Birdwatching holidays - Birding Tours

This tour is an exciting blend of woodland, wetland and grassland birds and is timed to coincide with the spectacular passage of tens of thousands of Common Cranes through the east of the country. At this time of year a huge number of wildfowl also stop off in the Hortobagy on their way south, including the rare Lesser White-fronted Goose. We will see the Hortobagy at its peak, as one of the great European migration staging posts, and widely regarded as one of Europe’s best birding areas. In October the grasslands (the famous ‘Puszta’) and huge fish pond systems of this vast plain are the hunting grounds of various rare birds of prey. Great Bustards are doing well here and provide one of the highlights of the trip.

In the Zemplen foothills we will search, with the help of local guides, for owls, woodpeckers and much more. Woodland birds like Hawfinch that are often thought of as scarce and difficult are common and widespread here. This is also a very good area for birds of prey such as Goshawk and Eagle Owl.

The gentle pace of life gives rural Hungary a peaceful ambience. The evening quiet is broken only by the horse-drawn farm carts trundling home. Then the distant calling of the cranes begins. Thousands upon thousands pass by overhead en route to a traditional roost site, providing one of the most moving and evocative experiences in the natural world.

We will spend two nights in the Zemplen Hills and five nights in the Hortobagy. Finally before leaving Hungary we will have time for a little sightseeing in the elegant city of Budapest, which is actually two cities, Buda and Pest, one on either river bank.

Throughout, we will have the guiding skills of a Sakertour bird-guide, and official access to the best sites with support from various wardens. Sakertour is Hungary’s premier birdwatching holiday organiser.

ITINERARY

ZEMPLEN FOREST RESERVE

From Budapest we will drive for about three hours through pleasant scenery into the Carpathian mountains. We will spend the first three nights at the Hotel Sólyomvár, near to excellent oak-hornbeam woodland. It is in the tiny village of Komlóska, close to the forest. The nearby reserve is one of the most easterly points in Hungary and one of the most charming too. Distinctive churches rise above the landscape virtually untouched since the last days of the Hapsburgs. Horses pull farm equipment across ancient meadows dotted with haystacks evoking an era long gone in Britain. Driving through this idyllic landscape we soon reach the Zemplen Forest Reserve where one of our prime targets will be the huge Ural Owl. Outside the breeding season it is not easy to find this beautifully camouflaged owl, but we have a good chance in this prime habitat, with the help of our local guide. The list of other species found here is impressive and includes eight species of woodpecker; Black, Lesser Spotted, Middle Spotted, Great Spotted, Grey-headed and with luck White-backed Woodpecker. Green and Syrian Woodpeckers can be found just outside the forest.

Wintering Alpine Accentors may already be present at this time of year so we will search some of the regular spots, including an old castle ruin, in the hope of notching up what can be a difficult bird. We will scan for raptors in the wide open valleys of the Zemplen foothills where there is a good chance of Eastern Imperial Eagle and Goshawk. On one evening we will look for Eagle Owls in a quarry. Time permitting, we will also include a wine-tasting in the famous Tokaj area.

HORTOBAGY NATIONAL PARK

Common Cranes; evening on the Hortobagy One of the Long-eared Owls at the daytime roost site

On day three we will take a picturesque drive to our lodge in the heart of the Hortobagy National Park, for a stay of five nights. This World Heritage site is famous for its culture and wildlife. After time for settling in we will take a short drive into the steppe to see the massive influx of Common Cranes (up to 60,000) flying over our heads to their roosting areas. During this time there will also be extraordinary numbers of Greylag, Bean and White-fronted Geese.

