Poland Days 3 - 4

Today we were going with another local guide to the Bialowieza strict reserve. It was an impressive and undamaged woodland that held lots of birds and other wildlife. In the meadow outside the forest a Corn Bunting sang distantly, and a Wryneck also sang, although it was much closer, and gave a couple of flight views.

As we walked along the path through the meadow, a huge bird of prey was seen flying towards us - a Lesser Spotted Eagle! It gave excellent views as it was flying low and right above our heads, and I though this would be the best views we would get. So I was amazed to see it sink lower and land at the top of the tree closest to us! We got amazing views of it perch there, before it eventually flew away.

Lesser Spotted Eagle 

In the forest itself, we heard a loud drumming, that turned out to be coming from a White-Backed Woodpecker, which was eventually tracked down and seen well.

We were also shown a Middle-Spotted Woodpecker at its nesting  hole, and although it was high up in the tree, it did show quite well.

But apart from a Red-Breasted Flycatcher and Firecrest heard, and good views of a Red Squirrel, there wasn't much else seen in the Strict Reserve, although the guide had extensive knowledge of of other aspects of nature, including wildflowers.

Out of the strict reserve, we made a stop to look for Grey-Headed Woodpecker nearby at a nest hole. Almost as soon as we arrived, one bird came out of the hole, and another flew in to change places with it! We timed the visit perfectly for the changeover, and we got great views.

Later, we went for a walk around some more urban surroundings, where we started off walking down a grassy track. At least two Barred Warblers were heard singing, but not seen. A distant white butterfly came closer to reveal that it was a Black-Veined White.

We then sat by the river, to see if any birds would turn up, but a group of people decided to swim in there, so anything that would have been present would have been disturbed. All that was here were a Snipe and an obliging Male Common Rosefinch.

So we headed on, and it wasn't long before another Barred Warbler song-flighted. However, this one decided it liked the look of a half-built house and then started to climb up and down on top of the wood! Definitely better views than the previous ones.                    

We then walked around the town, where there were many flyover Hawfinches and 3 Serins, including a male singing and showing well on the ground and on the wires.

Serin

There was no evening birding trip today, as we had an early start and a late finish tomorrow.

The next day, we got up, ready to drive to areas around Siemianowka Reservoir. Our first stop was a working peat bog, where we were looking for Citrine Wagtail. As soon as we arrived, Willow Warblers sang, a Little Ringed Plover landed in the road, Redshanks, Snipe and Black-tailed Godwit flew around and Lapwings were numerous.

However, when a car started driving straight towards us and stopped next to us it was clear things weren't going to last. We were told to leave the site because they were working, and we had no choice but to comply.

So we headed straight to the fishponds instead, and a singing Woodlark on a wire was seen during the journey.

At the fishponds, there were Great Reed, Reed, Sedge and Garden Warblers singing, and Black Terns hawking over the water. There were a few White-Tailed Eagles, of all ages, including one carrying prey. Other birds included a Pied Flycatcher, a Great White Egret flying through and a Hoopoe, also seen in flight. A female Goldeneye was on one of the ponds, as were a few Caspian Gulls. It was the first time I was able to identify them, helped by the fact that they were the only large gulls found in the area. It was interesting to see different plumages, mostly 1st summer or adult, and should hopefully help when I go up to the Thames to look for Gulls later in the year.

The last species we added was a butterfly - a Small Copper.

Small Copper

We then went to the shop before visiting the reservoir itself to pick up supplies, but a huge beer van parked beside us and played music at what sounded like maximum volume. We left swiftly after this to look for some waterbirds.

We stopped briefly at a site near the river, where a flock of Yellow Wagtails, of the blue-headed race, showed amazingly well, coming within just a few metres.

On the reservoir, there were Coots, Black and Whiskered Tern, Bearded Tits pinging and a Marsh Harrier taking Black Tern chicks. We then viewed it from a different angle, where not much was seen, but there was a showy Jay, a flock of Linnets and a calling Corncrake.

We then went looking for Ortolan Bunting, and I wasn't really sure what to expect considering I've been told how hard they have been to find this year. A Bison in a field during the journey to the Ortolan site showed even better than the ones earlier in the week, and was once again unconcerned by us watching it.

Bison

We slowly walked up a road with the windows open listening out for birdsong. I heard a strange Bunting like sound quite close, and had a suspicion that it could be an Ortolan Bunting. We pulled over at the side of the road and got out the car, to hear, very clearly that there was one singing!

The hard part though was trying to locate it. Very soon, however, we noticed it flying from one of the trees to the crop fields. There turned out to be a very convenient path through the field, so I walked up here while other people stayed near the tree it had come from. I could hear it calling nearby in the field, but it proved frustratingly difficult to find. I somehow managed to miss it fly out of the field, as my aunt and her friend, who were near the tree, signalled me over. I walked over there to be told that they had seen it sit out in full view in the tree, but it had flown back in to the field again. So, once again, I ran back up the path through the field, where the Bunting was still calling.

Just as I thought flight views would be the best I would get, it flew up again, travelled a short distance then landed on leafless branches of a close tree. It sat there while we got the scopes on it, and I had fantastic full-frame views of the bird in perfect light. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

Ortolan Bunting

Another bird was seen during all the effort to see the Bunting, though. A Woodpecker flew from one of the trees, and landed nearby, giving brief flight views. I immediately assumed it was a Great-Spotted, but Neil said it looked a lot like a Syrian. I actually just thought he was being over-optimistic and he didn't seem 100% convinced either. However, when Neil called someone to thank them for information, he was told that there was a pair seen in the exact spot we saw them! Our sighting couldn't be definitely confirmed, though.

We then drove back to Bialowieza, where we tried to find Citrine Wagtail because we had been unsuccessful in the morning, after being kicked off the site. We stayed for a while, seeing Yellow Wagtails, and just as we were about to leave, Neil noticed a male Citrine Wagtail taking food to the nest, sitting up on a fence post! Another highlight of the day - it was lucky that we even managed to find one.

We headed out in the evening to try to see Great Snipe at their lek, but we were unsuccessful. However, we managed to see Great Grey Shrike, roding Woodcock, Tawny Owl, Red and Roe Deer, Polecat (which ran across the road) and we also heard many Corncrakes, River and Grasshopper Warblers. So, although we didn't see the Snipe, we still got some great birds to finish off the day.