Predictably, the flight was delayed, but we did eventually make it, to be welcomed by torrential rain and thunderstorms, which made me nervous about the weather for the rest of the week. We met up with Neil Donaghy, our guide for the week. We were a small group, as the main tour had run the previous week, but Neil had kindly offered to do another tour the following week, which was in my holiday.
During the journey, while driving through the roadworks, Neil told us some information about the year in Poland and what we would be doing later in the day - the holiday had begun!
During the journey, we saw birds such as Kestrel, and, once we got closer to the North East of Poland, White storks, which was actually a lifer for me. We arrived at the hotel we would be staying in at Bialowieza for the week and had time to get used to the surroundings.
It was soon time to eat, and it wad the first time I had tried local Polish food, along with some more
It was soon time to eat, and it wad the first time I had tried local Polish food, along with some more
familiar meats.
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| White Stork |
We then had time for a brief stop to look around some local meadows. Nothing but a Meadow Pipit was seen at first, but as we were driving out the area, our local guide noticed two Bison in one of the fields! We got out of the car to get amazing views of these animals as they walked around, unconcerned by our presence. A Tree Pipit was also singing from the nearby forest, but remained unseen. We then headed back, watching Hawfinches fly up from the roads, and arrived at the hotel after a great first day,
Day 2 began early, with a pre-breakfast walk around the good birding areas of the town of Bialowieza. Walking down the road, a Common Rosefinch sang from a nearby tree. I looked up to find an adult male above my head. There was also singing Garden Warblers and Blackcaps, and Spotted Flycatchers, which often sat out on prominent perches. Great Reed Warblers sang distantly from the nearby Reedbed, but didn't show themselves, so we headed to a different area of the village.
Almost immediately, Neil heard the song of a Greenish Warbler, and, after a short wait, it was perched right above our heads! We had good views of the bird, although it remained quite high up most of the time, but all the details could be seen. While we were watching the Warbler, a Wryneck called distantly, as well as the constant call of Cuckoos, and we saw two Great Reed Warblers chasing each other around.
Further up the path, Neil noticed the song of a Pied Flycatcher in the nearby areas of trees, and it wasn't long before the Flycatcher showed itself. It was a young male, and was very interested in a hole in the tree which it could have been considering using as a nest in the future. A Black Woodpecker gave its strange flight call while we were watching the Flycatcher, and many Hawfinches flew over.
On the way back, a large warbler flew across the path and landed in a nearby tree. After a few seconds it became clear that it was an Icterine Warbler. A great bird to end the morning walk (and compensation for the one I missed at Spurn)!
We then headed to a woodland, where, as soon as I stepped out the car, I heard a distant Red-Breasted Flycatcher singing.
Walking up the path, a Woodpecker called, which I immediately thought was a Great Spotted. However, I had been warned that some species can sound the same, so we tried hard to track down the bird. Eventually, it was found, giving good views, and showing that it was actually a White-Backed Woodpecker! It was calling constantly and flying across the path, perching in open areas where we got great views of it.
Next was an area of dead forest, where there were no Woodpeckers, but other birds included a Sedge Warbler singing from a high tree and a Male Common Rosefinch showing very well, plus the constant call of Marsh Frogs. A pair of Flycatchers flew around the tops of the trees, and they were quickly identified as Collared Flycatchers, with the male showing well.
A large butterfly was seen near the car, which was difficult to obtain good views of at first, but eventually landed by my feet - a Poplar Admiral.
The next stop was to look for Red-Breasted Flycatchers, and we didn't have to wait long before a male was sat out in the open at close range, often singing. This individual also had a red throat, which some lack, so it made the bird even more interesting.
We then headed to another woodland site, where there was a very smart male Black Redstart on the top of one of the village buildings. Young Great Spotted Woodpeckers called from the forest, as well as Cuckoos, which turned out to be almost everywhere. Two Large Coppers flew around the long grass that was next to the houses.
We then headed along a forest track, where our target was Three-Toed Woodpecker. After a short wait, broken by good views of Wood Warbler, a female Three-Toed Woodpecker flew in and perched right in front of us. We saw it amazingly well, with no vegetation to obscure views, and I was satisfied as this was the Woodpecker I most wanted to see.
On the way back, we saw a very faded Green Hairstreak butterfly, which hardly had any green on it, and I had no idea what species it was at first.
An interesting butterfly was seen flying around the grassland outside the forest while we were having lunch. At first I though it was a Heath Fritillary, but some things didn't seem quite right.
- It looked about the size of the Duke Of Burgundy I had seen two weeks previously.
- It was dark and the orange was one-coloured.
The butterfly didn't sit still for long and almost never opened its wings, as well as disappearing for periods of time. I got a couple of poor quality photos, and turned to the Collins Butterfly Guide, but couldn't find anything. Neil suggested Assmann's Fritillary, which I had never even heard of, and looking in the book I could see the similarities with the butterfly I had seen. We left the butterfly as unidentified however.
But, later in the week, the same butterfly was seen again. I took some photographs of the underside, as it didn't show its upper side, but the pictures turned out to be poor quality. However, helped with the second sighting, we (mostly Neil) confirmed it as an Assmann's Fritillary!
A strange call also alerted us to a Middle-Spotted Woodpecker, high up in a nearby tree.