The shallow wetlands and fishponds are the great birding epicentres of the Hortobagy National Park, providing feeding and roosting for many migrant birds. Thousands of shorebirds and ducks feed out on the extensive steppe and among the crop fields, coming to the ponds mostly to drink and roost. Flocks of Dunlin, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit can be found on the muddy shores of empty fishponds. Amongst the Great Crested and Little Grebes in the deeper ponds we will look for Black-necked Grebe, Black-throated Diver and Ferruginous Duck. Other species found here include Great and Pygmy Cormorant, Bittern, Spoonbill, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Avocet, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Greenshank, Black-headed, Common and Yellow-legged Gulls and Kingfisher. Even Great White Egrets gather in flocks of several hundreds on the drained mudflats. Hunting White-tailed Eagles disturb these concentrations from time to time, sending up huge flocks of wildfowl and waders. Hen Harriers glide low over the reeds where Penduline and Bearded Tits abound. Damp meadows attract migrant Common Snipe at this time, often accompanied by a few Jack Snipe.

One highlight of the tour is the Lesser White-fronted Goose. This globally threatened species is found in small numbers among the large goose flocks which are dominated by White-fronted, Greylag and Bean Geese. More birds to be found in this area include Stock Dove, Crested Lark, Water Pipit, Tree Sparrow and Corn Bunting. Against a background of feeding cranes we will look for trips of Dotterel, en route to their wintering grounds. At the edge of the steppe on the freshly cut alfalfa fields Great Bustards are gathering in flocks at this time of year. With special permission we will watch these strictly protected birds without disturbing them.

Around the barns and picturesque farmsteads Little Owls and Black Redstarts can be found. Flocks of Fieldfare are arriving on the steppe while Northern Grey Shrikes watch from their treetop perches. If we are lucky we can find one or two of the scarce winter inhabitants of the Artemisia steppe such as Twite, and Lapland and Snow Buntings. The rich rodent population ensures a healthy number of predators. Among the many Common Buzzards and Marsh Harriers we should see Peregrine, Merlin, Rough-legged Buzzard and Hen Harrier from the north and perhaps a few wandering Long-legged Buzzards from the east. This is one of the few places where you can see these three buzzard species together. There is also an excellent chance of Saker, perhaps Europe’s most enigmatic falcon. One afternoon we will go to see Long-eared Owls at a daytime roost; sometimes over a hundred birds are to be found, giving incredible views.

Amongst the thousands of migrants, a few unexpected species are usually found. This season is the peak time for Hungarian rarities; you never know what might turn up.

On our last evening we will watch the Common Cranes at a favoured site as they appear far away on the horizon, flying towards and eventually low over us, in long lines, to their roosting place on the drained fishponds. The steppe is quiet at this time of the evening, the sun is setting and the wild evocative calls of the cranes grow louder and louder as they approach. Eventually there is a concert of thousands of calling and flying birds making this an unforgettable wildlife experience.

On day eight after an early breakfast we will take in some good birding habitat on our way to Budapest where we will finish our tour with some sightseeing in the capital, an exquisitely laid out city, on either side of the Danube.

PACE

Breakfast will be taken about 8am most mornings. Optional pre-breakfast walks will be possible in the vicinity of the hotels. Basic fitness is all that is required. There will be a certain amount of uphill walking on one or two days but this will be at a relaxed pace.

ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD

Full board accommodation is provided with two nights at the Hotel Sólyomvár near the Zemplen Forest Reserve and five nights at the excellent Trofea Lodge in the Hortobagy. Both are good quality traditional hotels. All rooms have en suite bathrooms. Food is excellent. Some days we will take picnics, but on others we will lunch at traditional inns.

(Please note the change of the first hotel, which is due to this better sited one becoming available)

All birdwatching excursions with expert leader and local guide, full-board accommodation (starting with dinner on 3^rd, ending with lunch on 10^th), soft drinks, local transport by mini-bus, international flights and airport taxes.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

Our optional travel insurance, payable at the time of booking. Items of a personal nature, alcoholic drinks, laundry.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

Return flight from Manchester to Budapest using the scheduled services of Jet2. Outbound flight departs early afternoon, return flight arrives back early evening. Meals are not provided on this flight. Corresponding flights are also possible from London Heathrow. Please telephone for details.