Early spring tour with Island Ventures
In just three action-packed days we wisited the Zemplén Hills (2 days) and the Hortobágy (1 day) with the group. Despite the limited time we managed to see most of our target species.
Just after the arrivel our first stop produced a fine adult Imperial Eagle. In the hills several further species of raptors were observed, including Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle, several Lesser Spotted Eagles, Golden Eagle, Goshawks, Hen Harrier, Merlin and among them quite a few Black Storks, most had just had arrived from their wintering grounds. The Hortobágy proved to be excellent for raptors too: White-tailed Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, a lingering Rough-legged Buzzard and a superb Saker Falcon were all seen.
Black Srotk Photo:Simay Gábor
We saw a good variety of woodpeckers, which included the first two Wrynecks for the season. This spring Ural Owls have been present in much smaller numbers, owing to a shortage of food, but we managed to find a female in the forest, while Eagle Owl and Tawny Owl were also observed.
Ural Owl Photo:Simay Gábor
Camberwell Beauty – several were seen in the Hills Photo:Simay Gábor
In the Hortobágy the group´s two main targets were the Great Bustard and the elusive Moustached Warbler. The first was an easy one this time with a flock of 32 individuals, males and females mixed, while to see the warbler we had to visit several breeding sites as the strong wind prevented these small birds from singing from exposed perches. Eventually one bird showed for all of us well, while, along with it many singing Bluethroats, the first Savi´s Warblers, Pygmy Cormorants and Ferruginous Ducks were also seen.
Sakertour team
Early spring activity around our hides
Despite the weather getting warmer, after an unusually long winter, activity is still excellent around our eagle hides, with basically the same range of species, as on a milder winter´s day. White-tailed Eagles still visit regularly, though in smaller number and maybe for a shorter time, like in winter.
Landing adult White-tailed Eagle Photo: Simay Gábor
It is very exciting to watch and photograph the always fighting gulls, with predominantly Caspians. Though Yellow-legged Gulls also mix with them, while recently an intermedius/graellsii type Lesser Black-backed was also photographed – a scarce visitor to Hungary.
First winter Caspian Gulls Photo: Simay Gábor
In early spring, Greylags occupy their nesting gound and, during the day they may visit the hide´s surrounding to graze the fresh green grass or to drink from the little pools which have remained after the heavy rains of the autumn.
Greylag Goose Photo: Simay Gábor
Sakertour team
Gulls, eagles and buzzards
The last two weeks around our eagle hides were very eventful. Following the exceptionally good December, January was more quiet with the White-tailed Eagles visiting the hides less frequently. In February the activity was/is much better again and now eagles regular visitors plus a few extra photo subjects!
Adult White-tailed Eagle (February 2011) Photo: László Sóti
There was a short period of warm weather when gulls returned to the Hortobágy area and they also visited the hides daily in good numbers. If gulls are around the eagles are less keen to get close but they still do. The gull action photography is something amazing though and our guests certainly enjoyed some excellent moments in the hides!
Calling and fighting adult Caspian Gulls (February 2011) Photos: Csaba Lóki
Adult Caspian Gull in front of the hide (February 2011) Photo: Attila Szilágyi
Common Buzzards are regular with up to 11 individuals showing. They were regularly fighting over food when several birds were around thus allowing great photo opportunities. Rarely even the scarce Rough-legged Buzzards visit the area.
Common Buzzard (February 2011) Photo: Attila Szilágyi
Fighting Common Buzzards (February 2011) Photo: Joan Roca
Sakertour team
Owl nest-boxing 2011
With our friends (Balla Dániel, Molnár Szilvi and Vasas András) the Sakertour team placed out a Ural Owl nest box in the Bihar Mountains in Romania, but near to the Hungarian border, to a location just a little bit more than two houres drive from the Hortobágy. We have a good chance to attract the owls into the nest box, as the surrounding mature beech forest is an excellent habitat for them with several observations from the previous years.
Balla Dániel is helping from the ground
Photo: Gábor Simay
Crested Tits are among the commoner birds in the higher, spruce forest region
Photo: Gábor Simay
The higher montanous areas were still snow covered, and the landscape was beautiful…
Photo: Gábor Simay
Sakertour team
Bird count on the Carpathian lower Danube 2011
We made our annual winter waterbird count on the lower part (Carpathian Basin section) of the River Danube from Orsova to Bazias in Transylvania. This c.130 kilometer stretch of Danube usually holds 25,000-30,000 waterbirds in winter. Numbers also depend on ice cover of the upper Danube sections (mainly in Hungary) as well as the weather generally.
