Bay of Gdansk, Poland (1 Viewer)

[mikus]

Just seen a few dozens of Waxwing whilst walking the dog near the block of flats where I live - my first sighting of them since early december. I'm writing about it here cause I sometimes get the impression that they constitute some sort of attraction for Britons - in Poland they are really common on passage, although their numbers, of course, vary from year to year.
Also, me and my dog have been watching Lesser-spotted woodpecker pretty often lately near our home.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Hello Mikus, nice sightings. I like to follow how people are doing in other European parts of the world in particular.

 

[mikus]

Today I've paid a visit to the mouth of river Reda, north of the city of Gdynia. A bit to far to take the dog for a walk, but still I consider it to be one of my local patches!
The site is renowned for the breeding of Citrine Wagtail since 1994. The arrival of the first individuals this spring has been recorded last week. I haven't had the luck with them today though - but I've only covered a small part of the area where they are to be found.
The site paid off with some "western" species:
3 Canada Goose - one of them was a hybrid I guess - it had a yellowish bill. Strange.
4 Barnacle Goose
5 Whimbrel
1 Red kite
Also, a lot of ducks: mallard, garganey, teal, shoveler, widgeon, gadwall, tufted duck, pochard - and I don't know why pintail was missing.

 

[mikus]

Today, one and a half hour's walk near my home produced my very first Hoopoe (and I'm delighted to have spotted it at last), another brightly-plumaged bird - Kingfisher, and, as I had expected, Canada Goose continuing her sitting on eggs. It's their second attempt to breed in Poland after the last year's attempt failed. However, breeding of Canada in Poland is obviously nothing to cheer about.

 

[ste1812]

Hi Mikus yes the waxwings do fascinate us brits but this year there has been thousands over here thats why you havent seen them since december probably record numbers.Whimbrel have just started to arrive along with Swallows Swifts Warblers its an exciting time of year in u.k probably the same in Poland its interesting hearing from different Countries keep us posted on your patch

Steve

 

[mikus]

I haven't been to the mouth of Reda recently, so I just have to forward somebody else's sightings. On the 3rd of May some 5 pairs of Citrine Wagtail were seen there, along with 1 Avocet , 1 Great White Egret , 1 Stock Dove , 20 Golden Plover and 5 Jack Snipe .

My sightings from today were had in the Ptasi Raj reserve at the mouth of Smiala Wisla. The area comprises two lakes, vast reedbeds, sandy dunes, decideuous as well as coniferous woodland, and the river Wisla of course, with a long breakwater at the very mouth of it.
Stone marten seen in the full light of day (7.30a.m.) was the most interesting observation. Birds seen include approximately a dozen Little Gull , at least 2 Shelduck , 2 male Shoveler , Little and "Commic" Tern (but almost for sure Common) that I couldn't precisely estimate the number of (not many of them though). Interesting heard only species were Bittern and Savi's Warbler .

 

[mikus]

And there they are, first Canada to be born in wild in Poland, newly-hatched, mild-yellow chicks, the size of a Little Grebe, maybe slightly smaller, six of them. Two days ago the female (presumably) was still sitting on eggs, today I saw the chicks. There is a debate currently going on in Poland whether this species poses threat to our environment. Anyway, I'm not very enthusiastic about what happened, still - it seemed inevitable for quite some time.

 

[mikus]

Today at the mouth of Reda I once again failed to find any Citrine Wagtail - but I don't enter the reserve, only stroll along the bordering road and that might be the reason. I know they can be sometimes found outside the reserve though (my only one last year, a beautiful male, was spotted outside the reserve) - that's why I had hoped for them.
A cracker today was a Redpoll - just one, but even one seems to be one too many on my patch at this time of the year! I couldn't believe my eyes.
Other birds worthy a note were: Common Rosefinch, Penduline Tit, Crane and once again all the Anas duck species save Pintail.
A Thrush Nightingale was singing a nice song, but refused to show.

