Currency: Florint. At the present time of writing there are 300Fl to 1 euro
Map: We used a Michelin 1:400,000 map. Larger scale maps would have been useful.
Book: Hortobagy – Crossbill Guide by Dirk Hilbers et al. All you need to know about the wildlife of the area – and more! The book has detailed maps to get to all the places mentioned in this report. Just be aware that the distances on the ground are often more than they appear in the book!
Flight: Wizzair from Milan to Budapest
Roads: the main roads and villages are well signposted. Some of the roads shown on the map are in fact dirt tracks and it was hard to distinguish these from farm tracks. A sat nav is very useful.
Transport: Hired car (Thrifty)
Communication: Away from Budapest, very few people speak English, though a lot speak some German.
Accommodation: The White Horse Inn, Tiszababolna in Little Hortobagy. This is an amazing place and thoroughly recommended, right in the middle of Little Hortobagy. It used to be an inn serving the cattle drovers who were en route to the big cattle markets further west. It has been completely renovated and has 6 comfortable rooms. It is self-catering and you need to bring your own drinking water too as the water in the area is very alkaline. For groups of 4 or more people, the owners will provide meals and guides, if requested. There is a viewing tower rising from the centre of the house from which we had amazing views of Roller, Lesser Grey Shrike, Crane, Black Stork and nesting Saker and White Stork. One of the owners, Daniel Bodnar, speaks English and couldn’t have been more welcoming and helpful. Check out their website: www.feherlocsardafogago.hu. Email:ardeabt@gmail.com. Phone: 0036 30 618 66 34
Sovirag Vendeghas Guesthouse in Hortobagy. Again a beautifully restored old building, this time a farmhouse. Breakfast was included in the room rate and we were allowed to use the kitchen to cook an evening meal. The receptionist speaks excellent English. www.sovirgvendeghaz.hu email: info@sorviragvendehaz.hu Tel: 0036 52 369 130.
There is only one, but excellent, restaurant in Hortobagy which closes at 20.30.
Guide: Sandor Konyhas speaks English and knows where the specialities hang out in the Hortobagy.
Email: boldinati@gmail.com Tel: 0036 2056 313 26
Itinerary
25th May - Wizzair flight from Milan to Budapest, River Tisza at Poroszlo, Little Hortobagy, overnight in White Horse Inn
26th May - Exploring the Little Hortobagy
27th May - Little Hortobagy and Bukk mountains
28th May - Little and bigger Hortobagy, Fish ponds at Ohat
29th May - Holasto (Great) Fish ponds
30th May - Hortobagy and Bukk Mountains
31st May - Hortobagy and Holasto Fish ponds
Sites
Tisza reservoir
We didn’t find it very easy to observe the reservoir: access was limited and the vegetation obscured the water. However, we did have excellent views of Black-crowned Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Ferruginous Duck, Whiskered Tern, White-backed Woodpecker, Penduline Tit,
Little Hortobagy
We enjoyed this area more than the “real” Hortobagy. It was easier to get around, there were plenty of viewing towers and the birds were more accessible.
Common Crane was indeed common, White Storks were nesting just outside the window of the White Horse Inn, Black Stork was seen feeding nearby everyday. Grey and Purple Herons and Greylag Geese were common on the pools. The raptors included Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Buzzard, Marsh Harrier – they were everywhere, Sakers on a nest and flying past, White-tailed Eagle.
There was an excellent selection of Waders, including Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank, Little Stint, Avocet and Ducks on various pools and wet areas. There was a Little Owl nesting in a nearby farm.
Rollers were common in the Little Hortobagy
Sedge, Great Reed and Savi’s Warblers sang from the reeds fringing the pools. Along a track a Barred Warbler took a bit of sorting out. In the drier areas Golden Oriole, Roller, Lesser Grey and Red-backed Shrikes were all common.
Hortobagy - Puszta
This is a huge area criss-crossed by roads and tracks. In theory you can drive down any track, but some have No Entry signs. It’s a good idea not to leave the tracks as there are lots of hidden ditches and boggy patches, and once you leave the track it can be difficult to find your way back on to it, especially when the grass is high.
I would recommend you hire a guide for a couple of hours to find the Great Bustards – the area is so big that unless you are very lucky, you are unlikely to see them.
Red-footed Falcons are very visible, especially near woods with jackdaw colonies. Rollers, Yellow Wagtails, Corn Bunting, Black Stork, Montagu’s and Marsh Harrier, White-tailed Eagle all showed well and we had a distant view of a pair of Eastern Imperial Eagles.
Holasto Great Fishponds
These are enormous artificial lakes. There is a train which runs from the entrance to the furthest point (8 kms away) – buy the ticket at the reception. The first and last ponds seem to be the most interesting ones. I suggest you walk to the end, stopping at every viewing tower then take the train back. We walked the whole walk round, and frankly, it was a waste of time as the viewing towers away from the main track are all derelict and the fringing reeds mean that you can’t see the water from the ground. If time or energy is in short supply, then walk to the first pond and scan it, then back to reception and take the train to the furthest pond and return by the train.
