FOREWOOD

Hungary

This page describes the Kiskunsági-Nemzeti Park in Hungary as I found it during a visit from 18 to 22 April 2005, and again when I visited from 14 to 18 June 2006with Phil Smith - what a contrast!!

Click here to view the Species List for these visits

Like the UK, spring arrivals were said to be late in 2005, but even so, and in spite of poor weather, this was a superb trip. In 2006 the weather was hot and dry, which made for an even better visit

Both visits were based in Kecskemét, which is about 50 miles South of Budapest, and explored the various individual reserves which make up the Kiskunsági-Nemzeti Park to the West of Kecskemét. I stayed in an excellent small hotel, the Fábián Panzió, which I found through the Hungarian Tourinform organisation

The hotel is superb, and offers excellent value for money, and as a bonus, the hotel garden contained bird feeders which attracted up to 5 Serins for real close inspection! Zsuzsa Fábián is herself a keen birdwatcher, and very kindly directed me to most of the places you can read about in the Trip Report

There are plenty of good restaurants within 5 minutes walk of the hotel, all of which are inexpensive and welcoming. The food was excellent, and there was no problem with language, for on the rare occasions there was no English spoken, then German, the main tourist language, got me by. In 2006 we ate at the Turoczy in the Szabadsag, watched world cup football, enjoyed excellent beer and food, and people watched the locals hanging out in this lovely tree-lined avenue, superb

The landscape is flatter than Romney Marsh, and vast, comprising arable and immense areas of Puszta, which seemed to me to be a semi wild uncultivated habitat which varied from large shallow lakes through flooded grass (reminiscent of the Cheshire "Flashes") to dry sandy heath. Many of the lakes are saline, and the soil sandy and acidic, with relict dune systems

The Kiskunsági-Nemzeti Park consists of 9 discrete areas, mainly to the West of Kecskemét, and the management regime is to conserve and encourage the areas cultural values, and the endemic species, such as Great Bustard. There appears to be little promotion of these areas or encouragement of visitors. Access is always restricted and the rule is to stay on the road or track. The hides I went to are all open to the public, but the rangers are very aware, and will invariably show up sooner rather than later if you stray where you shouldn't.

Some of the sites require permits for access, so if you stray where you need a permit and haven't got one, you should have previously contacted

Kiskunság National Park Management Centre, House of Nature
Address: 6000 Kecskemét, Liszt F. u. 19, Hungary
Tel: 76 482 611, Fax: 76 481 074
Tourist information: 76 501 596, 76 501 594
E-mail: mailknp@knp.hu , Website: http://www.knp.hu/

By way of guides I used Gorman's two books - Where to watch birds in Eastern Europe, and The Birds Of Hungary - and Dave Gosney's Finding Birds in Hungary. However, none of these really pay detailed attention to the Kiskunsági-Nemzeti Parkitself, although Gorman does say the area North of Szeged is the best birdwatching in Hungary, so it's a case of explore, and enjoy

2005

Day 1 - 18 April

A big adventure, took myself off to Hungary for 5 days, flying from Manston with EUJet. Cloud all the way so no views of the ground until Budapest airport, where masses of blossom appeared out of the gloom.Taking just 30 minutes to land, disembark, baggage reclaim and car hire was a bonus

The drive down to Kecskemét was straightforward and easy, and there was time on getting down to Kecskemét to have a preliminary look at the Kiskunsági-Nemzeti Park near to Fülöpháza, where the first bird I saw on entering the village was a White Stork stood at it's nest on top of a pole

I stretched my legs along a raised track beside the Puszta, and in a sparse bit of woodland heard then found a black and white woodpecker. Great excitement, would I see one of the specialities right at the start? - answer no, as careful checking revealed a Great Spotted Woodpecker. I later discovered that Syrian Woodpecker has a most distinctive call which I soon came to recognise. Here too was a singing Nightingale, a flock of 30 Tree Sparrow, and two Crested Lark which allowed me to get really close before flying up and away

A very warm welcome awaited me at the Fábián Panzió, where I could not have asked for greater hospitality .It is run by Mr and Mrs Fábián and their daughter, and I quickly learned that Mrs Zsuzsa Fábián is a competent birdwatcher with expert local knowledge. That evening I dined round the corner at a traditional Hungarian restaurant, the food and service were excellent - 3 courses, beer and a carafe of wine came to £10.94

