Marcus Conway - ebirder
Well-known member
Have recently spent some time in Eastern Poland - highlights below.
Firstly
Thanks to Karol Zub assistant professor, mammal expert and all round top bloke for spending time showing us round the forests.
For the first time visitor Eastern Poland offers a great place to spend time searching for some fantastic birds and mammals in pristine habitats. Bialowieza Forest is an amazing forest - one of largest remaining parts of the primeval forest - with mile upon mile of incredible trees and remarkable vegetation and fungi. On the flip side it is incredibly difficult birding due to the height of the trees and the denseness of the canopy.
Autumn is a wonderful time to visit for the smells of the forest and the colours of the season. Note large area of the forest are only accessible by approved guides or researchers - in particular the 'special reserve' or 'private reserve'
Woodpeckers
The main target of our tour
- Great Spotted, very common seen on most days
- Lesser Spotted, seen daily often perching in the open and giving good if high views
- Middle Spotted, three seen
- Black Woodpecker, often heard especially on tracks north of the 'special reserve' and on route 689
- Three Toed Woodpecker, four different pairs, the most obliging of the woodpeckers. Seen in areas with dead spruce. The best area was the track to the south of Lesna Road - 'reservat bagno'. One remarkbly landed on Karol's head as he was demonstrating how to use a stick to attract them! :eek!:
- White Backed Woodpecker, one pair seen in 'special reserve'
- Green Woodpecker, one seen in the park in Bialowieza
- Grey Headed Woodpeckeer, very vocal throughout area, best views on tracks near Lusna and in the 'special reserve' and 'reservat bagno'
Pygmy Owl
The weather was against us and depsite searching every morning and evening we only managed two views of this cracking owl
Other notable birds
Hawfinch - a very good year for these, seen daily in numbers of tens occasionally hundreds. This is connected to an unusually high hornbeam crop
Pallid Harrier - One immature bird
Montagu's Harrier - Two
Crane - up to two hundred
Hazel Grouse - despite several searched we did not hear any
Mammals
there are 55+ mammal species in the area - Karol is the associate professor for Mammal Studies so we were in good hands for all sorts of amazing facts. such as
- field living weasels weigh 3 times as much as forest dwelling weasels
- wood warblers asses rodent population before nesting, in high rodent years wood warblers numbers can drop from 20000 pairs to 1000 pairs. Nobody knows where they go.
- loads more that I may edit in when in remember
- Bison, over three hundred are in the forest area. Due to the Acorn crop most Bison were deep in the forest. Winter is the best time for sightings when they come to hay.
- Wolf, there is a resident pack in the forest and up to two visiting packs totalling up to 40 animals. We didn't see any but came across scratching signs, prints and scenting areas.
- Fox, relatively common along forest edges
- Red Deer, the Rut was in full swing but despite hearing many we did not see them in the forest
- Beaver, several pairs in the area, apparently easiest to see in winter
- Stone Marten, easily seen at a feeding station (PM for details)
- Rodents, many voles and shrews that were new to me, can elaborate if anyone is interested!
- Bats, Nathusius was a new species for me
- Lynx, there are an estimated 20 individuals in the forest. Sightings are rare but best on the Narevka(sp) Road
Other Stuff
Several species of tick needed removing even though we were fully covered, trousers tucked in etc - Lyme disease is a problem so be aware.
Mosquitoes were irksome in all locations and at all times of day. We picked up around 10 bites each per day.
Useful map - http://www.bialowieza.gmina.pl/files/szt1.jpg
Accommodation - highly recommend Wejmutka, very cheap B and B (£10ish per night), rooms comfortable, breakfast can be made up for early departure, free WIFI http://www.wejmutka.pl/ - they are aiming at nature lovers and have set up accordingly. Feeding station and bird pictures and books everywhere.