The Kazán-pass along the Danube Photo: Zoltán Petrovics
This year the count was only 18,459 waterbirds, of which the outstanding result was the record number of Smews. We counted a total 2,062 wintering birds of this lovely bird. The only species which was far less numerous as usual was the Coot. We only counted 1542 individuals which barely compares with the 8000+ last year though the water level of the Danube was very high!
Smews in a mixed diving duck flock along the Danube Photo: János Oláh
Velvet Scoters Photo: Dániel Balla
Other highlights included a Bernacle Goose (very rare bird inTransylvania), 5 Scaup, 3 Velvet Scoters, 7 Red-breasted Mergansers, 47 Goosanders, Sombre Tits and several Cirl Buntings. The latter two species are rare and restricted breeding birds in the Carpathian Basin.
Male and female Cirl Bunting Photos: János Oláh
Juvenile Goshawk at Orsova Photo: János Oláh
Sakertour team
Long-eared Owls in January 2011
In addition to White-tailed Eagle photography our guests enjoyed terrific Long-eared Owl moments in January 2011. There are about 120 bird in Balmazújváros and some of them showing perfectly. They are somewhat special in recent days with overnigth temperatures dropping to -10 or even -15C and the owls have variable amount of frost on their feathers.
Long-eared Owls in January 2011 Photos: János Oláh
Sakertour team
Hungarian National Eagle Count 2011
The Hungarian Ornithological Society (MME) – http://www.mme.hu/ – made the 8th Hungarian Eagle count in mid January. During this event over 275 observers counted wintering eagles all over Hungary. The most common eagle was White-tailed Eagle with 475 individuals and about 60 of these were in the Hortobágy region! This number in the Hortobágy area was well undercounted because of thick fog throughout the counts (14-15 January). Just 10 days later well over 90 WtE were counted in the Hortobágy area. Second most common was the Eastern Imperial Eagle with 170 individuals seen, followed by one Golden Eagles and three Greater Spotted Eagle.
The activity around the Sakertour eagle hides in the Hortobágy National Park is changing every day. Today we had 3 WtE at one of our hides.
Adult White-tailed Eagle carrying food Photo: János Oláh
Sakertour team
Our partner Terres Oubliées arrived today!
One of our partner tour operator arrived today to the Hortobágy National Park. The Terres Oubliées group main target is Whit-tailed Eagle photography. Hopefully the weather will be good, the forecast is promising with cold winter days and sunshine for the next week with some snow. A definite improvment to the foggy, misty, wet two weeks behind us!
Adult White-tailed Eagle Photo: János Oláh
We will let you know the success of the photo-tour!
Sakertour Team
Eagle news January, 2011
The winter in Hungary is certainly wet and variable this year (2010/2011)! The water situation has not improved (since April) at all and the eastern part of the Hortobágy National Park received almost 1400mm precipitation in 2010. This is just about three times the normal and made photography difficult last year.
Adult White-tailed Eagle Photo: Gábor Simay
The White-tailed Eagle photography was excellent throughout December however and many of our visiting photographers enjoyed great views and many actions of these magnificent birds. Since Christmas the activity droped but still very nice images were captured!
Juvenile White-tailed Eagles Photo: Johan and Chris Paulussen
Unfortunately a rapid change does not help with the eagle-photography and they can be rather unpredictable. Most of the time, however, at least one hide is visited by the eagles almost on daily basis.Also several colour-ringed birds were seen and photographed giving good data fot the research team.
Colour-ringed subadult White-tailed Eagle Photo: Johan and Chris Paulussen
Also the daily activity can vary a lot depending on the weather and other circumstances. We had a few days when many eagles visited the hide area daily and then lots of action shots were possible!
Juvenile White-tailed Eagle fighting with crows Photo: János Oláh
See a few images below and also more images are due to be uploaded into our galleries so please keep checking here!
Calling adult White-tailed Eagle Photo: Johan and Chris Paulussen
Subadult White-tailed Eagle Photo: Johan and Chris Paulussen
We will have the annual eagle count on the 14th and 15th January so we will get to know the number of wintering eagles in Hungary. We will keep you posted!
Sakertour team
Anthony McLean´s visit
The December Sakertour set-date eagle photography tour was good, many eagles were around. Tour participant Tony gave a detailed description of the tour in his blog so please take a look: Tony McLean´s East Yorkshire Wildlife Diary
Adult White-tailed Eagle Photo: Tony McLean
More eagle news of all the December events is to come with lots of images so keep an eye on our blog and hide gallery!
Sakertour Team