Day 2 - 19 April

The National Park is made up of 9 discrete areas to the West of Kecskemét. This was a brilliant day, although the weather was poor, being damp, overcast and cold. I first went to area No 1, the Felsö - Kiskunsági puszta near to Kunszentmiklos, on the way seeing 3 more White Storks at their nests on a variety of tall rickety structures

At what is normally a shallow lake, but presently dry, at Bösztör-puszta, there were Redshank displaying, and Marsh Harrier, Little Egret and Sedge Warbler to see, but no sign of the hoped for Great Bustard. About a mile along the road were some farm buildings wherein were penned some greyish cattle with spectacularly long horns. Here were White and Blue Headed Wagtail, and a Hoopoe - first heard then seen feeding on grass among some Oak trees. We walked a little way beside the road to look for birds, finding Great Reed Warbler singing in the distance, and sundry other common species

Near here I was able to see a pair of Great Bustard from about half a mile away, later finding 3 more, including a displaying male. Just then, a helicopter came flying directly over, causing some Greylag Geese to get up and fly away. It also made 6 more Great Bustard raise their heads above the Lucerne, making 11 in all. I was surprised, as I understood there had only been 2 present the day before

Clutching a Bustard feather picked up as a memento, I moved on to another roadside stop where there were various duck species, the first of many large flocks of Ruff, 3 Spotted Redshank and some Black-Tailed Godwit in wet grassy floods beside a large reedbed, Great White Egret, and a Buzzard. From here I moved on to Apaj and out onto a wild area of reeds and damp puszta which was superb. On the path I found this weird creature - a Mole Cricket - not identified until I got home and looked it up (in Insects of Britain and Northern Europe, Michael Chinery, Collins. If you don't own this superb book, get it)

There are 2 tower hides at Apaj, and lots of reed and wet grassy pools. From the main hide there were two more Great Bustard, one of which, a female, took flight and came by about 50 feet away giving me breathtaking views. Here also were Garganey, another singing Great Reed Warbler, Spotted Redshank, 2 Bittern flying up and back into the reeds, a male Hen Harrier, and a single Spoonbill

After walking through the reeds to the second hide, from which more Garganey were visible, I returned to spend an hour up in the main hide, where a guide and his Swedish guest were installed. Bearded Tit, Whinchat, Whiskered Tern, Turtle Dove, Ferruginous Duck and Golden Plover were seen, and a Purple Heron came and perched in a bush close by, looking rather incongruous

Next stop was at the far North end of this National Park area, and in a cool and strengthening wind I walked an exposed path for a mile or more to a large shallow lake where there were Black Tern and White Winged Black Tern, juvenile Common Gulls and an overflying Hobby before I left to return to the hotel rather tired and windswept

Day 3 - 20 April

I went South today, in warm sunshine to the large complex of lakes and reedbeds on the Northern outskirts of Szeged. By the time I arrived, it was raining hard, so I turned into the road to Sándorfalva and found Black Winged Stilt, Black Tailed Godwit, Avocet, Ferruginous Duck, Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Turtle Dove, Tree Sparrow and Reed Bunting using the car as a hide

With the help of my map, and Gormans guide, I made my way to the Péteri-tó lake and reeds, finding a colossal heap of bicycles at the car park, and the large tower hide full of enthusiastic schoolchildren! Not wishing to impose myself upon them, I trudged off in the opposite direction through the steady rain, eventually finding a small roofless hide where I sat for an hour or so. Corn Bunting, Pheasant, Nightingale, Sedge and Savi's Warbler, Grey and Purple Heron, a Sparrowhawk carrying prey, Whiskered Tern, Water Rail, Tufted Duck, and Pochard were all seen or heard from here, but best of all were the two Night Heron which flew up out of the reeds away on my right

Back at the hide all was quiet, not a scrap of litter or mess, and I found several Mediterranean Gulls in the Black Headed Gull colony, as well as Garganey, Spoonbill, Crested Lark, and a Chiffchaff. Driving away across the fields back to the main road, a Hobby came dashing past

Next up was the reserve at Péteri-tó, where I found a Syrian Woodpecker in the White Poplars beside a track leading off across the fields to a shallow grassy lake. As I walked, a Black Kite came soaring past, and I found some House Martins high in the sky as I watched it. Movement caught my eye, something was being mobbed in trees some way away, and through my bins I could see the bird doing the mobbing was a Buzzard. It was completely dwarfed by the bird it was attacking, which was clearly an Eagle of some sort. As I watched, it flinched and showed a lovely white tail before lifting off to fly up, around to my right, and then back past me about half a mile away - an adult White Tailed Eagle, no less