Several Bitterns were booming and Squacco, Grey and Purple Herons are common, as are Pygmy Cormorants. Great-crested Grebes were common and there were pairs of Red-necked and Black-necked Grebes. There were hundreds of Whiskered Terns and several Ferruginous Ducks. Penduline Tits (listen for the high-pitched call) and Bearded Tits were seen several times and we had 5 sightings of White-tailed Eagle.
Other fish ponds at Arkus, Eleb and Ohat were also worth visiting with a good selection of waterbirds and adding a Bluethroat to the list.
Bukk Mountains
The mountains contained some excellent birds but the weather was persistently poor during the week that we were there. We went up there twice and were washed out on the first trip. Had the weather been better we would have explored more trails and no doubt have come up with more birds.
There are basically two roads through the mountains, one of which was closed. There are numerous unmarked hiking trails through the mountains so a large scale map of the area would be helpful.
However, we did manage to pick up Goshawk, Black Woodpecker, a pair of Collared Flycatchers, Red-backed Shrike, Tree Pipit, Chiffchaff, a just fledged Hawfinch and a single soaring GriffonVulture. The nearest population is in Bulgaria where there is a reintroduction scheme, so this bird was probably from there.
Common Quail Birds heard near the White Horse Inn, and near Tisza reservoir
Ring-necked Pheasant In a small wood bordering the road to Szasztelek
Greylag Goose Frequent, in large parties with young in wetlands
Mute Swan 2 at Tiszra reservoir, 40 at Holasto Fishponds
Common Shelduck 2 at Arkus fish pond
Gadwall 1 on a lake near the White Horse Inn, 8 at Holasto Fishponds, 10 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village, 2 at Arkus fish pond
European Wigeon 1 at Holasto Fishponds
Mallard Common in wetlands
Shoveler 3 on a lake near the White Horse Inn
Garganey 2 on a lake near the White Horse Inn and near Argus, Hortobagy, 12 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village
Green-winged (Common) Teal 1 male on a lake near the White Horse Inn, 4 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village
European Pochard 20 at Ohat fish ponds, several at Elep and Holasto Fish Ponds
Ferruginous Duck 1 at Tisza reservoir, 30 at Ohat and Elep fish ponds, 3 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village
Little Grebe 2 Holasto Fishponds
Red-necked Grebe 2 at Holasto Fishponds
Great Crested Grebe Common in wetlands
Black-necked Grebe Up to 5 at the Holasto Fishponds
Black Stork Feeding in wet puszta near the White Horse Inn and on the Hortobagy puszta
White Stork Frequent and widespread
White Spoonbill 54 roosting on a lake near the White Horse Inn, large groups seen at other times in Little Hortobagy, 3 at Holasto and Arkus Fishponds 2 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village
Eurasian Bittern 1heard at Tisza reservoir, 3 at Holasto Fishponds
Black-crowned Night Heron 1 at Tisza reservoir, 1 at Ohat fish ponds
Squacco Heron Common in wetlands
Grey Heron Common in wetlands
Purple Heron Frequent in wetlands
Great White Egret Frequent in wetlands
Little Egret 1 Ohat fish ponds, 12 at Arkus fish pond
Pygmy Cormorant 6 at Ohat fish ponds, Holasto Fish Ponds and at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village
Cormorant 1 on a lake near the White Horse Inn
Common Kestrel 3 over the White Horse Inn, several birds in Hortobagy puszta
Red-footed Falcon Frequent in dry areas of the puszta
European Hobby Seen both in Little and Hortobagy puszta
Saker Falcon Nesting pair on a pylon near the White Horse Inn
Honey Buzzard 1 in Bukk mountains, 1 in hills near Eger
White-tailed Sea Eagle 1 sub adult in Little Hortobagy, single birds seen on 3 occasions over the Hortobagy puszta and 5 sightings over the Holasto fish ponds
Griffon Vulture 1 adult soaring over Bukk mountains
Marsh Harrier Common and widespread
Montagu's Harrier Hortobagy puszta
European Sparrow Hawk Bukk mountains
Northern Goshawk On the foothills of the Bukk mountains
Common Buzzard Frequent over wooded areas
Eastern Imperial Eagle 2 over the Hortobagy puszta
Great Bustard 4 males in Hortobagy puszta. (The females would all be hidden on eggs at this time)
Moorhen 1 at White Horse Inn
Common Coot Surprisingly uncommon – noted only at Holasto Fishponds where there were hundreds
Common Crane Common in dry areas of the puszta
Oystercatcher 1 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village
Avocet 2 on a lake near the White Horse Inn
Lapwing breeding pairs seen in most wet areas of the puszta
Grey Plover Little Hortobagy
Ringed Plover 2 on a lake near the White Horse Inn
Common Snipe 1 bird drumming near Arkus
Black-tailed Godwit Seen on 4 occasions on wet areas of the Hortobagy puszta, 1 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village, 22 near Arkus Fish Ponds
Curlew 8 birds feeding on wet puszta near Szasztelek
Spotted Redshank On pool in Little Hortobagy
Redshank up to 3 on a lake near the White Horse Inn, 3 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village
Greenshank 1 on a lake near the White Horse Inn
Little Stint 2 on a lake near the White Horse Inn
Dunlin 1 on a lake near the White Horse Inn
Yellow-legged Gull Elep and Holasto Fish Ponds, 3 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village
Caspian Gull 13 immature and 2 mature birds roosting on a lake near the White Horse Inn
Black-headed Gull 2 on a lake near the White Horse Inn, 3 at Holasto Fishponds, 30 at Arkus fish pond
Little Gull 1 at Ohat fish ponds, 3 at unnamed fish pond west of Hortobagy village
Common Tern 3 at Elep Fish Ponds and several at Holasto Fishponds
Black Tern 1 over a lake near the White Horse Inn, 1 at Holasto Fishponds
Whiskered Tern Large flocks at Tisza reservoir, Ohat , Elep and Holasto fish ponds
White-winged Black Tern 1 over a lake near the White Horse Inn
(Feral) Rock Pigeon Common and widespread
Stock Dove A pair in Little Hortobagy
Wood Pigeon Common and widespread
Turtle Dove A pair near Tisza reservoir, calling bird in hills near Eger
Collared Dove Frequent in Hortobagy village
Common Cuckoo Common and widespread
Little Owl 1 at nest site in farm near the White Horse Inn, 1 in Hortobagy village
Common Swift 3 soaring near Bukk mountains, big group of migrating birds over Tiszra reservoir.
