Trip Report: Hortobagy, Hungary, April 1-5, 1999
Jerzy Dyczkowski, Warsaw, Poland;
jerzyd@ibb.waw.pl
I decided to add some variety to our Easter birding and go to
Hortobagy with a friend without special preparations. I wanted
to see Great Bustards displaying, and timing was chosen accordingly.
Therefore, many migrants (e.g. Red-footed Falcon, Stone Curlew,
Great Black-headed Gull) were not yet present. We added Saker and
Imperial Eagle to the target list - and got two out of three.
On arrival, we found that we were definitely outside the tourist
season. Campings and tourist information were closed (we planned
to camp), but the reasonable and friendly guesthouse Hortobagy Fogado
was open, and a local bird tour operator was also keen to organise
a guide for us (we didn't use it finally). Nobody except birders
spoke English, but some people knew German. We birded with a map
bought in the reserve shop SE of Hortobagy village and with two bikes
borrowed in the village (there is no regular bike rental in
Hortobagy!). 1999 was an unusually wet year, and many grasslands were
flooded or wet. South of Nagyivan there was single large lake.
I wish to thank very much birders, who responded to my Internet
request and shared indispensable information:
Leo Boon, Guillaume Bruneau, Marjan Gobec, Lyndon Kearsley,
Volker Schmidt, Vincent van der Spek, Tamas Eriko Anna, and
especially Zsolt Vegvari.
Places visited:
1.04. Around Hortobagy village, rare animal breeding reserve
on the south, south of Mata-puszta
2.04. Visit to Angyalhazi-puszta (strict reserve, SE of
Park) with NP worker, Mata-puszta
3.04. Halasto fishponds, Mata-puszta, Darassa-puszta area
(NE of Park)
Halasto have several lookout towers, worth climbing for looks
over reeds. A hut on the dyke between two ponds of the eastern row
gives a view at the two islands: with colonies of Cormorants to
the north, and Spoonbills to the south.
Darassa-puszta (and area to the north and also east along road
to Balmazujvaros) where small woods and meadows mix is said to
be a good spot for raptors (Saker, Imperial Eagle, LL Buzzard).
There is a raptor exhibition in a house near Darassa (we did
not visit it) where probably further information can be obtained.
4.04. Darassa-puszta area
5.04. Region of Nagyivan (SW of Park), Pincelapos-to and Fenyes-to
fishponds
Species List:
- Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis
- Black-necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis
2 Halasto, 1 Fenyes-to
- Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus
- Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo
many flying, colony Halasto
- Pygmy Cormorant - Phalacrocorax pygmaeus
5+ flying, 6 resting in reeds, Halasto
- Bittern - Botaurus stellaris
heard Halasto, Nagyivan
- Great White Egret - Ardea alba
numerous everywhere on meadows and ponds
- Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea
- Purple Heron - Ardea purpurea
singles Halasto and Pincelapos-to
- White Stork - Ciconia ciconia
- Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia
15+ flying around Halasto, some carrying nest material to the colony,
7 feeding Fenyes-to
- White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons
20 Angyalhazi, flocks ca.200-300 flying twice
*Lesser White-fronted Goose - Anser erythropus
On Halasto, Hungarian birders informed us on flock of 35 on
the northernmost pond. When we got there, geese were flushed
by a White-tailed Eagle ca. 1km away on open water, too
far for positive identification.
- Greylag Goose - Anser anser
numerous on ponds and wet meadows
- Wigeon - Anas penelope
several tens on Halasto, Angyalhazi, Fenyes-to, many migrating
flocks heard at night
- Gadwall - Anas strepera
up to 10 on Halasto and Fenyes-to
- Teal - Anas crecca
- Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
- Pintail - Anas acuta
up to 20 on Halasto and Angyalhazi
- Garganey - Anas querquerdula
- Shoveler - Anas clypeata
up to 10 on Halasto and Fenyes-to
- Pochard - Aythya ferina
- Ferruginous Duck - Aythya nyroca
2 pairs Halasto, 3 flying and 1 Nagyivan
- Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula
- Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula
2,2 Angyalhazi, several Halasto and Fenyes-to
- Smew - Mergus albellus
flock of 65 on Halasto
- White-tailed Eagle - Haliaeetus albicilla
immatures and adults many times on Halasto, immature soaring Nagyivan
- Marsh Harrier - Circus aeruginosus
commonest raptor, males displaying
- Hen Harrier - Circus cyaneus
single females 3.04 Mata, 4.04. Darassa
- Goshawk - Accipiter gentilis
single on Darassa
- Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus
- Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo
*Imperial Eagle - Aquila heliaca
According to NP worker, this species was still mostly on the
wintering grounds. An immature Aquila sp. fitting best immature
Imperial was poorly seen on 5.04. near road 33, 1km W of turn to Nagyivan.
- Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus
- SAKER - Falco cherrug
3.04. one speeding by on N. Mata, 3-4.04. two watched in Darassa
region, probably pair before breeding. According to local birders
this species is increasing, and now ca.40 pairs are breeding in
Debrecen region. Sakers often perch on tall pylons of the high-voltage
line crossing the Nagyhegyes - Nadudvar road (E of park).
- Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus
- Water Rail - Rallus aquaticus
heard at ponds and ditches on meadowland
- Coot - Fulica atra
- Crane - Grus grus
250 Angyalhazi, 4-5.04. many flocks of several tens soaring and
calling constantly (Mata, Darassa, Nagyivan areas)
- GREAT BUSTARD - Otis tarda
7, including displaying male in the strict reserve on Angyalhazi on 1.04.
5.04, flock of 14, some in half display (around 11.a.m.) and two flocks of 8
flying from behind us and passing us NE of Nagyivan village.
Location: On the 33 road W of Hortobagy village, turn left (south)
near Kaparo Csarda (inn) towards Nagyivan. Dirt roads lead left (east):
ca.1km before and just within Nagyivan village. There was no sign
prohibiting entry. Walking on these roads you may see Bustards,
often on agricultural fields. NOTE. We watched Bustards on Angyalhazi
from ca. 2-3km distance, and approaching any closer (according to
National Park workers) would disturb them. We kindly ask others
to respect this!
- Avocet - Recurvirostra avocetta
8 Fenyes-to
- Lapwing - Vanellus vanellus
- Dunlin - Calidris alpina
5 Fenyes-to with 3 unidentified small Calidris sp.
- Ruff - Philomachus pugnax
flocks of 100's Mata, Nagyivan, Fenyes-to, Angyalhazi and migrating elsewhere
- Snipe - Gallinago gallinago
- Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa
groups and migrating flocks of 100's e.g. over Mata
- Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus
- Curlew - Numenius arquata
- Spotted Redshank - Tringa erythropus
- Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus
- Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola
- Yellow-legged Gull - Larus cachinnans
- Common Gull - Larus canus
- Black-headed Gull - Larus ridibundus
- Woodpigeon - Columba palumbus
- Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
- Little Owl - Athene noctua
Seen 2.04. near building with stable on SE Mata, ca.3km N of Hortobagy
- Long-eared Owl - Asio otus
Calling 2-3.04. ca. 1km N of Hortobagy
- Hoopoe - Upupa epops
4.04. on Darassa
- Green Woodpecker - Picus viridis
Heard 1.04. in N Hortobagy
- Syrian Woodpecker - Piciodes syriacus
Male 1.04. in village, riverside poplars near railway bridge
- Crested Lark - Galerida cristata
very common
- Skylark - Alauda arvensis
- Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
- Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla f.flava
- White Wagtail - Motacilla alba
- Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes
- Robin - Erithacus rubecula
- Bluethroat - Luscinia svecica cyanecula
males 5.04. ditch near Nagyivan, and singing on Fenyes-to
- Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros
- Stonechat - Saxicola torquata
common, many males show white rump
- Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe
- Blackbird - Turdus merula
- Fieldfare - Turdus pilaris
- Song Thrush - Turdus philomelos
- Moustached Warbler - Acrocephalus melanopogon
many singing and one seen 3.04. Halasto
- Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita
- Bearded Tit - Panurus biarmicus
very numerous 3.04. Halasto and 5.04. Fenyes-to and Pincelapos-to
- Blue Tit - Parus caeruleus
- Great Tit - Parus major
- Magpie - Pica pica
- Jackdaw - Corvus monedula
- Rook - Corvus frugilegus
- Hooded Crow - Corvus corone cornix
- Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
- House Sparrow - Passer domesticus
- Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus
- Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs
- Greenfinch - Carduelis chloris
- Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis
- Yellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella
- Reed Bunting - Emberiza schoeniclus
- Corn Bunting - Miliara calandra
very common
(a few common species might have slipped out of memory)
Some other animals:
- European Tree Frog - Hyla arborea
very common, loud concerts at warm nights
- Smooth Snake - Coronella austriaca
small brown snake 5.04. near Nagyivan was probably of this species
- Stoat - Mustela erminea
one seen on road
- Fox - Vulpes vulpes
several seen on daytime 3-4.04., Mata and Darassa
- Roe Deer - Capreolus capreolus
groups on open fields
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This page served with permission of the author
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April 21, 1999