A few steps further on, and there was a Golden Oriole calling. I glimpsed it flying out of the trees behind me and away, super. Loud and raucous song from a reedbed about 100yards away now drew my attention, and there was a Great Reed Warbler shouting away

I came to a hide tucked in a belt of trees on my right, and found on entering that it overlooked an enormous expanse of reeds, open water and trees which stretched away for miles. Really, the scale of these reserves is huge, this one being like several Stodmarsh/Grove Ferry complexes. Here were Cormorant, Purple Heron, Tree Sparrow, and yet more Jays. Everywhere I looked there were Marsh Harriers, goodness knows how many pairs there were, and after a little while, a pair of Ferruginous Duck came cruising into view as Sedge and Savi's Warbler sang from the reeds

Dragging myself away, I headed for the River Tisza at Lakitelek, finding the car park and walk I wanted under a couple of feet of flood water, with a Song Thrush busily feeding at the waters edge and Night Herons squawking away in some nearby trees. Plan B therefore led me to the river bridge where I parked in a service road to enjoy one of the rare moments of sunshine in my trip, even though thunder was rumbling ominously nearby. Away from the bridge it was lovely and quiet, and I found a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a Nuthatch, Blackcaps, Great Tit, and a fine Black Redstart perched on a telephone pole

Here was a curious fluty whistling call, which I imitated, causing the bird to come closer until it flew out of the dense riverside trees into a plantation of young Poplars, and I saw it to be a Black Woodpecker, which then sat in plain view and scolded at me for a couple of minutes before diving back into the trees

Rain and thunder now drove me back to the car and I drove back to Kecskemét a very happy birder indeed

Day 4 - 21 April

This was a vile morning of strong wind, driving rain and, according to the hire car display, 3 degrees C. It really was horrible as I set off with the heater on full blast to Kelemen-szék about 20 miles West of Kecskemét. This was wet puszta, reeds and lakes, and I parked by an old farm used by the park rangers as a ringing camp

There were Jackdaws nesting in the chimney, a large flock of Ruff again, Black Winged Stilts and 5 more Whiskered Tern to admire before the rain and cold drove me back to the car. As I approached the carpark, across the puszta towards and close past me came a Ruff at high speed, closely pursued by a Goshawk, both disappearing into the reeds and leaving me amazed and forgetful of the cold

Leaving the main road I stopped at a muddy layby and set off into the cold and wet beside a large shallow salt lake - I tasted the water and yes, it was salty. There were tens of Swallows feeding close over the reeds here, with many more Ruff and some Common and Spotted Redshank, Curlew, and a single Temminck's Stint which we flushed from the grassy dike edge beside the path. There was no sign - not surprising really - of any of the regular Pratincoles or Red Footed Falcon which this site is reliable for!!

However, as I drove on, there was a small falcon in roadside bushes, and I scorched to a halt in a layby there because it seemed not to be a Kestrel. Piling out of the car I found a pair of Red Footed Falcon perched in the bushes, and I was able to approach close enough for a photograph

As I did so a Peregrine came drifting over me (they are apparently uncommon here)and another pair of Great Bustard could be seen - the male displaying in spite of the cold for several minutes

After lunch I visited Kolon-tó. By the time I got here it was less windy, dry and 5 degrees. Parking beside a racetrack at the edge of the village, I walked between a reedbed and a belt of white poplars. At ground level there was little to see except hundreds of tiny green frogs in the damp grass, and another Syrian Woodpecker in the trees

There were tens of Swallows and House Martins feeding in the lee of the trees, actually beating the outer leaves with their wings to dislodge insects, a remarkable sight. Suddenly they scattered as a large falcon appeared and soared casually above for a few moments, then planed off across the reeds deceptively quickly. I had excellent views of it's pale head and light/dark underwing pattern to confirm identification of a Saker

I then climbed up into a tower hide at the edge of the reeds, and another spectacular vista was revealed - miles and miles of reeds and isolated trees. Here there were Spoonbill, Great White and Little Egret, Purple, Grey and Night Herons all busily nest building. I was joined by two park rangers (they had seen me earlier - just checking) as a Marsh Harrier landed on the grass beneath us to feed on frogs, and a little while later we were treated to a fine food pass just a few yards away

