Trip Report: Neusiedler See and the Marchegg area (Austria), May 20-25, 1998

We went to the Neusiedler See, Austria, in the period 20-25/05-98, where we visited the areas of Weiden - Seebad - Sandeck - Zicklacke - Lange Lacke - Ober- and Unterstinker Lakes - Hansag and Marchegg.

The Neusiedler See area consist of 4,000 hectares and is characterised by small, shallow saltwater pools with reed beds, and by wide meadows. The area was preserved in the year 1992. A great map has been published (1:50,000) named 'Neusiedler See' (Kompass Wanderkarte).

The Marchegg area is situated about 100 miles north/northeast of Illmitz. When you arrive at the Castle in Marchegg there are several routes you can follow; we took the blue route, which is about 10-12 miles. The area consists of the river March and riverine forest. It's a great place for woodpeckers, raptors, flycatchers etc.

If there are any mistakes or questions about the list below please contact me.

1. Little Grebe
   1 seen along the motorway to Mönchhof 22.05 - 1 at Marchegg 22.05 - 8 Lange Lacke 23.05
   
   
2. Great Crested Grebe
   21/05 4 Zicklacke - 23/05 3 Lange Lacke
   
   
3. Black-necked Grebe
   23/07 16 Lange Lacke
   
   
4. Cormorant
   21/05 1 Sandeck and 23/5 5 Sandeck
   
   
5. Bittern
   21/05 2 Sandeck - 22/05 3 Seebad - 23/05 4 Lange Lacke and 2 Seebad.
   
   
6. Little Bittern
   22/05 3 calling at Seebad - 23/05 1 heard at Seebad
   
   
7. Night Heron
   This was a real lifer for me, and only with some help from a birder from Austria we were lucky to find them. 22/05 4 at a little woodlot North of Illmitz (2 adults and 2 immature birds)
   
   
8. Little Egret
   Is a fairly scarce egret in the area. 23/05 2 Zicklacke
   
   
9. Great White Egret
   Is the most common of the egrets in the area. 21/05 15 Sandeck and 3 Zicklacke - 22/05 1 Lange Lacke - 23/05 7 Lange Lacke and 3 Oberer Stinkersee and few at Zicklacke.
   
   
10. Purple Heron
    Common. 21/05 1 Zicklacke and 7 Sandeck - 22/05 1 Lange Lacke - 23/05 3 Lange Lacke and 2 Zicklacke. They are often seen flying over the reed belts
    
    
11. Black Stork
    2-3 were seen soaring above the trees in the Marchegg area on the 22/05. They should breed in the area
    
    
12. White Stork
    Very common, from our hotel (Hotel zur Post, Illmitz) we could see 5 stork nests. Along the March river we saw about 6-10 pairs in one tree. They are often foraging besides the lakes. 21/05 6 Illmitz and 2 at Zicklacke - 22/05 4 Lange Lacke. 22/05 about 55 pairs in the trees along the March river.
    
    
13. Spoonbill
    21/05 12 Zicklacke and 12 Sandeck - 23/05 2 Lange Lacke and 23 Zicklacke
    
    
14. Mute Swan
    Seen at Zicklacke - Lange Lacke - Oberer Stinkersee
    
    
15. Greylag Goose
    Very common at all lakes. We saw a lot of pulli.
    
    
16. Bar-headed Goose
    One single bird seen at Lange Lacke on the 23/05
    
    
17. Shelduck
    I'm told that they have bred for the first time in 1996. 21/05 2 Zicklacke - 22/05 4 Lange Lacke - 23/05 4 Lange Lacke.
    
