π¦π©21C Monday 09th May 2022 ~ With our flight home in the evening we spent the morning & early afternoon to the west of Budapest around a village called Csakvar. There were a few big thunderstorms around today with forked lightning so we were wary when out walking as to the distance of the storms.
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| A very stern looking Roller on the wire cabling. |
We drove the road out of the village heading towards Fornapuszta, occasionally stopping to scan the wires and fields. As with most sites we've visited during our stay Marsh Harriers are your constant companion. The wires paid off with at least three Roller, Northern Wheatear and a couple of Cuckoo, the numbers of the latter throughout our stay in Hungary have been amazing. Golden Oriole could be seen occasionally in the high treetops giving chase to anything that came near what was likely to be their nesting site, particularly the Hooded Crows. Along the roadside, one or two Crested Larks were seen on the fence posts as we drove along.
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| Stonechat at Csakvar Marsh |
About halfway along the road, there is an expanse of wet meadow and marsh with a viewing tower but frustratingly, as I've mentioned before about Hungary, the area was cordoned off. We walked as far as was allowed noting two Grey Partridge, Stonechat, Tree Sparrow (another common species to Hungary) and Great Reed Warbler. A Barred Warbler was heard singing but we never made contact.
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| Black Woodpecker |
Our final stop was at a woodland area along the road towards Lovasbereny where we took our final walk of the holiday before heading to the airport. After parking, a Wood Warbler was heard singing and a distant Great Spotted Woodpecker called. A short distance in we found a Marsh Tit, which was busy feeding two young. However, for me at least, we saved the best until last as Dazza (and don't ask me how she spotted him), found a Black Woodpecker foraging in the low deadwood, one of those heart-stopping moments!
It's taken me several years to obtain any decent images of these iconic birds, having seen one in France some years back. But after arriving in Spain this morning after a hectic 36hrs traveling I was able to finally process my images and was delighted with what I got! What a way to finish an amazing '10 days in Hungary'.
Species Seen...
BIRDS (138)
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Egyptian Goose, Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal, Garganey, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Grey Partridge, Quail, Pheasant, Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Pygmy Cormorant, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Little Egret, Great Egret, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, White Stork, Black Stork, Spoonbill, Osprey, White-tailed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Common Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Red-Footed Falcon, Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, Saker Falcon, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Crane, Great Bustard, Avocet, Black-Winged Stilt, Lapwing, Ruff, Dunlin, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Caspian Gull, Common Tern, Black Tern, White-winged Tern, Whiskered Tern, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Nightjar, Bee-eater, Roller, Hoopoe, Black Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wryneck, Skylark, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Tree Pipit, White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail (blue headed), Grey Wagtail, Wren, Robin, Nightingale, Bluethroat, Black Redstart, Whinchat, Stonechat, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Northern Wheatear, Barred Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Wood Warbler, Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Marsh Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Bearded Reedling, Penduline Tit, Treecreeper, Red-backed Shrike, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Hooded Crow, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, Golden Oriole, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Serin, Hawfinch, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting ~ Western Bonelli's Warbler (heard)
BUTTERFLIES (25)
Glanville Fritillary, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary, Map, Peacock, Red Admiral, Wall Brown, Small Heath, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Green-underside Blue, Small Copper, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Large Skipper, Mallow Skipper, Scarce Swallowtail, Southern Festoon, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Orange Tip, Provencal Short-tailed Blue, Clouded Yellow, Berger's Clouded Yellow
ODANATA (2)
Blue-tailed Damselfly, Downy Willow Dragonfly
MAMMALS & OTHER
European Souslik, European Roe Deer, Hare, Pipperstrelle Bat, Daubenton's Bat, Grass Snake
