Boatbirder.com: 📖 Biebrza Marshes 14th

After a few days in Mikolajki, the following four days of our holiday in Poland were spent in the Biebrza Marshes National Park, but we did not experience the park at its best. The region has seen unusually dry weather, leading to record-low water levels in the Biebrza River and a severe drought. Unlike the park’s typical spring floods, water levels in the Biebrza River fell by 30 cm, transforming wetlands into tinderboxes.

Our four-night accommodation in Budne in Biebrza National Park. Fortunately, it was taken on the only sunny day. From here on, it will be heavy showers and thunderstorms!

This drought and the severe dryness of the marshes from the previous year contributed to a devastating fire in the Biebrza National Park in April 2025. The fire, which spread rapidly, was fueled by dry reeds and sedge meadows, exacerbated by the drought conditions. The fire caused extensive damage to the park's natural habitats, including reed beds, sedge meadows, and even forested areas.

The boardwalk at Bagno Lawki Marsh is a good place for Aquatic Warblers, but it lacked water during our visit.

Since 2021, annual precipitation has steadily declined, with minimal rainfall in the autumn of 2024 and a snowless winter. These conditions have left the park’s peatlands and grasslands critically dry. Local experts note that the region’s groundwater levels fell to 0.6 meters below the surface in March, further drying out peatlands that are critical for water retention and biodiversity. The absence of spring inundations, which normally sustain the park’s wetlands, has transformed lush habitats into dry, steppe-like landscapes. We've witnessed this firsthand; for instance, visiting a well-known breeding area for White-winged Terns that was devoid of water. We have also walked through areas of pine bog forest and alder swamps that similarly lacked water, creating quite a soul-destroying feeling. This drying trend threatens not only the park’s flora but also its fauna, including rare bird species like the Aquatic Warbler, Corncrake, and Eurasian Curlew, which rely on wet habitats for breeding.

Ironically, over the past few days, we have been experiencing unusually cold conditions of 4 to 7 °c, accompanied by long periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms. The rain is, of course, a sorely needed commodity! It's as though the gods are conspiring against us.

However, this is still a beautiful place to visit, and Dazza and I have made the most of our time here, believing we've done quite well. Despite the conditions, we've compiled a respectable species count of 125 birds, including some of our target species, such as Black Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker and Grey-headed Woodpecker.

Tomorrow, Sunday the 18th, we head off to the Bialowieza Forest for five days, and hopefully, the weather will improve. Below are some of our birding highlights thus far.