seven is;-)). We did look at the flights from Liverpool, but could not get th timings right. Be good to hear about your trip. Thanks

We have actually now booked in at the Farm Lator for the whole week, link given earlier by Ray (who I apologise for refering to as Dave in one post. I don't know where that came from) and we will travel to Hortobagy. The guy who runs Farm Lator will guide at least some of our time and is an expert on butterflies which we want to devote some time too, although I'm sure the birds will take over!

Cheers

level seven · Apr 2, 2008

Vipers said:
We return on the 1st June, so I will be able to give you up to date info on our return.

Thanks Gary.

I'd be particularly interested to know good sites for Penduline Tits and Bluethroats.

Have a great time.

Vipers · Apr 2, 2008

I've just had a look at the Farm Lator website, it looks good. It is quite close to the Bukk hills. We are staying in the Bukk hills for a couple of days, then spending the other two days at Hortobagy. The Bukk hills are apparently really good for Woodpeckers and Ural Owl. Fingers crossed.
Graham, from what I have read, Penduline Tit and Bluethroat should be quite easy around the fish ponds at Hortobagy. If you don't get them in Hungary, i can give you details of a superb winter site for them both in Spain.

Ruby · Apr 2, 2008

Vipers said:
I've just had a look at the Farm Lators website, it looks good. .

Hi Guys,

I thought so too - and quite fancy it myself...

If you like butterflies, have a look at Pete Eeles' mouth-watering trip report from there in 2006.

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/reports_farmlator.php

I did speak to Pete about it last year, and even though the primary focus of his group was the butterflies, they did get a pretty respectable birdlist too!

All the best.... Ruby

Earnest lad · Nov 10, 2012

when i went to hungary in three years ago it was summer and hot.
consquently one found that after about ten thirty in the morning it was too hot. bird activity was minimal until later in the afternoon. thus if birding hungary in summer one wants to do it very early getting up with the lark, or alternatively about three forty five pm onwards . vest wishes to you

black52bird · Mar 26, 2013

level seven said:
Thanks Gary.

I'd be particularly interested to know good sites for Penduline Tits and Bluethroats.

Have a great time.

I live here in Hungary - have done for 14 years.
Penduline Tits and Bluethroats are both very easy to see at the Hortobagy fish farm. Just walk along the dyke by the largest and nearest pool to the main road, where there is an observation tower. Also Bearded Tit and
various Warblers....
Best
David

brianfm · Mar 26, 2013

black52bird said:
I live here in Hungary - have done for 14 years.
Penduline Tits and Bluethroats are both very easy to see at the Hortobagy fish farm. Just walk along the dyke by the largest and nearest pool to the main road, where there is an observation tower. Also Bearded Tit and
various Warblers....
Best
David

I was surprised to see this thread active again, but thanks David we did have excellent sightings of both Penduline Tits (at the fish ponds) and Bluethroat (during guided trip on the Hortobagy. There's a trip report on the forum from 2008 somewhere.

It's quite a coincidence that this thread has become active again as I am presently considering a return to Hungary in 2014. Hard to believe it's so long since my first and only previous visit in 2008. Ideally I'd like to return to Farm Lator to stay, but having looked at the programme there for 2013 it seems that these days much of the time is taken up with organised group tours which didn't seem to be the case in 2008, although we may have just struck lucky with dates then. I get the impression that whilst accommodation may still be available on these occasions, guiding could not be guaranteed. That's something I'll have to look into as I'd like the trip to be an all round nature experience as it was when we stayed at Farm Lator.

I'm hoping to visit again with Graham (level Seven) and also a young keen naturalist who has never visited Hungary before. I need to do my homework again, but if there are any suggestions as to how best to organise a trip with a focus on birds, but taking in butterflies and nature in general at reasonable cost in the area spoken about, I'd be grateful. I know guides are easy (and in fact a must for some of the area) to arrange for the Hortobagy and we wouldn't really need much other help with the birding. Butterflies are a different matter as is any other wildlife, where I think we would benefit from guiding. I'm still hoping that something can be arranged with Rob at Farm Lator as the stay there was excellent. Just thinking of other options (which keep costs down) if they become necessary.

Cheers
Brian

level seven · Mar 30, 2013

black52bird said:
I live here in Hungary - have done for 14 years.
Penduline Tits and Bluethroats are both very easy to see at the Hortobagy fish farm. Just walk along the dyke by the largest and nearest pool to the main road, where there is an observation tower. Also Bearded Tit and
various Warblers....
Best
David

Thanks David. As Brian has said, we had good views of both birds. Missed Bearded Tits though. The day we were at the fish farm the train wasn't running so we could only visit the pools within walking distance, and that wasn't too far in the heat! Still a great place though and we saw lots. I'd love to go back to Hungary and hopefully we'll be doing just that next year.

Hungarian birder · Mar 31, 2013

level seven said:
Thanks David. As Brian has said, we had good views of both birds. Missed Bearded Tits though. The day we were at the fish farm the train wasn't running so we could only visit the pools within walking distance, and that wasn't too far in the heat! Still a great place though and we saw lots. I'd love to go back to Hungary and hopefully we'll be doing just that next year.

Hi everybody,

If you are here around Hortobagy, please always keep the rules of the National Park:
http://www.hnp.hu/index_en.php

Thanks!

easterncrake · Jun 30, 2013

Hi Graham,
Bukk and Aggtelek are greatplaces but Zemplén Hills are best! Hortobágy guides can be obtained also from Sakertour (www.sakertour.com). If you are 2 or 3 great value for money as their guides are excellent!
Cheers!

brianfm · Jul 10, 2013

Just this week confirmed our booking for 3 places in June 2014 with Farm Lator again. I'm not usually one for returning to places as there are such a wide option of areas to visit, but this booking reflects how much I enjoyed the previous stay at Farm Lator and Hungary in general. Booking with Rob de Jong has always been straight forward.
On this occasion we intend to spend a couple of nights in Budapest to taste a little of the culture. We'll be driving down to Farm Lator and towards the Bukk Hills and so will be doing some homework on possible areas along the way that might offer an opportunity for a couple of hours birding so as to break the journey. Any suggestions would be welcome. Already looking forward to the return, especially as this is a first visit for a friend.

Cheers
Brian

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