Birding in Biebrza & Bialowieza Region
Visit the two highlights of North East Poland - the famous Bialowieza Primeval Forest and the vast marshes of Biebrza.
We will observe excellent birds such as all the European Woodpeckers including White-backed & three-toed, Great Snipe, Greater-spotted Eagle, Aquatic Warbler and many others. This ancient, unexploited land offers us a glimpse of what most of Europe was like before the ravages of modern man led to the draining of the marshes and the felling of the forests. Here southern species like Roller, Bee eaters and Short-toed Eagle meet eastern ones such as March Sandpiper and Citrine Wagtail or even northern ones such as Whooper Swan.
Unspoilt countryside and pretty villages where the architecture is beautiful with plenty Ortodox Churches and wooden houses with curved shuters. Who knows how long it will now remain unspoilt as Poland was welcomed as a new member of the European Union in 2004. There is, perhaps, no better time to go.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival
Arrive in Warsaw and transfer to Bialowieza Primaeval Forest (3 hours) with a few stops for lunch, birding and landscapes. We will see more and more White Storks on the fields as 25% of the world population live in Poland. Lovely countryside will produce Grey Partridge, Quail, Rooks and Jackdaws of the easten 'pale headed' subspecies. A special place with spectacular view is the River Bug Valley where the birdslife is typical for a big wild river: Little Tern, Little and Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher and many migrants with Caspian Tern and with luck even Terek Sandpiper.
Sandy dunes overgrown with Juniper also hold Roller, Tawny Pipit, Wood Lark, Wheatear, Turtle Dove, Ortolan Bunting and Hoopoe. After arrival at our nice pension we will be welcomed with dinner and rest. Local food is served - a speciality is mushrooms and game.
Overnight: Pension in Bialowieza Forest.
Target Species: Little Tern, Little&Little Ringed Plover, Roller, Tawny Pipit, Turtle Dove, Ortolan Bunting
Day 2 & 3 - Bialowieza Primaeval Forest
Visit to the Bialowieza Primaeval Forest. It is the last really primeval lowland forest in Europe of oak, lime, ash & spruce with much dying and fallen wood. There are also swampy areas and marshes along river valleys. This wonderful world is inhabited by numerous animals which have maintained the ecological and behavioural patterns of the original habitats - Swifts even nest in tree holes here.
It is an excellent place to find Woodpeckers including Three-toed, White-backed, Grey-headed,
Black, Lesser & Middle-spotted Woodpeckers and Wryneck and we know the nestholes of all of them.
Hazel Grouse are still common and it is possible to atract them with a special whistle.
There are also such an elusive birds as Red-breasted and Collared Flycatchers, Hawfinch, Crossbill, Wood & Icterine Warrbler, Nutcracker, Redwing, Goldcrest & Firecrest, Willow Tit & Marsh Tit, The White headed race of Long- tailed Tit and Crested Tit.
We will visit some river valleys where Lesser-spotted, Short-toed, Booted and other Eagles hunt. There are Honey Buzzard, Hobby and Goshawk as well. Barred and Marsh Warblers are common in this habitat. Bialowieza Forest is also the place every year where Greenish and Blyth Reed Warbler are observed. If any birds are present in the area we will know about it, for sure.
During evenings we will also seek out a Pygmy & Tengmalm's Owl and Nightjar localities. Our local guide will attract these amazing birds. It is also the best time for mammals. We will search forest for European Bison as over 600 live in Bialowieza. We will be driving along the forest road to spot them.
There are also numerous Red Deer and Wild Boars which are hunted by Wolves and Lynx which are ocasionally seen.
Target Species: Three-toed, White-backed, Grey-headed, Black, Middle-spotted Woodpecker, Wryneck, Greenish&Blyth Reed Warbler, Red-breasted & Collared Flycatchers, Nutcracker, Firecrest, Crested Tit, Lesser-spotted, Short-toed & Booted Eagles and Pygmy Owl.
Overnight: Pension in Bialowieza
This morning we travel to Biebrza Marshes where we will spend another 3 nights taking some breaks on the way. First we will stop at wonderful birdwatching site - Siemianówka Reservoir – an artificial Lake on the Narew River which is the breeding place of amongst other birds White-tailed and Golden Eagles, Osprey, Citrine Wagtail, Marsh Sandpiper, Whooper Swan, Whiskered & Black Terns and Pontic Gull.