Evening meals are about £5 for tasty Polish stuff
Beer is about £1 per pint for top local brew
A bottle of vodka is £4
Transfer by car is about 3.5 hours from Warsaw
Firstly
Thanks to Karol Zub assistant professor, mammal expert and all round top bloke for spending time showing us round the forests.
For the first time visitor Eastern Poland offers a great place to spend time searching for some fantastic birds and mammals in pristine habitats. Bialowieza Forest is an amazing forest - one of largest remaining parts of the primeval forest - with mile upon mile of incredible trees and remarkable vegetation and fungi. On the flip side it is incredibly difficult birding due to the height of the trees and the denseness of the canopy.
Autumn is a wonderful time to visit for the smells of the forest and the colours of the season. Note large area of the forest are only accessible by approved guides or researchers - in particular the 'special reserve' or 'private reserve'
Woodpeckers
The main target of our tour
- Great Spotted, very common seen on most days
- Lesser Spotted, seen daily often perching in the open and giving good if high views
- Middle Spotted, three seen
- Black Woodpecker, often heard especially on tracks north of the 'special reserve' and on route 689
- Three Toed Woodpecker, four different pairs, the most obliging of the woodpeckers. Seen in areas with dead spruce. The best area was the track to the south of Lesna Road - 'reservat bagno'. One remarkbly landed on Karol's head as he was demonstrating how to use a stick to attract them! :eek!:
- White Backed Woodpecker, one pair seen in 'special reserve'
- Green Woodpecker, one seen in the park in Bialowieza
- Grey Headed Woodpeckeer, very vocal throughout area, best views on tracks near Lusna and in the 'special reserve' and 'reservat bagno'
Pygmy Owl
The weather was against us and depsite searching every morning and evening we only managed two views of this cracking owl
Other notable birds
Hawfinch - a very good year for these, seen daily in numbers of tens occasionally hundreds. This is connected to an unusually high hornbeam crop
Pallid Harrier - One immature bird
Montagu's Harrier - Two
Crane - up to two hundred
Hazel Grouse - despite several searched we did not hear any
Mammals
there are 55+ mammal species in the area - Karol is the associate professor for Mammal Studies so we were in good hands for all sorts of amazing facts. such as
- field living weasels weigh 3 times as much as forest dwelling weasels
- wood warblers asses rodent population before nesting, in high rodent years wood warblers numbers can drop from 20000 pairs to 1000 pairs. Nobody knows where they go.
- loads more that I may edit in when in remember
- Bison, over three hundred are in the forest area. Due to the Acorn crop most Bison were deep in the forest. Winter is the best time for sightings when they come to hay.
- Wolf, there is a resident pack in the forest and up to two visiting packs totalling up to 40 animals. We didn't see any but came across scratching signs, prints and scenting areas.
- Fox, relatively common along forest edges
- Red Deer, the Rut was in full swing but despite hearing many we did not see them in the forest
- Beaver, several pairs in the area, apparently easiest to see in winter
- Stone Marten, easily seen at a feeding station (PM for details)
- Rodents, many voles and shrews that were new to me, can elaborate if anyone is interested!
- Bats, Nathusius was a new species for me
- Lynx, there are an estimated 20 individuals in the forest. Sightings are rare but best on the Narevka(sp) Road
Other Stuff
Several species of tick needed removing even though we were fully covered, trousers tucked in etc - Lyme disease is a problem so be aware.
Mosquitoes were irksome in all locations and at all times of day. We picked up around 10 bites each per day.
Useful map - http://www.bialowieza.gmina.pl/files/szt1.jpg
Accommodation - highly recommend Wejmutka, very cheap B and B (£10ish per night), rooms comfortable, breakfast can be made up for early departure, free WIFI http://www.wejmutka.pl/ - they are aiming at nature lovers and have set up accordingly. Feeding station and bird pictures and books everywhere.
Evening meals are about £5 for tasty Polish stuff
Beer is about £1 per pint for top local brew
A bottle of vodka is £4
Transfer by car is about 3.5 hours from Warsaw
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