    
18. Mandarin
    2 males on the March river on the 22/05
    
    
19. Wigeon
    22/05 1 Lange Lacke - 23/05 1 pair at Lange Lacke
    
    
20. Gadwall
    21/05 2 Zicklacke - 22/05 20 Lange Lacke - 23/05 300 Lange Lacke and 12 Unterer Stinkersee
    
    
21. Teal
    23/05 2 Lange Lacke
    
    
22. Mallard
    You will see them in all lakes
    
    
23. Pintail
    23/05 2 Lange Lacke
    
    
24. Garganey
    21/05 2 Zicklacke and 2 Sandeck - 22/05 5 Lange Lacke - 23/05 55 Lange Lacke, 6 Oberer Stinkersee
    
    
25. Shoveler
    21/05 11 Zicklacke - 22/05 15 Lange Lacke - 23/05 50 Lange Lacke, and some in Oberer Stinkersee and Unterer Stinkersee
    
    
26. Red-crested Pochard
    This must be the most common duck in the area. 21/05 a lot Zicklacke - 22/05 a lot Lange Lacke - 23/05 700 Lange Lacke. Are to be seen in nearly all lakes.
    
    
27. Pochard
    23/05 25 Lange Lacke
    
    
28. Tufted Duck
    22/05 6 Lange Lacke - 23/05 25 Lange Lacke
    
    
29. Honey Buzzard
    23/05 1 Oberer Stinkersee
    
    
30. Black Kite
    22/05 11 Marchegg
    
    
31. Red Kite
    22/05 1 Marchegg
    
    
32. Marsh Harrier
    This harrier is all over the place. 21/05 1 Weiden , 3 Zicklacke, 15 Sandeck - 22/05 10 Hansag , 3 Lange Lacke - 23/05 8 Lange Lacke, 4 Oberer Stinkersee, 6 Unterer Stinkersee.
    
    
33. Montagu's Harrier
    22/05 1 pair Hansag, 1 male Motorway A4 by Mönchhof - 23/05 1 male Lange Lacke
    
    
34. Sparrowhawk
    22/05 5 Marchegg
    
    
35. Buzzard
    21/05 1 Weiden, 1 Sandeck - 22/05 3 Hansag, 5 Marchegg
    
    
36. Osprey
    23/05 1 Lange Lacke
    
    
37. Lesser Kestrel
    22/05 1 adult male Motorway A4 by Mönchhof
    
    
38. Kestrel
    21/05 2 Weiden, 10 Sandeck - 22/05 2 Hansag, 2 Lange Lacke, 7 Motorway A4 by Mönchhof, 3 Marchegg - 23/05 6 Lange Lacke, 4 Oberer Stinkersee, 6 Weiden
    
    
39. Red-footed Falcon
    23/05 1 adult male Lange Lacke
    
    
40. Hobby
    22/05 1 Marchegg
    
    (Lesser Spotted Eagle)
    Some of the group think they saw the above mentioned, but we are not completely sure although they should be in the area (Marchegg)
    