 

[lark o'dell]

souns like a nice work keep on searching for the citrine wagtail keep us posted

 

[mikus]

Actually, i kind of gave up with this bird this year. I,m not going to the mouth of Reda in the predictible future and probably they'll have left for winter grounds by the time i get there next time. Anyway, i have the tick against the name of this bird on my life-list so i can get over its missing on the year-list, can't I?
But here is what one competent guy from the local bird conservation organisation, taking particular care of Citrine Wagtail in the mouth of Reda, reported:
out of the total of eight nests found this year, three were discovered to have been destroyed (plundered by predators or something), but five of them produced offspring, and , according to crude counts, there should be some twenty or so Citrine Wagtails born and succesfully raised in my local patch this year |=)| , this is a really high number, according to the guy.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Hi Mikus,

I spent two enjoyable days birding at the mouth of the Reda this week. Some sightings as follows:

Citrine Wagtail - pair with 3 fledged young
Caspian Tern - 1 on the ash lagoon
Sandwich Tern - several
Curlew Sandpiper - 33 first day then 60 the next, in summer plumage
Temminck´s Stint - up to 5
Whimbrel - 2
Bar-tailed Godwit - 3
Oystercatcher - 5
Ringed Plover - 6
Black-tailed Godwit - 2
Curlew - 2
Wood Sandpiper - 3
Greenshank - 5
Ruff - 1
Redshank - 1
Spotted Redshank - 2 in summer plumage
Long-tailed Duck - 2 drakes
Scaup - up to 5
Little Grebe - 8
Cuckoo - 2
Bearded Tit - several
Savi´s Warbler - 1 singing
Canada Goose - 1

I probably saw a Yellow-legged Gull too. A very good spot I reckon.

 

[mikus]

Hi Andrew

a very good spot, I absolutely agree, virtually anything can appear there, some five or so first records for Poland, I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

I can see the autumn migration is already in full swing in my local patch with this fine collection of waders you saw! Some of them, along with Caspian Tern, are still missing on my life-list.

Long-tailed Duck and Scaup are also of interest here, since they hold a status of wintering species in Poland and seeing them in July is quite unusual.

 

[mikus]

Ptasi Raj reserve yielded today:
- Grey Plover 1 (breeding plumage)
- Whimbrel 1
- Oystercatcher 1
- Dunlin 2 (breeding plumage)
- Ringed Plover 6
- Common Sandpiper ca 10
- Bearded Tit - 6 fledged young, delightful
- Sandwich Tern - maybe not very numerous but very conspicuous, so noisy out and about
- Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Mallard and perhaps some more duck species that I couldn't identify

 

[mikus]

On Monday at the mouth of Przekop Wisly (a canal built by the Germans a hundred years ago or so to provide a new, easier to handle river-bed for the biggest polish river at its mouth) I struggled with the waders; despite my great efforts I didn't ID all of them, but the ones I did ID were, from my viewpoint, rewarding.
There was at least one Broad-billed Sandpiper (distinctive zebra-like pattern on the head, especially when seen from the front) at the bank of the canal, along with one Ruff , one Spotted Redshank , some Dunlins and Common Sandpipers , and possible Greenshank and Curlew Sandpipers.
On arriving at the sea shore I saw one Knot , a few Temminck's / Little Stints (couldn't determine), and Dunlins again. Terns were Black, Sandwich and Little . Ringed Plovers turned up after a short while. Having walked along the beach for some distance, I finally spotted six Red-necked Phalaropes out on the sea.
The most impressive sighting of the day were Littlt Gulls though, huge flocks of them constantly present, definitely more than a thousand individuals.
Mammals seen include one Marten foreaging for the fruits of some thorny bush. Given the predatory nature of this animal - quite an interesting thing to see. Pity I didn't determine whether it was Stone or Pine Marten despite the favourable circumstances - full daylight (6.15 a.m.)

 

[Jos Stratford]

There was at least one Broad-billed Sandpiper (distinctive zebra-like pattern on the head, especially when seen from the front) at the bank of the canal. Having walked along the beach for some distance, I finally spotted six Red-necked Phalaropes out on the sea.

Some good birding down there too I see. Had a Broad-billed Sandpiper too a few days back and I think these are one of the smartest of all waders! Had hoped to bump into a phalarope today and spent ages scanning for one, but to no avail! Ah well, tomorrow!

 

[mikus]

Both species are being seen inland as well these days, even in the deep south of Poland, and I guess it's good time for them; BTW both were lifers for me on Monday