Birdwatching in the Southern Kiskunság - March 06.

Spring Birdwatching Tour in the Southern Kiskunság National Park

On March 6, we went on a birdwatching tour in the southern part of Kiskunság National Park, in the Pusztaszer Landscape Protection Area. The weather was truly spring-like. In the morning, it was cold with -1°C, but by noon, the temperature had risen to 20°C.

Our first stop was at two alkaline lakes, Vesszős-szék and Büdös-szék, in the Pusztaszeri Nature Reserve. The bird activity was excellent! We saw two bird species for the first time this year: the Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) and the Redshank (Tringa totanus).

The lakes were full of waterbirds. We observed many ducks, including the Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), Garganey (Spatula querquedula), Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata), and Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope). There was also strong migration of songbirds. In the grasslands near the lakes, we saw many European Stonechats (Saxicola rubicola) and Corn Buntings (Emberiza calandra). A magnificent sight was an Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) sat in a tree not far from the lakes.

After visiting these lakes, we traveled to Csaj Lake. As we walked towards the water, we noticed a Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga) sitting in a poplar tree. To our surprise, there was another Greater Spotted Eagle sitting about 150 meters away in another tree! Seeing two of these rare birds at the same time was an unforgettable experience. I had never seen two Greater Spotted Eagles together in one area before!

We continued to the lakes, where we saw and heard several new bird species for this year. We spotted around 40 Eurasian Spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia) feeding in one of the lakes. Other highlights included the Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) and the Ruff (Calodris pugnax).

In a large reedbed, we heard a Moustached warbler (Acrocephalus melanopogon) singing. We also saw Bearded Reedlings (Panurus biarmicus) and Penduline Tits (Remiz pendulinus). Throughout the area, we observed a large number of Pygmy Cormorants (Microcarbo pygmaeus).

It was a fantastic birdwatching tour on an unusually warm day. In total, we observed 71 bird species. If you are interested in birding in Hungary, this region is a great place to visit during spring migration!