Dirk Raes relives a recent birding trip for the Belgian Ornithological Society to one of Europe’s greatest birding locations. Ranking alongside the Camargue, the Cota Donana and the Danube Delta, Lake Neusiedl, on the Austria-Hungary border is Europe’s fourth largest and only steppe lake and holds some stunning birdlife. Along with the WWF reserve at Marchegg and the woods around Illmitz, Dirk finds abundant eastern specialities such as River and Barred Warbler, Syrian Woodpecker and Collared Flycatcher.
We left Belgium on Saturday 29th May and stayed overnight at Gunzenhausen, near Nurnberg; the Altmühlsee was our birding-target. The Park-Hotel Altmühltal was nicely situated. Just behind the hotel is grassland managed for the benefit of White Storks. Closer to the Altmühlsee, Great Reed Warbler (A. arundinaceus) , Marsh Warbler (A. palustris) and Bluethroat (L. svecica) were present. At the nature reserve Gadwall (A. strepera), Black Kite (M. migrans) and Great Read Warbler (A. arundinaceus) were common – but the best sighting was several Penduline Tit (R. pendulinus).
On Sunday evening we arrived at the Hotel National Park in Illmitz. This hotel is very well situated for birding. Just behind the hotel are good paths for morning/evening excursions. The Feldsee is within walking distance. Nightingale (L. megarhynchos) , Penduline Tit (R. pendulinus), Golden Oriole (O. oriolus) , Barred Warbler (S. nisoria), Icterine Warbler (H. icterina) , Great Reed Warbler (A. arundinaceus) , Marsh Warbler (A. palustris) , Grasshopper Warbler (L. naevia) , Red-backed Shrike (L. collurio) , Syrian Woodpecker (D. syriacus) , Wryneck (J. torquilla) , Hoopoe (U. epops) , Green Sandpiper (T. ochropus) , Water Rail (R. aquaticus) , Marsh Harrier (C. aeruginosus) , Garganey (A. querquedula) , Spoonbill (P. leucorodia) White Stork (C. ciconia), Great White Heron (E. alba) and Bittern (B. stellaris) were all seen.
The next day (Monday) we started with a swim in the pool while male Golden Oriole (O. oriolus) were flying up-and-down , followed by a great buffet-breakfast before leaving at 9am to discover the surroundings on a walk towards Sandeck which brought us Purple Heron (A. purpurea) and Great White Egret (E. alba). It was now 2pm and already over 30 degrees celsius. Definitively time to go for another swim followed by several cold beers ! The Golden Orioles (O. oriolus) were still there.
After dinner we visited Zicksee (south of Illmitz) where we saw our first Red-crested Pochard (N. rufina), 100+ Little Ringed Plover (C. dubius) , Kentish Plover (C. alexandrinus), 3 Curlew Sandpipers (C. ferruginea) Avocet (R. avosetta) and Black-winged Stilt (H. himantopus).
On Tuesday, Lajos Varga (from the Hungarian Ringing Office) and Atilla Pellinger (from the Fertö Nemzeti Park) took us to the Hungarian side of Neusiedl. The area around the Eisenkanal (also called Mexicopuszta) is a paradise for birders! More Red-crested Pochard – over 100, a few Ferruginous Duck (A. nyroca), several Little Egret (E. garzetta), one 2nd or 3rd year White-tailed Eagle (H. albicilla) catching a Greylag Goose (A. anser), Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus) and on the dikes several Pontic Gulls (L. c. cachinnans) and some Black Terns (C. niger). Several Common Buzzard (B. buteo), Marsh Harrier (C. aeruginosus), a Black Kite (M. migrans) were seen while several Great Reed Warbler (A. arundinaceus) were singing in the reedbeds. Another great day which we finished by a walk along the dike towards Illmitz-strand.
Wednesday was a cultural day visiting Vienna. As you don't need your bins to eat Sacher-Torte or drink wine in Café Central, no bird-report for that day.
On Thursday we travelled up to the WWF-reserve of Marchegg where there is a huge colony of breeding White Storks (C. ciconia) in trees. They live just like in the flats in Vienna, some even up to 5 high. The visit also brought us Black Stork (C. nigra) , Common Buzard (B. buteo) , Honey Buzzard (P. Apivorus) and Black Kite (M. migrans). A look into the forest brought us Nuthatch (S. europaea), Hooded Crow (C.c.cornix) , Serin (S. serinus), Fieldfare (T.pilaris)and several male Collared Flycatchers (F. albicollis). The last ones were good for over 15 minutes of great birding !!
During the afternoon we walked along the castle towards the River March. On the 'Denkmal für Zoll' new birds in the form of Kingfisher (A. atthis), River Warbler (L.fluviatilis) , Quail (C. coturnix) and Corncrake (C. crex) were well seen.
On the way home, a further stop at the woods before Illmitz for Night Heron (N. nycticorax) and Nightingale (L. megarhynchos) followed by a cold beer back at the hotel.
On Friday a walk around the Lange Lacke was made. A change of weather brought wind and just one new species here to our already impressive list; Black-necked Grebe (P. nigricollis). During the afternoon, we visited Waasen-Hansag where we watched a male and female Montagu's Harrier (C. pygargus) and a parading male and a not so interested female Great Bustard (O. tarda) - a great 'closing-day' topped with some Burgenland wine.
Saturday also started well; beautiful weather, Barred Warbler (S. nisoria) and then Syrian Woodpecker (D. syriacus) stole the show. A short drive towards a place called Hölle (near the Oberstinkersee) and a walk along the edge of the Neusiedl and repeats of many of the week’s sightings. Of most interest were several Barred Warbler (S. nisoria) , Great Reed Warbler (A. arundinaceus) , about 5 to 6 permanently quartering Marsh Harrier (C. aeruginosus) , several Red-backed Shrike (L. collurio) , a few Garganey (A. querquedula) , the odd Spoonbill (P. leucorodia), one White Stork (C. ciconia), Great White Egret (E. alba) and a Bittern (B. stellaris). A group of at least six Bearded Tits (P. biarmicus) and several Common Gull (L. canus) added to the list. At noon the lunch was taken in front of the Bee-eater (M. apiaster) colony. A Kestrel (F. tinnunculus) and two Little Owl (A. noctua) were also present around the breeding holes.
The next day we drove back to 'Chickendale-country' with an awesome tally of a little over 140.
If you have enjoyed reading this please mail me at: dirk.raes@ping.be
Check out the Hamlyn Birdwatching Guide "Where to watch birds in Britain and Europe" by John Gooders for more information on the sites mentioned above (click here for more info). At about £150 for a return flight from Heathrow to Vienna (approximately two hours), Lake Neusiedl and its eastern specialities is definitely within easy reach of most British and visiting American birders.