Our next stop is at the amazing fishpond complex where, amongst breeding birds we will find Whooper Swan, 5 species of Grebes with Black-necked & Red-necked and some years Slavonian Grebe, Reed Bunting, Penduline Tit. It is the best place to observe Bittern and Little Bittern during our tour.
Warblers include Great Reed, Reed, Savi’s, Marsh and some years Blyth's Reed Warbler. We will also visit the most northern territory of Syrian Woodpecker and Bee eaters. Arrival at the pension, dinner and walk for Crakes: Corncrake, Little & Spotted Crake.
Overnight: in pension overlooking the river. Tree Sparrow, Golden Oriole, Linnet and Serin in the garden
Target Species: Syrian Woodpecker, Marsh Sandpiper, Whooper Swan, Black-necked, Red-necked & Slavonian Grebe, Citrine Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Penduline Tit, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Ortolan Bunting, Bee eaters and European Roller.
DAY 5-6 - Biebrza Marshes
Two days we will be spent exploring the wonderful Biebrza Marshes, one of Europe's most important wetlands where marshes and scrubby fens are interspersed with managed grassland.
We will start with observing the Black Grouse lekking. It will also be an oportunity to see fights of Ruff, every bird having individual colours. Other waders are present as well on the flooded meadows with numerous breeding Godwits, Curlew, Redshank, single Dunlin and Marsh Sandpipers. Big flocks of migrating Spotted Redshank, Wood sandpipers, Greenshank with some Temninck's & Little Stint.
Geese on passage are mainly White-fronted, Bean and Greylag with single Lesser White-fronted and Red-breasted Geese.
Breeding Crane and many more non breeding ones will be seen in big groups on the meadows and flying overhead.
We will walk into marshes along tracks where we will concentrate on birds of prey with Spotted, Lesser-spotted, Short-toed and White-tailed Eagles. There are many pairs of Montagu's Harrier and more and more Pallid Harriers over the last few seasons. Falcons are represented with Hobby, Peregrine and Red-footed Falcon which is not rare on passage in May.
We will have an unforgettable adventure observing huge colonies of White-winged Black Tern where Scarlet Rosefinch call 'Pleased to meet You'.
We will search for Great Reed, Reed, Sedge, Savi's, River, Barred and Grasshopper Warbler, Bearded & Penduline Tits and lovely Bluethroat.
Continuing our birdwatching from the towers and roads to find the most interesting breeding birds with Bittern and Little Bittern, Great White Egret, numerous ducks with Garganey, Gadwall, Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler, Little Gull and others.
In the late afternoon you will have a chance to observe four species of Snipe in one place. Common Snipe will fly in the afternoon over your heads. A bit later we will have the unforgettable images of Great Snipe courtship displays with leks in full swing! Roding Woodcocks will fly overhead. With a bit of luck ther is the chance of Jack Snipe. Everything will be to the accompaniment of numerous Corncrakes and Spotted Crakes calling.
The second evening in this region we will walk to observe the other Polish speciality - Aquatic Warbler with Thrush Nightingale song and River Warbler accompaniment.
Mammals are represented by the king of swamps – the majestic Elk which lives here in large numbers so that it is easy to see individuals and sometimes several together from the watchtowers.
We will also observe the workaholic Beavers and with a bit of luck Otter which often live in their neighbourhood and are very frequently seen in the area.
Butterflies which occur in spring include Violet Cooper, Camberwell beauty, Clouded apollo and Swalowtail. There are many flowering plants with Lady's Slipper Orchid.
Target Species: Great-spotted Eagle, Thrush Nightingale, Great Snipe, Aquatic Warbler, Corncrake, Spotted and Little Crake, White winged Black Tern.
Overnight: in nice pension in Biebrza Marshes.
Day 7: Departure
Morning birding, breakfast and depart for Warszawa. When we arrive in the capital of Poland there should be some time for shopping and a short sightseeing tour of the Old Town, which was completely destroyed during last war, quickly rebuilt and has since been declared a World Heritage Site.
PRICE
Price £600 pounds (single room supplement £100) (based on 3-4 persons) - includes accommodation in nice small family hotels with en-suite rooms twin-bedded rooms with private facilitates, fantastic food (breakfast, packed lunches, big dinner), transportation by minibus, local guides and expert guidance in English.
Easy walks along flat paths.
October 2011