Common Roller Common in dry areas of the puszta
European Bee-eater 2 flying over the White Horse Inn, 4 near Tiszra reservoir, 8 near Arkus, Hortobagy
Hoopoe Heard and seen frequently in the puszta
White-backed Woodpecker 1 bird feeding on trees near Tisza reservoir
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 in Bukk mountains, 3in Little Hortobagy
Black Woodpecker 1 calling and showing well in Bukk mountains
Green Woodpecker Frequent in wooded areas
Red-backed Shrike Frequent in dry areas of the puszta
Lesser Grey Shrike Frequent in dry areas of the puszta
Golden Oriole Frequent in wooded areas
Jay Several heard in Bukk mountains
Magpie Common and widespread
Jackdaw Common and widespread
Rook Common in farmland near Budapest and Hortobagy puszta
Hooded Crow Frequent in the Hortobagy puszta
Raven Seen on three occasions in Hortobagy puszta and near Bukk mountains
Great Tit A family in trees near the White Horse Inn, common in Bukk mountains
Marsh Tit Several birds singing in Bukk mountains
Penduline Tit Tisza reservoir – a pair nest building, Holasto Fishponds, Porozzlo village
Sand Martin (Bank Martin) A few birds flying over the Holasto Fishponds
Barn Swallow Common and widespread
House Martin Common and widespread
Crested Lark Frequent on dry areas
Skylark Common in dry areas of the puszta
Savi's Warbler 1 singing near a lake near the White Horse Inn, 1 at Ohat fish ponds
Great Reed Warbler Common in wetlands
Sedge Warbler Frequent in wet areas
Reed Warbler Elep Fish Ponds and other wet areas
Icterine Warbler A single bird singing in hills near Eger
Chiffchaff Frequent in Bukk mountains
Blackcap Frequent and widespread
Barred Warbler Single bird singing near the White Horse Inn
Lesser Whitethroat 1 near the White Horse Inn, 1 at Holasto Fish Ponds
Whitethroat 2 near the White Horse Inn
Bearded Tit 2 at Ohat and Elep Fish Ponds,10 at Holasto Fishponds
Wren 1 heard singing in Bukk mountains
European Nuthatch 1 heard in Bukk mountains
Short-toed tree-creeper 1 in Bukk mountains
Common Starling Common and widespread
Blackbird Uncommon in villages
Song thrush Bukk mountains
European Robin Bukk mountains
Bluethroat 1 at each of Ohat and Elep fish ponds
Nightingale Common and widespread in suitable areas
Black Redstart 1 on a roof in Tiszababolna village
Stonechat Common and widespread
Northern Wheatear A pair near Tiszababolna village
Spotted Flycatcher 1 near Tiszra reservoir
Collared Flycatcher A pair in Bukk mountains
House Sparrow Common and widespread
Tree Sparrow Group of 10 birds in trees around White Horse Inn and at Holasto Fishponds
Yellow Wagtail Frequent in dry puszta
Grey Wagtail A pair on a stream in Bukk mountains
White Wagtail Frequent and widespread
Tree Pipit Bukk mountains in open areas
Chaffinch Frequent in Bukk mountains
Greenfinch Frequent in bushy or wooded areas
Goldfinch Frequent in dry areas of the puszta
Linnet Frequent in dry areas of the puszta
Hawfinch 1 fledgling in Bukk mountains
Corn Bunting Common in dry areas of the puszta
Yellow Hammer 1 in hills near Eger,
Reed Bunting 2 at a lake near the White Horse Inn, 1 at Elep Fish Ponds
137 species
In addition, roe deer and hares were common in the puszta.