POLAND 28TH MAY - 4TH JUNE 2009

Our POLAND tour 28th MAY – 4TH JUNE 2009 was another tremendous success with 135 species recorded. DAY ONE produced Black Woodpecker, two male Golden Oriole, several Red-backed Shrike, Icterine Warbler, Eurasian Hobby, Black Redstart, seven Montagu’s Harrier, three Marsh Harrier, large numbers of White Stork and a few Hawfinch en route to Bialowieza. An evening walk around the Czar’s Lake produced three Great Reed Warbler, five Common Rosefinch, Icterine Warblers, European Serin, Spotted Flycatcher and Sedge Warblers. DAY TWO produced an array of superb birds that included calling Corncrake, as well as lekking Great Snipe, Lesser Grey Shrike, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Collared Flycatcher, River, Barred, Wood and Marsh Warblers, Lesser and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, Wryneck, Common Crane and Grasshopper Warbler. On DAY THREE, we were hampered by some poor weather in the morning, but still managed to find several Collared Flycatchers, a Red-breasted Flycatcher and Pied Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Wryneck, Red-backed Shrike and Hawfinch during the day and three Eurasian Woodcock, a showy Thrush Nightingale and a superb Pygmy Owl during our evening excursion. DAY FOUR and temperatures were a lot higher today, though the afternoon was interrupted by a whole series of thunderstorms and torrential rain. Our walk in the ancient remnant forest exceeded expectations as Three-toed, White-backed and several Middle Spotted Woodpeckers were noted, along with another first year male Red-breasted Flycatcher and Hawfinch. We also saw Red Squirrel and Red Fox. Grey-headed Woodpecker and another Thrush Nightingale were seen before the rain on the eastern side of the village and Wryneck and Red-backed Shrike were also noted. Once the rain had stopped, we went back out until dusk and added a splendid male Little Bittern at the Czar’s Lake, while displaying Green Sandpiper and Eurasian Woodcock and calling River Warblers and Corncrake rounded off another excellent day. DAY FIVE was transfer day, though a super stop at Siemianówka Reservoir added a large number of birds for the trip such as Whiskered, White-winged Black, Common and Black Terns, four White-tailed Eagles, Great White Egret, male Citrine Wagtail, Penduline Tit, Garganey, Common Hoopoe, an adult Caspian Gull, Great Grey Shrike and Turtle Dove, while more Lesser Spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Great Reed Warbler, Red-breasted and Collared Flycatchers, Hawfinch and Black Woodpecker made for yet another superb day. DAY SIX was our first day in the marshes and despite heavy rain in the morning, we were rewarded with a very showy Aquatic Warbler, as well as several Common Snipe and Black-tailed Godwit and Marsh Harriers. Our first Savi’s Warbler was also a very showy bird, as were four European Bee-eaters and a male Syrian Woodpecker, but a Spotted Nutcracker was only seen briefly in flight. Northern Shoveler, Little Ringed Plover and Whooper Swan were also new for the tour. Other interesting species included a further three White-tailed Eagles as well as Montagu’s Harriers, Common Crane, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Green Sandpiper, Great Reed, Icterine and Marsh Warblers, Common, Whiskered and White-winged Black Terns. We also had excellent views of Elk and a Stoat carrying a Water Vole in its jaws. DAY SEVEN was our last full day and it started well with a Black Stork near the hotel, along with another Black Woodpecker and four Wood Lark However, the weather deteriorated fast and most of the day resembled early winter with menacing black clouds scudding across the sky as a freezing wind whipped torrential showers over the marshes. Incredibly, we had excellent views of White-spotted Bluethroat, male Ortolan Bunting, Penduline Tit, White-tailed Eagle, Black Terns, Great Grey Shrike and Green Sandpiper, as well as many more White Stork and Common Cranes. DAY EIGHT produced new trip birds in the form of Bullfinch and Common Treecreeper as well as another White-tailed Eagle, a pair of Great Grey Shrikes, a very showy Thrush Nightingale and another Black Stork, which rounded off a hugely enjoyable trip despite some difficult weather conditions. We return from 1st – 8th June 2010 and this tour is sure to be popular again, so please BOOK EARLY if you are interested in joining us.