Peak of Crane migration and number of Lesser White-fronted Geese in 2012 October
The Crane migration is a great event in the Hortobágy National Park. Every year tens of thousands arrive and gather in this grassland park. The numbers are monitored with weekly counts on the roosting sites. Usually the highest count is in the middle of the month. A total of 80 200 Cranes were counted today evening (18th of October) at 7 different roosting areas. The biggest one is the Kondás pond in the Hortobágy-Fishpond complex with 46 200 birds present.
Cranes flying to roost in the Hortobágy National Park in October 2012 (Photo: János Oláh)
Following the very good breeding succes of the Lesser White-fronted Geese in 2011 we had a very promising count in 2012 Spring. We were somehow all secretly expecting an even higher number in 2012 autumn but it did not happen. The highest count of the autumn of 2012 was 43 (45) birds (9 juvenile). Although we all know that some of the unsuccessfull breeders would not take the same migration root. Also a few birds (12 ind) already arrived to Kerkini Lake when the highest count was on the Hortobágy so the autumn total is minimum 55 birds. If you want all the recent observations of this endangered geese please visit the LWfrG portal!
Lesser White-fronted Geese flock in the Hortobágy in October 2012 (Photo: János Oláh)
Sakertour team