I made my second visit to the forests and marshes of EASTERN POLAND after an absence of fourteen years at the beginning of June and we have now found some amazing new accommodation to go with the excellent birding in this beautiful part of Europe. We were a little late for a couple of species, which we knew in advance, but as this was to be a fact finding trip, it was not so important. The real highlight was probably the Greater Spotted Eagle that cruised overhead at not much over ten metres height as we stood in our hotel garden in the Biebrza Marshes! These birds have been found to winter at Lake Victoria, which is some migration from there. The hotel grounds also provided us with dancing Common Cranes, Hoopoes, Black Redstarts, Golden Orioles, European Serin, Icterine Warbler, Hawfinch, Spotted Flycatchers, Fieldfare, White Stork, Red-backed Shrikes and Thrush Nightingales, as well as a few others and the restaurant provided us with fantastic traditional Polish meals in an amazing setting. A singing Aquatic Warbler was in our telescopes for a good ten minutes, one of several Savi’s Warblers showed so close that we could almost touch it and we also enjoyed superb views of Pygmy Owl, male Red-breasted Flycatcher, Three-toed, White-backed, Black, Grey-headed and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, as well as the three species we get in the UK, River and Marsh Warblers, White-spotted Bluethroat, Crested Tit, Common Rosefinch, Penduline Tits nest building, several Honey Buzzards, Montagu’s and Marsh Harriers and Lesser Spotted Eagles, a second calendar year Caspian Gull, a Corncrake crossing a road, Great Grey Shrike, Barred Warbler, hordes of White-winged, Blac
k and Whiskered Terns, Whinchat and Blue-headed Wagtails, a pair of Citrine Wagtail, Whooper Swans, European Bee-eaters, Short-toed Eagles and a very unseasonal Tundra Bean Goose!! Whilst we didn’t seen any European Bison in the wild, we did manage several sightings of Wild Boar, Red Squirrel and a few European Elk – on one occasion with calves. Our tour next year will run a week earlier from 21ST – 28TH MAY 2009, which should enable us to encounter the species not seen this time. For an unforgettable experience, we recommend early booking for what is sure to be a sell out tour. COST £1199.00 + £100.00 Single Room Supplement.
k and Whiskered Terns, Whinchat and Blue-headed Wagtails, a pair of Citrine Wagtail, Whooper Swans, European Bee-eaters, Short-toed Eagles and a very unseasonal Tundra Bean Goose!! Whilst we didn’t seen any European Bison in the wild, we did manage several sightings of Wild Boar, Red Squirrel and a few European Elk – on one occasion with calves. Our tour next year will run a week earlier from 21ST – 28TH MAY 2009, which should enable us to encounter the species not seen this time. For an unforgettable experience, we recommend early booking for what is sure to be a sell out tour. COST £1199.00 + £100.00 Single Room Supplement.