Late Autumn was lovely dry and sunny in Hungary and there were some fantastic possibilities for photography. Our drinking hides are still in full operation and in 2011/2012 winter we will try for the first time to keep some drinking water at the hide throughout the coldest periods as well (heating).

Although we have subzero temperatures now every night the drinking pool attracts many birds in daytime. Thrushes, woodpeckers, tits, finches are abundant!

Slowly the superb colours of October and November are disappearing but it is not far now for the eagle season! Look out for raptor images on our website and hope to see you in Hungary this winter!

Mistle Thrush

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Eurasian Jay

Black Woodpecker

All photos by János Oláh

Sakertour team

The trip report of our successful 2011 Autumn Tour has just been uploaded and you can see it here. All the possible targets has been seen including a large flock of Lesser White-fronted Goose, 8 species of woodpeckers including White-backed Woodpecker and 5 species of owls including Ural Owl.

This tour will run again next year from 6-12 October.

White-backed Woodpecker                                                                             Photo: János Oláh

Sakertour team

This tour concentrated on the spectacular Crane migration and the arriving masses of northern Geese in the Hortobágy area and its surrounding. We spent a week in the Hortobágy and we did well regarding both of our targets, and we did see many more. 

Smaller and bigger flocks of Common Carnes were seen every day feeding on stubble fields and grasslands but the real spectacle was when we visited their biggest evening roost, and seen more than 30.000 Cranes flying line after line.

Though we had several encounters of bigger geese flocks, we had a special day, when we recorded no less, than 9 species of geese! (considering Taiga and Tundra Bean as separate species) Among them especially good views of Red-breasted Geese.

Beside we saw Imperial, two Great Spotted and many White-tailed  Eagles, Saker Falcons, Long-legged and Rough-legged Buzzard. 23 Great Bustards and 18 Dotterels. 

Regarding the woodpeckers we were also lucky with 6 species recorded what is really good in the lowlands.

We also recorded a mega rarity! We were close enough to a ringing station in Hortobágy Fishponds to see Hungary´s third Pine Bunting without a real effort!  

This trip was special weather wise too – we had seven days sunshine and warm weather, often reaching 15 Celsius degree. 

Common Cranes flying to their night roost

Adult and juvenile (1y) Great Spotted Eagle

Dotterel

Black Woodpecker

Male Bearded Reedling

Penduline Tit and its nest 

Juvenile (1y) female Pine Bunting        All photos: Simay Gábor

Sakertour team

In the 3rd week of October a small group of nature photographers from Scotland spent a week in Hortobagy. This trip was designed to coincide with the peak of the European Crane passage through Eastern Hungary and this year over 100 000 individual stayed in this region!

Cranes still visited our drinking place daily and in a same time 30 000 individual roosted in front of our hide.

During this week they had chance to photograph birds from other different hides as well and to see the results please take a look here.

Cranes catching pink light (Photo: Eric MacCabe/Wildscotphotos)

White-tailed Eagle getting tail pulled by Hooded Crow (Photo: Eric MacCabe/Wildscotphotos)

Goshawk  (Photo: Eric MacCabe/Wildscotphotos)

Sakertour team

During this trip we will spent seven days on the Hortobágy. We will concentrate on mainly the migration and roosting of the Common Cranes and we will chase the just arriving big northern goose flocks for the rare specialties…

The autumn weather so far has been very nice with little rain and lot of sunshine. Hopefully the it will remain the same during the next week!

We will keep you updated about the tour!

Photo: Simay Gábor

Sakertour team

During the first week of October we visited the Hortobágy area and also the Zemplén Hills. The weather was stunning, sunny and warm. We recorded 8 species of woodpeckers, including White-backed and 5 species of owls, including scope views of an Ural Owl (three more were heard). In the Hortobágy no less then 74 Lesser White-fronted Geese, 45 Dotterels and 15 Great Bustards were seen. In the wet grasslands Red-throated Pipits were common, and a Jack Snipe was also seen. We had three encounters with Eastern Imperial Eagles and two with Saker Falcon and Long-legged Buzzards respectively. We were lucky enough to find some Red-footed Falcons as well on this mid-autumn date. 

In the Hortobágy, bigger and smaller flocks of Common Cranes were seen everywhere, but in the evenings huge flocks were flying towards their night roosts. At one place we saw more than 20.000 flying from all direction into their roost site.

Dotterel

Roosting Common Cranes

Hawfinchis were numerous in the woodlands

Long-eared Owl                   All photos: Simay Gábor

Sakertour team

Our fixed date tour started on the 1st October and our guests enjoying superb weather with some exciting birds. The tour started in the Hortobágy area and after the first two days such goodies were seen as 74 Lesser White-fronted Goose (record sized flock; the last such a group was seen in 90´s). They also had fantastic views of Dotterels, Imperial Eagle, Saker, Long-legged Buzzard and Great Bustard. This one-week long tour offers a wide selection of birds. Also this year we already have 60 000 Cranes so the Hortobágy is a real migration hotspot now!

Next year this tour will run from 6-12 October.

Juvenile Eurasian Dotterel                                                                                                       Photo: János Oláh

Sakertour team

In mid September the number of Common Cranes staging in the Hortobágy area starts to increase rapidly. Already there are several thousands which may reach a hundred thousand later in the season (at the moment as 26th od September about 17 000 birds present). 

The late summer and the autumn so far has been so warm and dry that the Cranes can hardly find any pools to drink from. Therefore the ditch in front of the hides attract sometimes even two hundred birds. These images were taken recently from this hide.

Our roosting Crane hide is also in operation soon!

Come and photograph Cranes with Sakertour!

All photos: Simay Gábor

Sakertour Team

Late August and early September is an excellent period to see waders in the Carpathian-basin, especially in the Hortobágy area. Many species migrates this time and among them some scarce species turn up every now and then. This is the period to see Broad-billed Sandpiper and Red-necked Phalarope as well. This year was excellent especially for the former, as they were present in the mudflats of the drained fishponds and swallow temporary waters. 

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Red-necked Phalarope

Wood Sandpiper is among the commonest migrants      All photos: Simay Gábor

Sakertour team

In certain dry years September can be a very productive time to photograph Cranes in the Hortobágy National Park. The numbers just starting to build up and only a few hundred Cranes present in the park yet but they regularly drink and bath around our hides in the warm weather. This weekend the temperature was around 30C still and although there is going to be a cold front next week it should not disturb the Cranes visiting the drinking and bathing places.

Come and photograph Cranes with us!

Adult and juvenile Crane drinking                                                                  Photo: János Oláh