As May has arrived, our first birding tours have started their trips over the Carpathian-basin. We are looking forward an exciting and productive period. Spring has arrived earlier this year as the  winter was mild and the early-spring rather warm. Even the latest arrivals had turned up before May began.

Owls have occupied their nests and because – in some part of the Carpathians – beech trees produced exceptional amount of acorn we expect a good breeding results.

Eurasian Pygmy Owl – Photo: Gábor Simay

Ural Owl – Photo: János Oláh

Tengmalm´s Owl – Photo: Gábor Simay

Sakertour team

In the beautiful Bihar Mountains, just about two hours drive from the Hortobágy, one can find mature beach forests and good forest birding with a wide range of interesting species. Ural Owl is one of them and Sakertour now includes this area in its owl-boxing project. With the help of Balla Dániel and Simay Attila we placed out a a few nest-boxes to offer breeding places for these magnificent creatures. Right after we fixed the nest-boxes, in the evening a Ural Owl was calling only about a hunderd meter from one of our new nest-box!

If you would like to read an article of Bastien Juif´s latest visit to the Hortobágy please visit the NaturaPics website! The is about the photography of the ´Eagles of Hortobágy´ on a short visit to this fantastic World Heritage National Park in January 2014.

Juvenile (foreground) and adult White-tailed Egale (Photo: Bastien Juif).

Sakertour team

June is one of the best time to explore the Danube Delta and suddenly we have vacancy and able to launch another date for 2014.

For the itinerary please click here: 14-21 June.

Sakertour team

Yet again a big congratulation must go to Zoltán Gergely Nagy for his latest achivment on the European photography scene. He won the ´meetings´ category on the Festival de l´Oiseau et de la Nature 2014 in France with his image: Dominant Crow (see below). If you wish to see more winning images of the competition just click here.

If you wish to do photography with Zoltán there will be chances as he will be leading some of our Danube Delta tours in future (already in 2014). Sakertour also working with Zoli to launch some ´outdoor photography tours´ in the Wild Carpathians from 2015. Stayed tuned!

Dominant Crow by Zoltán Nagy

Sakertour team

Yesterday it was a great surprise for the photographers in the Eagle hide when a goose flock walked close to the hide. Having checked the flock they noticed a Red-breasted goose. It walked closer and closer to the hide. Finally they could take some images about it from 25 mertres. Suddenly a young Eagle disturbed the flock and they flew away. It was great experience!

Thanks for the Hansruedi Vögeli!

Red-breasted Goose with White-fronted Geese (Photos: Hansruedi Vögeli)

Because of the unusually warm winter many geese are overwintering in Hortobágy, among them about 230 Red-breasted geese can be found.

Sakertour Team

The 2013/2014 eagle season has just started a few days ago. This weekend up to 7 eagles were photographed at one hide. The night temperature is down to -5C now but daytime weather is still not very cold.

There are still some limited places for January 2014!

We hope to see you in our eagle hides soon!

Adult White-tailed Eagle (Photo: Attila Szilágyi)

Adult White-tailed Eagle (Photo: János Tar)

Sakertour team

The Autumn season of birding tours has ended now and the only word to summarize the Autumn of 2013 is FANTASTIC!

The weather was very kind to most of our groups and throughout October it was sunny and hot (up to 24C). The Crane migration was superb and long-lasting (maximum was 106 950) and we were also delighted to hear that this ´golden October´ will be long remembered in the Tokaj World Heritage Area as well, because it looks like a superb year for the delicious Tokaji Aszú!

A few statistics to summerize the birding tours:

– all our groups have seen the globally threatened Lesser White-fronted Goose

– up to 44 Red-breatsed Goose were seen ( most of the early October tours had only 1)

– Crane roosting areas held 30 000 – 40 000 birds. What a sight!

– all our tours have seen many Great Bustards and the mighty SAKER!

– all our groups managed to see the enigmatic Ural Owl in the Zemplén Hills

– White-backed Woodpecker was also seen by all birding groups

– supporting cast included Eastern Imperial Eagle, Eagle Owl, Rough-legged Buzzard etc

– rarities such as 2 different Sociable Plovers, Long-billed Dowitcher, Greater Spotted Egales were seen

Hungary in October can be magical so why dont you join us for a week of great birding in 2014. Our autumn tour will run from 4-10 October 2014. For more details click HERE!

If you have been here and want to refresh your memory how the Cranes going to roost or if you have never been here to see the Cranes check out a video of the roost flight when 45 000 birds were gathering!

Ural Owl in the quiet autumn forest of the Zemplén (Photo: János Oláh)

Juvenile Sociable Plover found by Zoltán Ecsedi (Photo: János Oláh)

White-backed Woodpecker in the Zemplén Hills (Photo: János Oláh)

Sakertour team

A huge congratulation must go to Zoltán Gergely Nagy for his latest achivment on the European photography scene. He won the bird category on the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the year 2013 bird category with his image from Bass Rock (see below). If you wish to see more images of the bird category just click here.

Zoli also has launched his new website where you can find more of his excellent work: Zoltan Nagy Photography

If you wish to do photography with Zoltán there will be chances as he will be leading some of our Danube Delta tours in future (fully booked for 2014). Sakertour also working with Zoli to launch some ´outdoor photography tours´ in the Wild Carpathians from 2015. Stayed tuned!

Dawn at Bass Rock by Zoltán Nagy

Sakertour team