Birding in Hungary V
Friday 12 July 2024
79A (Romania)
Although the title says Birding in Hungary this post will mostly be about going to Romainia to see some different species. I woke up at 4:30 am on Friday morning to go, with my grandpa, to Romainia to visit the Socodor Fishponds. By 5 o'clock we were on the road. We saw a few birds along the road such as a Jackdaw -which are less common here. Immediately once we crossed the border, I was trying to find birds to add to my Romainian list. I saw many common species in and around the towns of Varsand and Pilu, adding House Martin, Feral Pigeon and many White Storks. At a gas staition in Varsand we also found my lifer Little Owl perched on a fence post! Almost arriving in Socodor, I noticed a Kestrel in a tree and a Hoopoe flying past as well as a Pheasant on the road.
Socodor Fishponds (Romania)
Just as we turned on to the road up to the fishponds I very quickly noticed my lifer Lesser Grey Shrike on the telegraph wire above our heads! And not only one, we saw six all perched up on the wires with a few Tree Sparrows! Further up the road, we had a Little Bittern fly right in front of the car and a Night Heron fly up from a pool. After an immpressive start, we drove along the south of the main lake, finding another Little Bittern and many Swallows. We parked the car beside a tree and I started scanning the flocks of ducks out on the lake. Unfortunately, they were only Mallards, but we did see a pair of Mute Swans and many Great Crested Grebes. After about 10 minuets, I found a white and orange heron flying over the reeds, at first I thought it was a Cattle Egret, but, when it turned around and landed beside the reeds I saw that is was infact a Squcco Heron; another lifer! It stood by the reeds of a while having its eye locked on a fish. I was checking the tops of trees and poles checking for Roller, a speciality species here. We didn't find any but went on the other side of the lake. While we were driving, my grandpa noticed a flock of egrets in a field. Sadly the car flushed a few herons, which were standing nearby. One of them, we noticed, was darker that the others; a Black Stork! Yet another lifer! I tried to take some dijiscoped photos but didn't magange to set it up in time. We heard a few Bearded Reedlings and had a Squacco Heron and a Little Bittern fly past us before we headed back to Hungary.
Doboz (Hungary)
Stopping on the way at a site that was recommended by a friend, we went to Doboz to see some woodland and river species. Entering I started hearing the beatiful song of Golden Orioles and a high-piched squeak. I located the squeak to a family of Spotted flycatchers with 4 young. I heard a Syrian Woodpecker and then found a pair of Golden Orioles at the very top of a tree. In the distance I also heard a Nuthatch which was calling. We quickly had a look at the castle finding a couple Song thursh, too.
The Romanian Flag
My lifer Squacco Heron
©Edgar Joly
©Edgar Joly
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