Birdwatching in Poland 3-11 May 2008

To be more accurate it should be north-east Poland only but after saying that this is the area anyone wanting to see a great variety of special birds and unique countryside should visit.

The area is about three hours driving north of Warsaw. I stayed for four nights in the area of the Biebrza marshes and then four nights in the Bialowieza primeval forest . We saw or heard 156 bird species together with regular views of Elk, Red Squirrel and a close up of a Beech Marten amongst other mammals.

The marsh area is the most intact floodplain left in central Europe and comprises dense flood forests, mysterious alder woods, flowery river dunes and open sedge marshes. Cranes were seen everyday and their call is a constant part of a visit at this time of year. So too were the large numbers of the three marsh terns, especially the very attractive White-winged Black Tern and three species of goose, twelve duck, a Black-throated Diver and all the Grebe species. Also three species each of Harrier and Eagle gave great views throughout the week. In fact at one stop alone there were 15 White-tailed Eagle, and Ortolan Bunting and the most obliging Black Woodpecker ever, which decided to pop its head out of a nest hole in a classic pose just whilst we had our morning coffee break. 

Many photo shots were rapidly taken by most of us.

Other stars were Ruff in groups with the males in wonderful breeding plumage, Yellow Wagtails galore and Great White Egrets. Fieldfare are the most common form of the Thrush family you see breeding with fully fledged young and Thrush Nightingale seem to be the most common singing bird but that could be partly because of the power of their voices. No shortage of Bitterns booming, Corn Crakes 'crex-crexing' and Spotted Crake 'whisping' but none seen despite careful watching, but cuckoos were also everywhere and seen several times.

Despite these gems the two stars had to be two very small birds. One day on a boardwalk we saw a brief glimpse of a Penduline Tit but saw its incredible nest half complete. Three days later we went back to the same place on our journey to the other area and saw the nest nearly complete and close up views of the birds building it. Also the rarest breeding warbler in Europe gave us a supreme show at dawn when several sang atop foot-high sedges around a 100 metre boardwalk an hour away from the hotel. It is a stunning little gem and in the distance five elk (or Moose as they say in America) grazed in the bog. Well worth a two hour round trip before breakfast.

The second half of the week was spent in a village in the midst of the famous Bialowieza forest, which with its larger extension in Belarus, is the last remnant of the primeval vegetation that once covered the large part of central Europe. The village like all villages had its large numbers of nesting Storks including one pair just beginning their nest outside our rooms but it also had Hawfinch in numbers, Whinchat singing everywhere and a single Barred Warbler with Icterine Warbler just arriving on the last morning. Rosefinch also sang from the tops of some trees. But the forest itself is the star and must be seen especially with a compulsory guide to take you round the 'Strict Reserve' where nothing is ever touched so that throwing your applecore away after lunch was definitely out.

At one stage we stopped to see a pair of White-backed Woodpecker around a hole before flying to a nearby branch to mate. It is the largest of the black and white woodpeckers. Collared flycatchers are the common flycatcher with only a few pied ones seen in the week and the white-headed version of Long-tailed tit was seen, which is even cuter than our own.

A late evening in a marsh was organised to see the display of Great Snipe but although we saw them fleetingly after negotiating a knee-deep slog it was all worth it. We had much better views of Pygmy Owl and Hazel Grouse, however, but the stars of the forest the last European Bison were never seen and neither were any Beaver despite seeing plenty of evidence for their existence including one huge lodge. On the final day we visited a large reservoir north of the area and only a mile from the Belarus border.

We went to see a star bird at the western edge of its range and it was soon found close to the path and close to us. A wonderful male Citrine Wagtail kept coming back to the same low bush for the next hour. I have always wanted to go to this area since I was a boy and it didn't disappoint.

At the moment it is unchanged but the area like most maybe threatened by agricultural changes now Poland is in the EU.

I would advise anybody to see it sooner than later.

Peter Gibbon - September 2008