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Overview
Mid-eastern Poland, close to Warsaw. The Bug is one of the last European large lowland rivers, that has never been artifacially controlled. The river (100-200m wide, 813km long) is lazy meandering, flowing across endless meadows, peatbogs and sandy hills. At its lower end, it has created numerous meanders (Great Circle - the biggest one with almost 360 radius) and hundreds of backwaters and marshes outlined by dense reedbeds.
This area is called among Polish birders a "Small Biebrza" and it fully deserves for such name (what means birding hotspot number one right upon the Biebrza Marshes). Very low-intensive human activity in that area makes it a real gem for birders! Especially for those who like to watch birds rather alone than in company of hundreds of tourists, getting out from buses every day at the Biebrza Marshes...
Alongside the river, towards eastern border of the country stretches the Nadbuzanski Landscape Park which is absolutelly unique for its biodiversity. Presence of Bug, Narew and Liwiec rivers, as well as abundance of hughe primeval forests (Biala and Kamieniecka Primeval Forests) and some frequently water-logged forests, make there a home for over 40 mammal and over 160 nesting bird species.
The Park (also known as "Green Lungs of Poland") is reach for woods with over 600 years old oaks, lime trees, hughe pines and boreal spruce forests. Sedge marshes and peatbogs as well as sandy dunes and beaches, moorlands, wet meadows, grassy hills and endless plain terraces formed by the rivers.
Nirds
Notable Species
The best area for birding is 60km long part of the valley that ends with wide mouth in Zegrzynski dam-reservoir, after junction with Narew river. The area is one of the most important bird refuges in Europe (and one of ten in Poland). In accordance to the Birds and Habitats Directives, it is going to be highly protected by including it in "Nature 2000" network, under the name of "Bug River Lower Valley".
The Bug's valley is one of three main migration routes for birds in Poland. The river floods intensivelly every year on early spring (March/April) covering large surrounding plains, what provides excellent conditions for birds having their breakdown on migration. Flocks of thousands cranes, geese, ducks, waterfowls and waders can easily be seen there and a lot of them stay to breed there (including Black Tern, Bluethroat, Thrush Nightingale, Curlew, and Ringed Plover).
In a neighbourhood still exist lek sites for Great Snipe, Ruff and Black Grouse. In the middle of the surronding forests nest Crane, Black Stork, Eagle Owl, Osprey, White-tailed Eagle and both Lesser Spotted Eagle and Great Spotted Eagle]]. At the edges of woods, almost all warblers and woodpeckers can be met, as well as few last Roller, many Eurasian Woodcock, Eurasian Nightjar and Wood Lark
Rarities
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Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
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Other Wildlife
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Site Information
History and Use
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Areas of Interest
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Access and Facilities
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Contact Details
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External Links
Bird Forum Thread Warsaw - choices?
. Content and images originally posted by valdi99
Reviews
valdi99's review
Trip report http://www.travellingbirder.com/tripreports/view_birding_tripreport.php?id=86 by Peter Howe
Pros
- Easily accesible
- 40minutes drive from Warsaw
Cons
- None
