Birdind Day Trip - March 28. at Apaj

A One-Day Birding Trip in Kiskunság National Park

On March 28, we went on a birdwatching trip in the northern part of Kiskunság National Park. The weather was rainy and windy. There was a lot of rain in the past days, which is good because the winter was very dry. Hopefully, the rain will bring more water to the wetlands.

We started birding in a marshy area about 30 minutes from Apaj. We were very lucky to see two Jack Snipes (Lymnocryptes minimus) and three Spotted Crakes (Porzana porzana). Usually, Jack Snipes are very secretive, and we often only see them when they fly.

In the swamp forest, we heard a Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus), a Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocoptes medius), and saw several Black Woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius). The biggest surprise was a Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), which we also observed while it was hiding.

Next, we visited agricultural and grassland areas near Bugyi. From one of the observation towers, we saw a male Great Bustard (Otis tarda). In the same area, we also spotted an Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca).

After this, we went to the Apaj fishponds and nearby wetlands. Unfortunately, the rain got heavier, so we could not explore much. Still, we saw many Black-tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa), Ruffs (Calidris pugnax), and Common Redshanks (Tringa totanus). On the lakes, there were many Ferruginous Ducks (Aythya nyroca) and Red-crested Pochards (Netta rufina).

In the reedbeds, we found Penduline Tits (Remiz pendulinus) and Bearded Reedlings (Panurus biarmicus).

Despite the rain, it was a great birding trip, with a total of 96 species. The increasing number of birds is a clear sign of spring!