Kondor & its vicinity - Golden Oriole, Bee-eater, Roller, Hoopoe & more

Several full days can be spent at and around our accommodation, leisurely discovering the wildlife surrounding us. The air is full with thrills and songs of nesting Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Swallows, Chiffchaffs, Black Redstrarts, Stonechats, Blackcaps, Mistle Thrushes, Willow Warblers. Tree Sparrow and Common Redstart is also a possibility, both have been breeding species in the garden recently. You won’t be bored by the flute of Golden Orioles or bubbling sounds of Bee-eaters or female Cuckoos around. Various resident woodpeckers in or nearby the garden include Lesser and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wryneck and Green Woodpecker, but even Black Woodpecker is possible.

Most of the above mentioned species are at or around the garden, but with different walks we can find many more interesting things around even without using a vehicle! Trails and rural, sandy dirt-roads meander through a flat area dotted by small forest patches, grasslands and a lake. The surrounding area is very good for Rollers and Bee-eaters, in fact they are one of the most common birds around! Nearby Syrian & Black Woodpecker is around & Turtle Dove occurs as well. We should find Tawny Pipit, Red-backed & Lesser Grey Shrike as well. Hoopoe, Tree Pipit, Corn Bunting, Whinchat, Nightingale, Crested Lark and Yellow Wagtail all has good populations here as well. It is not uncommon to hear and see Hawfinch, Garden Warbler, Linnet or Spotted Flycatcher either. The nearby extensive sand dunes covered with different Stipa species in the central part of the National Park are ideal for Wood Lark populations.

Upper Kiskunsag National Park - Great Bustard, Collared Pratincole & more

One of the typical habitats of Kiskunsag is the flat, perfect plain what we Hungarians refer to as "The Puszta” which has several different types ranging from dry grassland till marshy meadows.

Kiskunsag grassland is the typical habitat for Great Bustard with the largest population not just in Hungary, but all Europe! On one of the days we can travel to the grassland area where we have a good chance of enjoying the view of the enormous males which is quite an unforgettable experience! A nearby area helds Mediterranean Gulls. Not too far we can also search for an occasional Black-winged Pratincole among the Collared ones. During the way we should look for Stone Curlew, Tawny Pipit, Lesser Grey Shrike, Wheatear, Grey Partridge, Stonechat, Whinchat. We can admire Bee-eaters at a fantastic colony.

We also will look around from the top of an ancient man-made hiill to check a perfect hunting area for some great raptors such as Imperial Eagle, Red-footed Falcon, Saker Falcon or Booted Eagle. Certain species adapted to the agricultural fields and nest at the edge of these areas. Long-eared and Little Owl usually can be found at farm houses.

Freshwater & Alkaline Lakes, channels, fishponds & steppes - Great seasonal variety

During this day we will check the most important natural alkaline lakes which generally have very high salt and other mineral concentration. Different species can be found at gravel pits filled with water and alongside the canals connecting River Tisza or River Danube with drier areas. 

This is where we will look for the following breeding birds: Avocet, Redshank, Black Winged Stilt, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Kentish Plover, Pygmy Cormorant, Black-necked Grebe, Little Grebe, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Night Heron, Spoonbill, Common Snipe, Kingfisher.

It is usually easier to hear than to see Bittern, Corncrake, Spotted Crake and Little Crake, but we should be able to get a glimpse of some of these species as well.

Beside the numerous Marsh Harriers we should find Montague's Harrier as well, but White-tailed Eagle or Saker Falcon cause much bigger alarm amongst the flocks of Ferruginous Duck, Shoveler, Garganey, Red-crested Pochard. Terns will be represented by Common and Whiskered Tern and during “wet years" Black and White-winged Black Terns are present as well. Alongside Black-headed and Yellow-legged Gulls there are nice colonies of Mediterranean Gulls. Reedbeds are teeming with Penduline Tit, Bearded Reedling, Great Reed Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Sedge and Reed Warbler. Alongside the rivers at the so called “gallery forests” or riparian forests we should find Lesser and Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker and Black Storks, plus plenty of Golden Orioles. 

Oxbow Lakes & old floodplain forests

Floodplains of River Tisza and its several oxbow lakes are also perfect birding spots.

Alongside the river and its oxbow lakes we will visit a so called “gallery forest” or riparian forest where the old trees provide a perfect Woodpecker Paradise. We should find Lesser, Middle, Great Spotted Woodpecker, but will look for Grey-headed & Black Woodpecker as well. The forest is a nesting site for Black Storks and Tawny Owls as well. 

We will look down from the top of an ancient earth-fortress to the surrounding vast area with meandering oxbow lakes full with birds. It is a paradise for Great White & Little Egret, Great & Pygmy Cormorant, Black-necked & Little Grebe, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Night Heron, Spoonbill, Common Snipe, Kingfisher and of course plenty of ducks, including Ferruginous Duck, Shoveler, Garganey. We always see a couple of raptors hunting around, sometimes even White-tailed Eagle or Saker Falcon.

With a short walk we can visit the edge of a little lake and a marshy area. We have a good chance here for Penduline Tit, Bearded Reedling, Great Reed Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Sedge and Reed Warbler. Night Heron and Kingfisher is usually here as well. 

If we still have time we might visit another, smaller oxbow lake which offers a second chance for closer views of some of the above mentioned species. Plus the gardens of weekend houses are perfect habitats for Wryneck & Syrian Woodpecker.

Lake Kolon & steppe habitats

We start the day with a drive to an excellent area where traditional herds of Great Grey Hungarian Cattles grazing the puszta. This is an excellent site for Red-footed Falcons and Eurasian Rollers. But what is more it also helds a small population of Great Bustards which we might be able to encounter.

Lake Kolon has one of the most important bird-ringing centres of Hungary. It is also a field centre for Moustached Warbler populations. The most common reedbed species here Sedge and Reed Warbler, but it has the strongest Moustached Warbler population in Hungary as well. It is a reliable place for Penduline Tit & Bearded Reedling, Great Reed Warbler, Savi's Warbler. 

We can do a lovely environment-friendly electric boat-ride to visit different chanels and islands of the lake. A professional hide offers photography or wildlife viewing of Black-winged Stilt, Spoonbill, Great White & Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Little Grebe, Purple & Grey Heron, Hobby, Marsh Harrier and sometimes even White-tailed Eagle.

Evening Walks from Kondor EcoLodge

During some evenings we offer easy walks to listen and with some luck to spot Scops Owl, Tawny Owl or seasonally Long-eared Owl. Little Owl usually can be found at nearby farms during the day as well. But the highlight of the after dinner programs is surely the Nightjar-walk when you can not just hear, but with some luck also witness up-close the display flight of these fascinating birds.