    
41. Partridge
    
    
42. Pheasant
    
    
43. Water Rail
    Heard at Seebad and the Sandeck area. Must be a lot of pairs in the reed belts
    
    
44. Moorhen
    22/05 1 North of Illmitz
    
    
45. Coot
    Common
    
    
46. Great Bustard
    22/05 8 Hansag. We saw them from the tower
    
    
47. Black-winged Stilt
    21/05 1 Zicklacke - 23/05 1-2 Lange Lacke
    
    
48. Avocet
    Common (Zicklacke - Lange Lacke - Oberer Stinkersee - Unterer Stinkersee)
    
    
49. Little Ringed Plover
    21/05 1 Zicklacke, 1 Sandeck - 23/05 7 Lange Lacke
    
    
50. Ringed Plover
    23/05 30 Lange Lacke, some at Oberer Stinkersee, 15 Unterer Stinkersee
    
    
51. Kentish Plover
    21/05 3 Zicklacke - 23/05 9 Lange Lacke, 5 Oberer Stinkersee, 1 Unterer Stinkersee
    
    
52. Grey Plover
    23/05 2 Lange Lacke
    
    
53. Lapwing
    Common (Zicklacke - Lange Lacke - Oberer Stinkersee and Unterer Stinkersee)
    
    
54. Sanderling
    23/05 2 Lange Lacke
    
    
55. Little Stint
    21/05 3 Zicklacke - 23/05 6 Lange Lacke
    
    
56. Temminck's Stint
    23/05 4 Lange Lacke
    
    
57. Dunlin
    21/05 100 Zicklacke - 22/05 50 Lange Lacke - 23/05 50 Lange Lacke, 200 Oberer Stinkersee
    
    
58. Ruff
    21/05 10 Lange Lacke - 23/05 15 Lange Lacke
    
    
59. Snipe
    21/05 1 Zicklacke
    
    
60. Black-tailed Godwit
    Common in the area. Seen at nearly all lakes
    
    
61. Curlew
    23/05 1 Lange Lacke, 4 Oberer Stinkersee
    
    
62. Redshank
    Common at all lakes
    
    
63. Green Sandpiper
    23/05 3 Lange Lacke
    
    
64. Wood Sandpiper
    21/05 1 Zicklacke - 23/05 15 Lange Lacke, 2 Oberer Stinkersee
    
    
65. Common Sandpiper
    23/05 2 Lange Lacke
    
    
66. Turnstone
    23/05 2 Lange Lacke
    
    
67. Red-necked Phalarope
    21/05 1 female Zicklacke - 23/05 1 female Lange Lacke
    
    
68. Little Gull
    23/05 3 2c Lange Lacke
    
    
69. Black-headed Gull
    Common
    
    
70. Common Gull
    
    
71. Lesser Black-backed Gull
    23/05 1 Lange Lacke
    
    
72. Herring (Yellow-legged) Gull (Larus cachinnans)
    Some at Lange Lacke 23/05
    
    
73. Common Tern
    Common at Lange Lacke 23/05
    
    
74. Arctic Tern
    21/05 1 Zicklacke - 23/05 1 Lange Lacke
    
    
75. Little Tern
    23/05 1 Lange Lacke
    
    
76. White-winged Black Tern
    23/05 1-2 Lange Lacke
    
    
77. Black Tern
    21/05 10 Zicklacke - 23/05 125 Lange Lacke
    
    
78. Stock Dove
    22/05 1 Marchegg
    
    
79. Woodpigeon
    Common
    
    
80. Collared Dove
    Common
    
    
81. Turtle Dove
    21/05 4 Weiden, 4 Sandeck - 22/05 2 Marchegg, 6 North of Illmitz - 23/05 5 Oberer Stinkersee
    
    
82. Cuckoo
    
    
83. Short-eared Owl
    22/05 2 Hansag
    
    
84. Swift
    
    
85. Bee-eater
    This species is breeding in a sandhill at Weiden. 21/05 30 birds Weiden - 22/05 2 Marchegg
    
    
86. Hoopoe
    21/05 2 Sandeck - 23/05 2 Oberer Stinkersee, 1 southwest of Illmitz
    
    
87. Green Woodpecker
    22/06 2 Marchegg
    
    
88. Black Woodpecker
    22/05 1 Marchegg, at the Palace
    
    
89. Syrian Woodpecker
    Probably the most common woodpecker in the area.
    
    
90. Great Spotted Woodpecker
    22/05 5 Marchegg
    
    
91. Middle Spotted Woodpecker
    22/05 6 Marchegg
    
    
92. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
    22/05 1 pair Marchegg
    
    
93. Skylark
    Common
    
    
94. Swallow
    Common
    
    
95. House Martin
    Common
    
    
96. Meadow Pipit
    Common
    
    
97. Yellow Wagtail
    Common on the meadows. 21/05 8 Sandeck - 22/05 6 Hansag, 6-10 Lange Lacke
    
    
98. Pied Wagtail
    
    
99. Wren
    
    
100. Dunnock
     
     
101. Robin
     
     
102. Nightingale
     Especially heard in the small groves. 21/05 1 Sandeck - 22/05 2 Marchegg, - 23/05 1 Lange Lacke, 1 North of Illmitz, 3 Oberer Stinkersee
     
     
103. Bluethroat
     21/05 3 males Sandeck
     
     
104. Black Redstart
     Several pairs in Illmitz. And some at the palace at the March river
     
     
105. Redstart
     22/05 2 Palace at the March river
     
     
106. Whinchat
     We saw very few of this species. I don't know how common this bird is, but its relative the Stonechat is very common
     