We stayed watching this spectacle for over an hour until the cold drove me shivering back to the hotel - a superb day which would have been impossible without Zsuzsa's local knowledge and guidance

Day 5 - 22 April

Home today, with a stop at the reserve at Ocsa just South of Budapest. This is a wet woodland and heath area where there is a ringing station, and I had a lovely walk through the spring woods before checking in at the airport

In the wood were 3 Wood Warbler, a Hawfinch, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Long Tailed Tit, and Nuthatch, with a single Great Spotted Woodpecker to round off the trip. Cleared woodland and the nearby heath were surprisingly quiet, unfortunately, in spite of this being the best weather of the trip

2006

I visited again from 14 to 18 June 2006, this time by EasyJet out of Gatwick - which was fine, but someone PLEASE restart flights from Manston soon!!!

Day 1 - 15 June

This morning we headed South-East to the National Park area near to Csanytelek, stopping at the Park Rangers building to check in but no-one there. This is an area of large fish ponds, the banks of which are laid out with a narrow tramway system for carting fish about, but long disused. The banks are well reeded, and there are islands and two hides, a tower hide and another on an island overlooking the gull colony. By the time we’d made the first hide, a young lady warden had appeared to check us out.

Splendid range of herons on show here – Spoonbill, Great White, Little and Cattle Egret, Grey, Purple and Night Heron, and Bittern all seen well, together a little later with a strange whitish Night Heron, which turned out to be a Squacco Heron, in flight. Good close views of Ferruginous Duck, here, along with Whiskered Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Lesser Grey and Red-Backed Shrike, the ubiquitous Marsh Harriers, Golden Oriole, Black Winged Stilt, White Stork, Great Reed and Savi’s Warbler, Bearded and Penduline Tit, and distant Bee-Eaters.

Whilst in the island hide there was a tremendous commotion, and everything either took to the air, or the reeds – the cause? – a juvenile White Tailed Eagle soared overhead close enough for Phil to take this photo – some Black headed Gulls got up to mob it, they were tiny compared to the eagle, really tiny – fabulous

After a picnic lunch in the welcome shade of a small bush, with more Penduline Tit and commoner waterside warblers in the nearby reeds, we went round to the south-west corner of this park area to Büdös Szék, where there was a tower hide, a shallow lake with a large wet grassy marginal area, and lots and lots of Black, Whiskered, and White Winged Black Terns zooming around. Inevitably there were Black Necked Grebes here, too, together with Spotted Redshank, Avocet, Black Tailed Godwit, Ruff, and Common Redshank, and more Golden Oriole in the trees surrounding the hide. Phil went off in search of them, got cracking views, and returned with this photo of a hare which came quietly along as he stood watching for the Orioles – fabulous stuff.

After this there was, or were, two displaying Honey Buzzard above distant woodland, Nightingales, and more Rollers to enjoy, good close views this time, before going back to Kecskemet and another superb dinner, with world cup footer on giant screens to enjoy, and a grandstand view of the locals walking up and down and generally hanging out in the superb warm evening air with Swifts screaming overhead. We drank the superb local beer to a day tally of 76 species, and numerous Lifers for both me and Phil.

Day 2 - 16 June

This morning, again in hot fine weather, we headed west towards Szabadszallas, and then North up to Apaj. Along the road 52, traffic was too heavy for stopping, but after we turned off, it was possible to wander along stopping at will, to admire flower carpets like this

The first stop was a reprise of last year at Bösztör-puszta, where we spent a pleasant hour scanning around, finding Crested lark, Turtle Dove, Kestrel, Bee Eater, Hoopoe, Skylark, Great Reed Warbler, Roller, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Nightingale, Golden Oriole, Whinchat, some superb close Red-Footed Falcon, and a super super Tawny Pipit sat in a bush not 30 metres away

Further North again, through Kunszentmiklós, we turned off the road and followed a track which became increasingly rough, passing the former farm now used by the Nemzeti Park. Again no-one home to check us in, but not far beyond, we took pity on the hire car and abandoned it, walking the remaining mile to another substantial tower hide with a commanding view over the Puzsta.