The next site we visited was good for butterflies, and these were our main targets here. The area was soon filled with Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries. Large Skippers were seen, and it didn't take long before Neil identified a Wood Brown. Map butterflies were everywhere, but were interesting to watch.
Further up, a Wood White landed in the middle of the track, and displayed how different it was from all the other Whites I had seen (Green-Veined was the most common during my time in Poland).
We turned back and headed down another path, where the pine trees held Coal Tit, and, with a bit of looking, a nice Crested Tit as well. Garden Warblers and Cuckoos sang, and another Poplar Admiral revealed itself. It was now time to head back to the hotel to eat, but we had time for a short walk around the village, which my aunt and her friend didn't join.
The heat of the day clearly encouraged birds to stay quiet and unobtrusive, so there wasn't much around, until a Cuckoo flew by, a Golden Oriole sang, and, best of all, a Barred Warbler song-flighted, though I only saw it briefly.
So, after eating, we headed out for another walk, this time a bit further away. We were greeted by a River Warbler singing loudly from the nearest bush, but it was buried deep in it and remained invisible.
We watched from a bridge, looking down in to a reed bed, where one of the targets, a Marsh Warbler, was found quite soon, singing its strange song from the reeds, and looking a lot like a Reed Warbler, although Neil pointed out differences such as wing length. While we were watching this, a Thrush Nightingale sang, although, as always, it didn't show.
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| Bison |
Almost immediately, Neil heard the song of a Greenish Warbler, and, after a short wait, it was perched right above our heads! We had good views of the bird, although it remained quite high up most of the time, but all the details could be seen. While we were watching the Warbler, a Wryneck called distantly, as well as the constant call of Cuckoos, and we saw two Great Reed Warblers chasing each other around.
Further up the path, Neil noticed the song of a Pied Flycatcher in the nearby areas of trees, and it wasn't long before the Flycatcher showed itself. It was a young male, and was very interested in a hole in the tree which it could have been considering using as a nest in the future. A Black Woodpecker gave its strange flight call while we were watching the Flycatcher, and many Hawfinches flew over.
 |
| Pied Flycatcher |
We then headed to a woodland, where, as soon as I stepped out the car, I heard a distant Red-Breasted Flycatcher singing.
Walking up the path, a Woodpecker called, which I immediately thought was a Great Spotted. However, I had been warned that some species can sound the same, so we tried hard to track down the bird. Eventually, it was found, giving good views, and showing that it was actually a White-Backed Woodpecker! It was calling constantly and flying across the path, perching in open areas where we got great views of it.
Next was an area of dead forest, where there were no Woodpeckers, but other birds included a Sedge Warbler singing from a high tree and a Male Common Rosefinch showing very well, plus the constant call of Marsh Frogs. A pair of Flycatchers flew around the tops of the trees, and they were quickly identified as Collared Flycatchers, with the male showing well.
A large butterfly was seen near the car, which was difficult to obtain good views of at first, but eventually landed by my feet - a Poplar Admiral.
 |
| Poplar Admiral |
We then headed to another woodland site, where there was a very smart male Black Redstart on the top of one of the village buildings. Young Great Spotted Woodpeckers called from the forest, as well as Cuckoos, which turned out to be almost everywhere. Two Large Coppers flew around the long grass that was next to the houses.
We then headed along a forest track, where our target was Three-Toed Woodpecker. After a short wait, broken by good views of Wood Warbler, a female Three-Toed Woodpecker flew in and perched right in front of us. We saw it amazingly well, with no vegetation to obscure views, and I was satisfied as this was the Woodpecker I most wanted to see.
On the way back, we saw a very faded Green Hairstreak butterfly, which hardly had any green on it, and I had no idea what species it was at first.
 |
| Amazingly faded Green Hairstreak |
- It looked about the size of the Duke Of Burgundy I had seen two weeks previously.
- It was dark and the orange was one-coloured.
The butterfly didn't sit still for long and almost never opened its wings, as well as disappearing for periods of time. I got a couple of poor quality photos, and turned to the Collins Butterfly Guide, but couldn't find anything. Neil suggested Assmann's Fritillary, which I had never even heard of, and looking in the book I could see the similarities with the butterfly I had seen. We left the butterfly as unidentified however.
But, later in the week, the same butterfly was seen again. I took some photographs of the underside, as it didn't show its upper side, but the pictures turned out to be poor quality. However, helped with the second sighting, we (mostly Neil) confirmed it as an Assmann's Fritillary!
A strange call also alerted us to a Middle-Spotted Woodpecker, high up in a nearby tree.
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| Assmann's Fritillary |
 |
| Map |
 |
| Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary |
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| Wood White |
The heat of the day clearly encouraged birds to stay quiet and unobtrusive, so there wasn't much around, until a Cuckoo flew by, a Golden Oriole sang, and, best of all, a Barred Warbler song-flighted, though I only saw it briefly.
So, after eating, we headed out for another walk, this time a bit further away. We were greeted by a River Warbler singing loudly from the nearest bush, but it was buried deep in it and remained invisible.
We watched from a bridge, looking down in to a reed bed, where one of the targets, a Marsh Warbler, was found quite soon, singing its strange song from the reeds, and looking a lot like a Reed Warbler, although Neil pointed out differences such as wing length. While we were watching this, a Thrush Nightingale sang, although, as always, it didn't show.
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