     
107. Stonechat
     Very common. 21/05 11 Sandeck - 22/05 1 Hansag - 23/05 4 Lange Lacke, 3 Oberer Stinkersee, 2 Unterer Stinkersee, 5 Southwest of Illmitz
     
     
108. Blackbird
     
     
109. Fieldfare
     
     
110. Song Thrush
     
     
111. Mistle Thrush
     
     
112. Grasshopper Warbler
     21/05 1 Sandeck - 22/05 3 Hansag, 3 Seebad
     
     
113. River Warbler
     22/05 3 Marchegg
     
     
114. Savi's Warbler
     21/05 1 Sandeck - 22/05 1 Hansag, 1 - 2 Seebad - 23/05 1 Lange Lacke
     
     
115. Moustached Warbler
     21/05 1 - 2 Sandeck
     
     
116. Sedge Warbler
     Common
     
     
117. Marsh Warbler
     22/05 4 Hansag - 23/05 1 Lange Lacke
     
     
118. Reed Warbler
     Very common in the reeds
     
     
119. Great Reed Warbler
     All over the place in the reeds. 21/05 7 Sandeck - 22/05 3 Hansag, 2 Lange Lacke, 2 Marchegg, several Seebad - 23/05 several Lange Lacke, Oberer Stinkersee.
     
     
120. Icterine Warbler
     21/05 Sandeck - 22/05 Marchegg - 23/05 2 North of Illmitz
     
     
121. Lesser Whitethroat
     22/05 1 Marchegg
     
     
122. Whitethroat
     22/05 1 Marchegg - 23/05 1 Lange Lacke
     
     
123. Garden Warbler
     21/05 1 Sandeck 22/05 Marchegg
     
     
124. Blackcap
     22/05 Marchegg
     
     
125. Wood Warbler
     22/05 Marchegg
     
     
126. Chiffchaff
     22/05 Marchegg
     
     
127. Willow Warbler
     22/05 Marchegg
     
     
128. Goldcrest
     
     
129. Spotted Flycatcher
     22/05 4 Marchegg
     
     
130. Red-breasted Flycatcher
     22/05 1 heard Marchegg
     
     
131. Collared Flycatcher
     22/05 8 - 10 Marchegg
     
     
132. Pied Flycatcher
     22/05 1 Marchegg
     
     
133. Bearded Tit
     21/05 1 Zicklacke, 1 Sandeck
     
     
134. Long-tailed Tit
     22/05 2 Marchegg
     
     
135. Marsh Tit
     
     
136. Coal Tit
     
     
137. Blue Tit
     
     
138. Nuthatch
     
     
139. Treecreeper
     22/05 3 Marchegg
     
     
140. Short-toed Treecreeper
     22/05 10 Marchegg
     
     
141. Penduline Tit
     21/05 2 Zicklacke, 4 Sandeck
     
     
142. Golden Oriole
     21/05 3 Sandeck - 22/05 1 Hansag, 6 - 8 Marchegg - 23/05 2 North of Illmitz, 3 Oberer Stinkersee
     
     
143. Red-backed Shrike
     This species is seen everywhere. 21/05 2 - 3 Weiden, 11 Sandeck - 22/05 1 Hansag, 2 Lange Lacke, 10 - 20 against the Motorway A 4, sitting on the fence - 23/05 7 Oberer Stinkersee, 4 Unterer Stinkersee
     
     
144. Jay
     
     
145. Magpie
     
     
146. Jackdaw
     
     
147. Rook
     
     
148. Raven
     23/05 1 Lange Lacke
     
     
149. Starling
     
     
150. House Sparrow
     
     
151. Tree Sparrow
     
     
152. Chaffinch
     
     
153. Serin
     21/05 6 Weiden, 8 Sandeck
     
     
154. Greenfinch
     
     
155. Goldfinch
     
     
156. Linnet
     
     
157. Redpoll
     
     
158. Hawfinch
     
     
159. Yellowhammer
     
     
160. Reed Bunting
     
     
161. Corn Bunting

Return to trip reports.