Almost the first thing we saw on climbing to the top was the park ranger heading our way in his lada Jeep. He was again friendly and helpful once we had established our credentials, with the strongest handshake I think I have ever received!! Great Bustards had by now mated and the females were brooding – this, coupled with the vegetation growth, meant we were unlikely to be able to see any, so imagine our delight when, about a kilometre away, 16 could be seen strutting about, feeding and loafing, fabulous stuff. There were several Red-Backed Shrike here, too, with Skylarks singing too. The view from this tower was spectacular, to say the least. You can now play "Spot the Bustard"

We bid the warden goodbye, and made our way back to the car through the flower rich banks of the river.

In the hide at Apaj from which I enjoyed such good birds last year, it was relatively quiet today as we ate our picnic, but there were Penduline Tit, Purple Heron, Great White Egret, Great Reed, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Lesser Grey Shrike, and a flypast by 2 Bittern!!! Nearby in a drainage channel, we flushed a Green Sandpiper and heard Quail calling as well, though there was unsurprisingly no sighting for us

After this we made our way back to the Hotel by cutting across country, stopping at various places in the very great heat to scan around. By this means we found more Golden Oriole and had superb close views before halting in an area of relict sand dunes, with excavated banks showing meaningful nest holes – sure enough, as we looked, Bee Eaters came cruising in to their nests, and as we watched them flying and perching around, a Woodlark could be heard, subsequently seen perched on overhead wires giving good views, before we returned to Kecskemet and more good food and beer, and poor football by England against Sweden – we compensated by buying 2 lots of Ice-cream each at the kiosks in the town centre, superb stuff!!!

Saturday 17 June

Last full day, and arguably the best, we went East to Tiszaalpár village and parked near to the prehistoric (Neolithic) mound overlooking the ox-bow lakes and flooded wetlands.

Nearby there was another Nemzeti park office where we were given another warm welcome, and shown a Long Tailed Tits nest high in a tree there, and Coal Tits nesting in a box nailed to the office wall – this was a confusion of bird names – they were Great Tits!!

Back up on the mound we spent the best part of a total of 3 hours enjoying the spectacle – Great Crested, Little and Black-Necked Grebes, Common, Black, Whiskered, and White Winged Black terns, Squacco, Night, Purple and Grey Herons, Great White and Little Egrets, Bittern, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Kingfisher, Spoonbill, Cormorant, Pygmy Cormorant, Lesser Grey and Red Backed Shrike, but relatively few duck, just Mallard and Common Pochard

Through the great kindness of the local National Park Warden, (Bartol Andras ) who spoke excellent English, we were taken to a site where we were shown nesting platforms erected for Sakers, and enjoyed distant views of an unfledged chick on its nest, and an overflying female – just checking us out – fabulous stuff.

While in his company, we also found more Bee Eater, Roller, Golden Oriole, Turtle and Collared Dove, and heard of his liking for that dark Irish nectar which he came to know during an exchange with the Irish National Park Service!!

After this, we spent some time in woodland near to the Tisza River, or as near as we could get because of spectacular flood levels again this spring. Nevertheless, we added Short Toed Treecreeper, Spotted Flycatcher, Lesser Grey and red Backed Shrike, Nuthatch, Robin (not a common bird hearabouts) and another Kingfisher to round off a truly memorable day

Sunday 18 June

Coming home day, again used to visit the woodlands at Ocsa not far short of Budapest Airport. Here there were spectacular numbers of supersonic and gigantic Mosquitos to endure while we watched displaying Honey Buzzard while enjoying the more common woodland species, but, being relatively late, it was all very quiet. The highlight was a passing Cuckoo treated to a very severe and aggressive seeing-off by a couple of male Golden Orioles, which chased the Cuckoo for well over half a mile before the whole cavalcade disappeared from view - remarkable

And so home, again courtesy of Easy-Jet, with the wreckage of at least three Stag Weekends to Budapest – completely trouble free and non-aggressive, but severely hung-over or still well oiled!!

Click here to view the Species List for this visit

Guides - all available from the NHBS Environment Bookstore

1 - Where to watch birds in Eastern Europe, Gerard Gorman - Hamlyn

2 - The Birds of Hungary, Gerard Gorman - Helm

3 - Finding Birds in Hungary, Dave Gosney - Gostours http://www.birdguides.com/

Maps

1 - Geocentre Euromap series - Hungary - any good bookshop

2 - Cartographia map - "Kecskemét - A Kiskunsági-Nemzeti Park térképe, 1 : 210,000" - a fold out map with superb coverage of the Kiskunsági-Nemzeti Park on the back - available from the tourist office in Kecskemét

Links

Kiskunsági-Nemzeti Park

Tourinform

Fábián Panzió