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Page 4 Site1 Also Marsh Warbler beside the stream between the car park and the lake. Site 3 There now appear to be no Pied Flycatchers in the Park. All the birds at nestboxes were Collared Flycatchers of which I counted at least 9 singing males. Pied Flycatcher seems to have become a rare bird at Bialowieza; I had none at any of the sites I'd found them before and I've read several recent trip reports in which they are not listed among the species recorded. The Hotel Iwa building has been substantially redone to include a museum, restaurant, etc. Personally I much prefer the rural charm of the Hotel Dom. Mysliwski. What you lose in facilities (very basic) you gain in 'garden birds' with Wryneck, Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Rosefinch, Serin, Black Redstart and Hawfinch all viewable from our room. Site 4 Probably better for raptors is the track leading north from the northeast corner of the park, en route to the 'gate'. We had Goshawk, Hobby, Buzzard and lots of views of Lesser Spotted Eagles. Page 6 Site 2 Stuart Greer successfully found Barred Warbler here in May 2007 as well as Red-backed Shrike and Corncrake. Site 4 This site has changed beyond all recognition. The trees beside the path have grown up so much since the 1990s that you can no longer see the mature trees, let alone the woodpeckers in them! A better bet for woodpeckers is now Budy bridge, found by continuing on the road east from Pogorzelce, through Tereminsky to a road bridge before you reach the next village of Budy. This is a relatively open area of forest with lots of mature and dead trees in which White-backed, Black and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers have nested. The nearby forest pools have Green Sandpipers too. Page 10 Site 1 High water levels meant there were very few waders in this area, just Redshanks and Lapwings and there was no sign of either Red-necked or Black-necked Grebes. Spectacular views of all 3 marsh terns though, with Barred Warbler, Hoopoe and Woodlark around the caravan site just inland. Site 3 There's an easier way to get here than via the track I described. Continue on the road east from Siemianowka, ignoring the left hand track, until you come to a T-junction in Siemianowszczyzna. Turn left here down a track into the forest and turn left again at the next fork, signposted in Polish. Soon you arrive at a clearing with a new bird tower. Walk past here along the causeway at the edge of the reservoir, passing the water pumping station on your right. This causeway overlooks the vast marsh with hundreds of marsh terns. Look out for Great White Egret too. After the pumping station look for a channel to the right of your track; there has been a pair of Citrine Wagtails returning to breed at this site for over ten years. The male often perched on stems on the far side of the channel (but so do the local Blue-headed Wagtails too) but, if not, scan up the channel for signs of either of the pair feeding along the margins. PLEASE don't walk along the channel as this would disturb one of Europe's rarest breeding species. If you keep to the track along the causeway you should find Marsh Warbler and Penduline Tit in the bushes on your left and you stand a good chance of White-tailed Eagle overhead. Site 5 The tracks to here seem to have become overgrown so we didn't fancy driving them. You could still get here on foot by driving past Site 4 and parking where this road reaches the railway line. At this point you get more views of the phenomenal marsh that's just swarming with marsh terns but a walk up the railway line would get you to dryer and more forested areas better for raptors. Page 12 Site 2 We didn't visit this site but were told it was excellent for both Aquatic Warbler and Great Snipe, even at 11am. Page 14 Site 2 No need to visit here. The Sand Martin site is overgrown and White-winged Black Terns are now so numerous that you can see them anywhere in this area (even over the ploughed fields by the road). Site 3 No sign of Little Gulls and we were late for displaying Ruffs but lots of Black-tailed Godwits and Marsh Terns are easily seen. There are now several observation towers, almost one in every field adjacent to the marsh; the owners ask you to pay 2 zlotys per person (about 40p) to use them. At least one of the farms here offers B&B facilities. Site 5 The White-winged Black Terns didn't seem to be nesting here in 2007 but have certainly done so in recent years. They are abundant all around this area now but it's still worth checking to see if this site is occupied as you would get the most fantastic views. Site 6 There is now a magnificent look-out tower at the beginning of this track. To save yourself the long walk to the Aquatic Warbler site along this path, try instead the new boardwalk (Dluga Luka) on the right as you drive south from the observation tower, after about 1.4km. A short walk takes you through the territories of several pairs of Aquatic Warblers but you may still need patience, a good ear and sharp eyes to locate them. Stuart Greer reports that this site is worth visiting in the evening when various raptors, especially Marsh and Montagu's Harriers, fly past en route to a roost in the forest. Site 7 We were told there were no Great Snipe at this lek this year. Some say it is due to the marsh drying out, others suggest the birds have been disturbed by the building of a new observation tower right next to the site. To see this species you may now need to hire the help of a local guide (e.g. through or ). It may still be worth visiting here for views of the marshes; to find it, there is now a signpost from the road indicating a car park at 1km. Site 10 I met some birders who said they couldn't find these ponds, so here are some directions. From the Grajewo–Bialystok road, look for a sign to Chraboly, about 5 km south of Knysyn. At this junction, take the track on the opposite side of the main and continue around the edge of a woodland for about 1.5km at which point you should find a smaller track to the ponds on your right. By walking this in 2007, we didn't see any Red-necked Grebes (though we didn't check every pond) but we did get amazing views of 4 juvenile White-tailed Eagles. A better bet for seeing Red-necked (and Black-necked) Grebes is another set of fishponds (Dojlidy Ponds) even closer to Bialystok. Where the main road from Hajnowka reaches the outskirts of Bialystok, look out for a well-decorated cemetery on your left, then turn right at the next junction. (Coming from the other direction, look for a town park with ponds on your right, then take the next left.) Having turned off the main road, look for a track on the right (signposted ul Dojnowska) after several hundred metres which leads to the edge of the ponds. There's a further track to the right which leads through the centre of the ponds. The nearest ponds have lots of noisy Black-headed Gulls but towards the far end of this track is a large pond on the left which had both rare grebes in 2007. There were about 6 Red-necks visible, mostly in the distance, and we had only 2 Black-necks which were seen only briefly and distantly. Other birds included Penduline Tit, Marsh Warbler, Marsh Harrier, Golden Oriole, etc. New site Stuart Greer reports that the village of Mscichy, (much further north than Brzostowo, accessed via the road from Osowiec to Radzilov) has another watchtower overlooking the marshes. From here in May 2007, he had Wood and Green Sandpipers, White-winged and Whiskered Terns, displaying Ruff and the only Black Stork of his trip. Page 22 Site 2 There is now a magnificent observation tower here. Stuart Greer found a boardwalk nearby from which he found Bluethroat and Penduline Tit, both nesting. Page 24 Site 1 We didn't get Aquatic Warbler here but there were two pairs of Barred Warbler near the bridge. Site 3 Beside this track there is now an enclosure for the rehabilitation of animals such as elk. Opposite here is a track into the woods. While attempting to see a singing Red-breasted Flycatcher that I heard here, I almost bumped into a Lynx which looked disdainfully at me before sauntering on as if I wasn't there. My reward for getting up at 5am! |
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